BBC presenter and former Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott has been hospitalised after suffering a collapsed lung following a badly timed jump into a lake. The 44-year-old Ski Sunday presenter was enjoying a trip to Lake Annecy in the French Alps when she jumped from a five-metre platform. The stunt went wrong after she landed awkwardly while attempting a front flip, and she later revealed she needed a chest drain after the heavy landing.
Sharing the Incident on Social Media
Sharing a video of the jump alongside photos from hospital, Alcott joked: 'Most people badly time a front flip off a five metre platform and get winded. I apparently don’t do things by halves – collapsed lung, chest drain and a very expensive lesson in rotation.'
She captioned the post: 'Well… that escalated quickly. Turns out 5 metres is quite a long way to discover you’ve got the rotation wrong. One badly timed front flip. One very hard landing. One collapsed lung. One chest drain. And a few more hospital overnights than were on the holiday itinerary…' Alcott added: 'I absolutely LOVED Annecy… but I’m not entirely sure it loved me back.'
Graphic Images and Support from Fans
The former Team GB skier also shared a graphic photo showing a chest drain inserted into her side as she received treatment. Other images showed the presenter lying in a hospital bed surrounded by medical equipment as she recovered from the accident. Fans were quick to send messages of support, with many wishing her a speedy recovery.
The latest injury comes after Alcott revealed earlier this year that she had been forced to retire from competitive skiing on medical advice. The downhill skier had broken her leg three times in four years and was warned that another fracture could result in her leg being amputated. She has since forged a career in broadcasting and presented BBC One’s coverage of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina earlier this year.
Career Highlights and Olympic Legacy
Alcott competed at four Olympic Games, with her final appearance coming at Sochi in 2014. Just a year before those Games, she had suffered her third broken leg in four years but was determined to compete for Team GB. She had only managed four minutes of competitive skiing between the injury and the Olympic start gate. Alcott eventually finished 19th, less than two seconds behind the winner – a result she described at the time as being like 'taking gold' given everything she had been through.
As she recovers in hospital, the incident adds to a history of significant injuries that have shaped her career, from multiple fractures to the current collapsed lung. Her broadcasting work continues, with her presenting role on Ski Sunday and coverage of major winter sports events.
