TV Reporter Has Medical Emergency Live On-Air

By Daniel S. Levine

Canadian journalist Jessica Robb recently faced a stunning medical emergency while live on air during CTV News Edmonton's Sunday night broadcast. Robb struggled to finish her sentence during her report from Edmonton, Alberta. The network later said Robb is doing well and released a statement from her.

Robb was reporting from the field to in-studio anchor Nahreman Issa, when she began stumbling over her words. "Sorry, Nahreman," Robb said. "I'm not feeling very well right now and I'm about to..." As she trailed off, Robb appeared to lose her balance. Issa then assured viewers the station would make sure she is OK.'

A few hours later, CTV Edmonton thanked viewers for their concern. "PROGRAMMING NOTE: Thanks to everyone who inquired about our reporter who became ill during the 6 p.m. News," the network said in a statement. "Jessica Robb is feeling better and is now resting." The broadcaster did not say when Robb would return to work.

On Monday, CTV Edmonton shared a statement from Robb. She declined to share personal medical information but said she suffered a "very personal and vulnerable moment" during the broadcast. "To everyone who has reached out with supportive messages of well wishes and concern, thank you," Robb wrote. "It's been overwhelming, and while I can't get to all the messages, please know I've seen them and appreciate every single one."

Robb also responded to social media users who believe in false conspiracy theories about the coronavirus vaccine. She received "an overwhelming amount of harassment and hatred, tied to false theories about the reason for the incident," Robb wrote. "While I will not share private medical information publicly, I can say there is no cause for concern, and that my understanding of my own medical background provides a reasonable explanation for what happened." She did confirm that her situation is "in no way related to the COVID-19 vaccine."

Another journalist experienced an on-air medical emergency in recent months. In September 2022, Tulsa, Oklahoma anchor Julie Chin suffered the "beginnings of a stroke" during a KJRH broadcast. She struggled to read the teleprompter, and her colleagues snapped into action by calling 911. Thankfully, Chin's test results looked good and she has since returned to work. 

After the incident, Chin tried to take it easy, but she told KJRH that was difficult for the journalist. "I did open my work computer yesterday, and my husband said, 'Close that computer,'" she told KJRH. "And the good news is that everything came out great, that they didn't see anything major that was really scary to them... But the bad news about that is that we don't know why it happens. And if it could happen again."

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