kirsty gallacher
Kirsty Gallacher fell ill on live TV Sky

Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher received medical treatment for "extreme exhaustion mixed with a viral infection" after being rushed to hospital following a news segment.

The 40-year-old Scottish presenter was accused of "slurring" her words on Tuesday's (20 December) programme and of being drunk as she caused concern among viewers with her behaviour.

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Some observant viewers pointed out that Gallacher had been out the night before with her team, which suggested she may be hungover or still intoxicated.

Just 18 minutes into her hour-long segment, Gallacher failed to reappear alongside her co-host Jim White after finding it difficult to get her words out beforehand. She struggled to pronounce the name of Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, and laboured over the statistics of England's defeat to India in the cricket.

Sources close to the star have claimed that she had been rushed to West Middlesex University Hospital after passing out in a corridor in the studios. After losing consciousness, she was allegedly treated for exhaustion and a virus before leaving the hospital later that evening.

A friend of Gallacher's told The Sun: "Kirsty was in a bad way. She was unconscious for a long time and doesn't remember being in the ambulance."

Great night with my lovely team @lucybayliss05 @mcsaatchimerlin @soapboxandy @soapboxlondon you're the best thank you 😘

A photo posted by Kirsty Gallacher (@gallacherkirsty) on

While a source added: "She was just feeling terrible on her way to work. She nearly fainted in make-up and thought the adrenaline of the show would see her through.

"But it quickly became apparent that she wasn't OK. Doctors think it's extreme exhaustion mixed with a viral infection."

Gallacher addressed her illness via her Twitter profile on Thursday (22 December), telling a follower: "Thank you, nasty virus but on the mend. X"

She also tweeted: "Thankyou for all your kind messages, feeling bit better, still not 100%. Being ill on live TV is horrid experience....."

Adding: "...thank you to @Westmidhospital for your brilliant care. On the mend & hope to back on @SkySportsNewsHQ asap."