Reality star Duncan Bannatyne’s daughter, Abi has spoken out about being hospitalised with sepsis, after dismissing symptoms as a hangover.
The 34-year-old, whose dad is the former Dragon’s Den star, spoke to The Mirror about how she woke up feeling awful and shivering, but thought she’d partied too hard at a friend’s wedding in France.
Abi said: “I felt like I was dying. I had a lot of pain in my lower back and felt stiff, I got into bed and couldn’t lift my head up from my pillow and then I started vomiting uncontrollably even though I couldn’t eat. My aunty had to collect my children from school but I was still adamant it was a hangover.”
Abi, who lives in Middlesbrough, called for an ambulance at 4am the following morning, and it was discovered she had a temperature of 42 degrees.
She was rushed to hospital and explains: “I began to get really delusional and I remember feeling like my head was going to fall off, I got really angry when people started laughing at me…
“It was really bizarre like I was in and out of consciousness. Within half an hour the doctors knew it was sepsis… It was a really frightening experience and I dread to think the outcome if I had not listened, it could have been a lot worse.”
The mum-of-two to Ava, nine, and Austin, six, spent six days in hospital and is now speaking out about her ordeal in a bid to raise awareness of the condition.
Duncan, who is a dad of six, was on holiday in Monaco at the time, and Abi says he called and texted every day as she recovered.
As the story broke, he posted a montage of pics with his daughter.
Beside it, he wrote: “I was shocked when my daughter @abi_bannatyne had sepsis & I read about the condition. It is very scary.
“Be sepsis aware everybody it can kill if not treated swiftly.”
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Last year Duncan, 68, married his third wife Nigora Whitehorn, and the pair revealed that they want more children.
Speaking to This Morning, Nigora, 36, explained that she and Duncan – who have been dating since 2011 – were keen to have at least two more children.
The former receptionist, who has a daughter from a previous relationship, said: “We’re now going to plan the future family. I’d like to have at least two boys.”
She added of her husband: “The way he is with my daughter Gabrielle, he’s an amazing step-father and he’ll be an amazing father for my children.”
Nigora and Duncan also hit back at those who criticised the age gap.
Duncan said: “We just wish all those people lots of love and happiness in their lives and we think they need it.”
His wife added: “We don’t pay attention to any of the comments in newspapers or social media.
“We look at this and think, ‘Their loss’. They can sit back and be jealous. I’m really happy with a man I love. Look at him, how can I not be happy?”
Their wedding came six years after Duncan paid a visit to a dentist in Harley Street where she was a receptionist.
The TV star explained: “I spotted her while getting some crowns done. Just as I was building up the courage to speak to her, the buzzer went for my appointment.
“When I went home I couldn’t stop thinking about her, I felt obsessed! I felt in love with her.”
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