Gemma Collins: My fall off the Teen Awards stage could have been fatal

Reality television star Gemma Collins said she could have died when she fell into a hole while speaking on stage at the Radio 1 Teen Awards.

The personality, best known as a cast member of The only Way Is Essex, made headlines after tumbling into a gap that suddenly appeared as she was addressing the audience at Wembley Arena.

Collins had been on stage to reveal Love Island as the winner of the Best TV Show prize when a hole opened up beside her to bring the winners up.

Hours later, the 36-year-old said she was still in a bit of pain after the fall, but said it could have been “fatal” because of the mechanics of the stage.

She told ITV’s This Morning: “The seriousness of it is that it could have been really fatal because, what people don’t see, is that under there there’s all this machinery going on.”

When she fell, the Love Island representatives immediately ducked down to help her up. Collins apologised for “wiping them out” and said that they were checked over my paramedics but were unhurt.

Describing her own injuries, she said: “It was my left side.

“I’ve got a bit of a booty going on, so thank god for that. I’ve got a bit of a bruise on my left bum cheek – but other than that, I’m rocking and rolling.

“Yes I’m in a bit of pain, but it was the best moment of my life. It was one of those moments I don’t think I am every going to live down.”

Asked whether she had been informed of the stage’s movements by the production crew before she stepped onto it, she said: “I’m not allowed to discuss that at the minute,” but joked that it might give her a leverage to negotiate a slot on next year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Collins, who has shown no qualms about mocking herself over the fall, shared a makeshift poster of herself as the temporary face of a work-based accident helpline.

The advert, with the National Accident Helpline logo and phone number, included a photo of her at the Wembley Arena event and the caption: “Have you had an accident at work?”

Moments after the accident, she reassured her fans that she was alright and compared herself to both fictional Helen Fielding heroine, Bridget Jones, and Madonna, who famously toppled down some steps while performing at the 2015 Brit Awards.

BBC Radio 1 has been contacted for comment.