Linda Lusardi’s husband Sam Kane says he had to be held back by doctors after learning she might not survive Covid-19

The couple could only communicate through texts when they were both hospitalised with Covid-19
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Linda Lusardi’s husband Sam Kane has revealed that he had a “meltdown” and had to be held back by doctors after his wife texted him to tell him she was near death while fighting coronavirus.

The former Loose Women star, 61, and former actor Kane, 51, were hospitalised with Covid-19 in March and were separated during treatment, meaning that they could only communicate via text message.

Lusardi, who was placed on oxygen equipment to help her breathe during her time in hospital, was told by doctors that her chances of survival were narrow.

She then sent a message to her husband, who was eventually able to visit her after medical staff helped “calm [him] down.”

The couple were both hospitalised with Covid-19 in March
Getty Images

“I was in a room on my own,” she told Loose Women on Wednesday, appearing on the panel show via video link.

“The staff at that time were terrified to come into the room at the time. So I was on my own for four or five hours at a time.

“There was a young doctor who gave me quite negative vibes about if I'm going to make it. So I text Sam and that visit really helped."

Kane then explained: "I had a meltdown. You know in those films, where doctors are holding the person down.

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"That's what happened to me, I was pulling my tubes out. They had to medicate me and calm me down and pushed me upstairs.

"When I was wheeled into Linda's room, I thought she was dead. I nursed her for four or five hours."

Kane was eventually discharged from hospital first, with Lusardi remaining there several more days.

Speaking of her ordeal in a tearful appearance on Good Morning Britain in April, the former glamour model recalled: “The second night I was [in hospital], I tested negative first of all, a doctor came in and was washing his hands and I said 'are you getting me through this?' and he was like 'I'll be honest with you, I can't promise you, you're 61 and we don't know what we’re dealing with'.

“I thought, I’ve had it. My oxygen levels were less than 30 per cent.”

Lusardi, whose TV appearances also include Emmerdale and Dancing On Ice, found fame in the 1970s and ’80s, and in a 2005 poll was voted the UK’s most popular Page 3 girl ever.

Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV

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