Gogglebox star in ‘immense pain’ after snapping her spine on holiday
One of the stars of Gogglebox Australia has been rushed to hospital after fracturing her spine while on holiday.
Armchair critic Isabelle Silbery, 38, starred on the Australian version of the popular Channel 4 programme along with her infant daughter, Ruby, and her mum, Kerry.
She and her husband, Alex Richards, were enjoying a horse riding trip on the remote Turtle Island of Fiji when the painful accident occurred, leaving her stranded and in agonising pain.
She was then carried on a stretcher for almost two kilometres before being transported on a boat back to her holiday hut – where she had to wait for an emergency helicopter to bring her to the mainland.
A hospital scan then confirmed the painful truth – that she had fractured her spine in the fall.
Sharing the harrowing experience on her Instagram account, Isabelle described how she was in ‘immense pain’ as calamity struck.
Sharing a video of herself being carried via stretcher, Isabelle wrote: ‘Turns out being on a remote island is bloody scary when you have a horse riding accident, are in immense pain and don’t know how serious things are!’
She continued: ‘A medical evacuation helicopter was only available during daylight hours so I was carried by local Fijians on a stretcher 2km up a hill in the dark, onto a boat and to my hut.
‘They were all barefoot in the scorching heat, holding my hand and reassuring me I would be okay. They had a doctor on call and loaded me up with pain relief to get me through the night, even sitting on the beachfront outside the hut to make sure I didn’t need anything.’
She continued: ‘These people were absolute angels. Not to mention my husband who helped me wee into a glass… the kind of commitment that were not in our vows.
‘I was choppered to the mainland for scans confirming I’d fractured my spine. One inch in either direction and my life could’ve looked very different today.’
Isabelle is now recovering from the accident back at home in Melbourne, Australia.
Wrapping up her story, she finished with a warning: ‘I’m home safely with a very large bill so a PSA to check your travel insurance as ours conveniently didn’t cover most activities you would do on a holiday, including kayaking, snorkeling, bike riding and of course… horse riding ????’
This isn’t the first time the Gogglebox Australia personality has made headlines through misadventure – previously breaking her jaw in 2021 following an incident involving a ‘steep staircase.’
Sharing a picture of herself on Boxing Day, the star revealed how the gruesome injury came as a result of drugs that she had unknowingly consumed.
‘A broken jaw won’t stop me from having a Merry Xmas,’ she wrote in the accompanying caption.
‘A steep staircase + drinks + drugs found in my system that I didn’t put there = Christmas through a straw.’
Accident-prone Isabelle’s latest injury comes in the wake of the news that she will not be returning to Gogglebox in 2025.
Isabelle – who joined the show in 2015 – explained on Instagram last year: ‘It’s with a very heavy heart to announce that Mum, Ruby and I will not be returning to Gogglebox in 2025 ????????
‘Foxtel have decided not to renew our beloved show and although the show will continue on Channel 10, the three of us have not been included in its new form.’
She continued: ‘9 years ago, I saw an opportunity to showcase real women’s voices across multi generations. Baby Ruby filling in for Emmie in recent seasons made it feel full circle. ????
‘It has been an absolute pleasure sharing our lounge rooms with you all and cannot thank you enough for the love and support.’
She finished: ‘It might be the end of an era but it’s also an opportunity for new exciting beginnings… ✨’
Gogglebox Australia is available to stream on Binge, 10Play and Apple TV in Australia.
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