Veteran broadcaster Kay Burley has revealed a harrowing incident in which she woke up “covered in blood” after collapsing.
In a conversation with The Times back in June, the 64-year-old opened up about her rigorous early morning routine before departing from her Knightsbridge residence for Sky’s Millbank studios in southwest London. She starts her day at the crack of dawn, setting her alarm for 3.17am, followed by turning on all lights, an essential process to avoid her blood pressure dangerously plummeting.
She recounted the vital nature of her wake-up routine: “The sitting up, taking a breath and putting all the lights on is very, very important because last year I jumped out of bed and, next thing, I woke up covered in blood on the bathroom floor.”
Burley takes medication to manage her blood pressure, which is further lowered during menopause, a detail she wasn’t previously aware of. Her rapid rise from bed led her to faint in the shower.
The mishap resulted in a severe black eye for Burley, and subsequently, she had to take time off from her show. More seriously though, her doctor cautioned that it could have been life-threatening if she had struck her head against the door jamb, reports Surrey Live.
“Luckily I hit my head on the wall as I went down because the doctor said if I’d hit the door jamb it would have been Goodnight Vienna,” she explained.
The seasoned journalist has been a mainstay on Sky News, being one of the network’s original hosts in 1989 and presenting the morning slot since 2019. Her usual morning routine involves reading her briefing notes after showering while tuning into the BBC World Service before heading out to present her show.
However, at the conclusion of the breakfast programme, she made the surprise announcement that it would be her final day on air with the broadcaster.
Wrapping up her show, she said: “After over a million minutes of live TV news, more than anyone else in the world, it’s time for me to indulge in some of my other passions, including my love for travel.
“So, after covering 12 separate general elections, including Sir Keir Starmer’s victory last year, I am retiring from Sky News, let politicians of every party just rejoice at that news.
“Thank-you for waking up and tuning in every morning. I can’t tell you how much I have appreciated your support over the last three-and-a-half decades you’re awesome.
“I will post more on my social media and hope to see you around. Please keep in touch.”