Strictly Come Dancing 2024’s Dr Punam Krishan’s life-altering brush with death before the dance competition

The BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is returning to our TV screens next month. Despite the ongoing chaos and bidding farewell to two great dancers, Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice, show bosses are determined to make their 20th anniversary worth watching.

As the Strictly celebrity line-up is confirmed, comedian Chris McCausland has become the first blind star of the show. In the star-studded line-up, Dr Punam Krishan was the fifth contestant to be revealed. The media medic and broadcaster, known to the nation for her television work on the BBC'sMorning Live, will now showcase her dancing skills in a bid to win the glitterball trophy.

Dr Punam Krishan's near-death experience put her on a ventilator in intensive care

Ahead of her exciting journey on Strictly, Dr Krishan has already experienced a life-changing event before the dance competition show. According to Yahoo!, Dr Krishan was once put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit shortly after she gave birth to her son, Aarish.

The 41-year-old nearly died after complications from her son’s birth led to a postpartum haemorrhage. Talking about the eye-opening event that changed her approach to medicine and life, she told The Scottish Herald:

My family were told that I didn't have long to live. What happened to me was a complete out-the-blue crisis point in life that gives you a scare.

It was a freak, bleed-out episode. I went into heart and lung failure, developed clotting issues and widespread sepsis.

After the horrifying episode, the TV doctor changed her way of life and began nourishing herself ‘inside and out’ instead of just relying on medicines. She added:

It is amazing what insights being on the other side of that desk can give you. I returned to work a completely different doctor.

Who is Dr Punam Krishan?

A show staple on BBC Morning Live and a regular voice on BBC Radio Scotland's phone-in surgery, Dr Punam Krishan devoted her life to helping others improve their health through food and exercise after her own brush with death.

Born in Scotland, the resident GP of BBC Morning Livealso practises as an NHS GP. She is passionate about medicine and health and consistently uses her social media platforms to educate people about their mental and physical health, reports The Sun. She also regularly appears on TV, radio, and in newspapers, discussing health updates and news.

In 2021, Krishan was shortlisted for the British Journalism Awards. She has written her own children’s book - How to Be a Doctor and Other Life-Saving Jobs. Besides being a doctor and an author, she also teaches at the University of Glasgow and is the director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Opening up on her Strictly stint, she said:

This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.

This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.

Read More

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Sources Used

Yahoo!: Dr Punam Krishan’s brush with death before joining Strictly

The Sun: Who is Dr Punam Krishan and when is the NHS GP and media medic appearing on Strictly Come Dancing?