Moira Stuart: Veteran BBC newsreader 'collapses' at Angela Rippon's birthday party

Veteran BBC newscaster Moira Stuart collapsed at her friend, Angela Rippon's birthday party on Sunday (February 11) night. According to The Sun, the bash, held at Hilton Park was halted, after the 79-year-old had a "funny turn" and "fallen to the floor".

The party was thrown by Angela as a belated 79th birthday celebration and also to mark the end of the Strictly Come Dancing Tour. It was her BBC colleagues including Louise Minchin and Michael Buerk, rushed to her aid at the party.

An attendee told the paper: "Moira took a funny turn when Angela’s party was in full swing. She had been in great spirits on the night and spent time with Angela and Lulu, who was also a guest, at the Hilton.

“It all happened very quickly and out of nowhere,Moira, who was standing at the bar, had fallen to the floor. She was looked after by Louise and Michael and an ambulance was called just in case.

“The room was cleared to give everyone some space but after a while Moira said she was fine and that it was just a funny turn. Everyone was just pleased she was alright but it was scary at the time."

Stuart was seen leaving the party after 9pm, along with Rippon, who recently finished the Strictly tour.

Stuart, known as the UK’s pioneering female African-Caribbean television newsreader, began her career at the BBC in the late 1970s as a production assistant before becoming a newsreader for Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2. Throughout her career, she presented almost every BBC bulletin, with the exception of the Ten O’Clock News.

Stuart made a comeback in 2010 to deliver news for The Chris Evans Breakfast Show after a hiatus from the BBC in October 2007. Subsequently, in 2019, she joined Classic FM as a weekday breakfast news presenter and hosted a Saturday afternoon program titled Moira Stuart’s Hall of Fame Concert.

Additionally, Stuart has fronted BBC documentaries such as In Search Of Wilberforce and The Unknown Soldier. She also showcased her salsa dancing skills in Strictly Come Dancing's 2021 Christmas special, paired with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec. In 2022, she was honoured with a CBE.