Loose Women's Charlene White issues plea over clip of ITV's Rageh Omaar falling ill

Charlene White of Loose Women has issued a heartfelt plea after her ITV News colleague Rageh Omaar was taken ill on air.

Along with co-presenter Denise Welch, Charlene expressed their frustration at the circulation of a video showing the moment the 56 year old newsreader began to struggle with his speech during a live broadcast on Friday.

Following the incident, Rageh was swiftly taken to hospital for immediate treatment. While the specifics of his condition have not been confirmed, there is speculation from medical professionals that he may have experienced a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a mini-stroke.

Charlene took to social media to condemn the sharing of the footage, criticising those who were spreading the video without any consideration for Rageh's health situation, reports the Mirror.

On Instagram and X, previously known as Twitter, she admonished: "How about everyone stops posting and re-posting a video of a man becoming unwell live on TV. Who does that benefit? Sometimes real life isn't just about upping your engagement figures, and upping your likes".

Her sentiments were shared by Denise Welch, another Loose Women star, who responded to Charlene's post with: "My thoughts exactly Charlene. Honestly this world [angry face emojis]."

This prompted another individual to express their shock that Rageh wasn't immediately taken off air for medical care, commenting: "Totally agree with you both but where was ITV's duty of care for the poor bloke. They should have cut the stream or went to a break immediately to get him medical attention. It's not like it was a coughing fit etc."

An insider from ITV News disclosed to the Mail on Sunday that while producers attempted to find a replacement for Rageh as soon as they noticed something was amiss, he insisted on finishing the broadcast.

"The programme team were trying to replace him when they realised there was a problem," the source said. "They sent the standby presenter to the set to take over but he insisted on remaining on air. No-one could get him out of his chair."

"He refused to move. Even when he was told he had to go and that the team had called for medical help. Everyone did everything they could to help him. Rageh is a consummate professional. He was determined to finish what he had started. It was an awful, awful night."

Rageh left the hospital the next day and is now recuperating at home with his family. The condition known as TIA, or mini-stroke, results from a temporary interruption in the blood supply to a part of the brain, which can be due to a blood clot travelling through the bloodstream or narrowing of the arteries.

Fiona Clark, a staff nurse, recounted how she rang ITV at 10.30pm to alert them that "as an ICU nurse who worked in stroke, that Rageh Omaar required an emergency ambulance, he was dysphasic, drooped left eye, slurred speech and agitated all Fast symptoms."

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