Amanda Holden has said she was emotional when a choir raising awareness of blood donation auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent, because the issue is so important to her after she haemorrhaged during childbirth.
The star lost several pints of blood and had to undergo a life-saving transfusion after having her second daughter, Hollie, in 2012.
During auditions for the upcoming series of the ITV talent show, a choir called B Positive tried out in a bid to raise awareness of donation.
Holden said: “It was very dramatic for me. The National Health Service has had a massive impact on my family. I champion them all the time.
“I did haemorrhage so blood donors saved my life.
“So when this choir came on wanting to raise awareness, specifically there to talk about getting more Afro-Caribbean people to donate their blood, I found it really emotional and thought what an amazing way it was to raise awareness of sickle cell and donating blood in general.”
Holden said the auditions also provided plenty of laughs, such as the judges storming the stage and causing chaos.
She said: “This poor guy was on stage and we could see that he had plates lined up and he was playing Greek music. All of a sudden David (Walliams) gets on the stage and so I said to Alesha (Dixon), ‘Do you know what? Let’s get on the stage as well’.
“It turned into the end of Bugsy Malone, where they have splurge guns, except we were using crockery! It was carnage, there was water everywhere, I threw peanuts, Simon (Cowell) threw mugs, it was an absolute mess at the end.
“I turned to the right and saw the exec with her hands on her hips staring at us like a headmistress. I went hot and was like, ‘Oh god, we’re going to get done!’.”
She joked that she was surprised at herself when one act had her reaching for a slice of cheese.
“Oh, DJ Murray Mint, that all went mental as well,” she said.
“A cheese board came out! I ate a piece of cheese, I mean, that’s shocking in itself! I only ever eat avocado and spinach!”
Britain’s Got Talent airs on Saturday April 14 at 8pm on ITV.