Emma Willis thanks NHS after being rushed to hospital for life-saving surgery

Emma Willis has thanked NHS staff who helped save her life after she was rushed to hospital with severe stomach pains last week.

The Big Brother presenter, 41, posted a selfie with her surgeon Marco Venza after he performed emergency surgery on her infected appendix at Barnet General.

In an emotional post, Willis said she was convinced that she had a bad case of “trapped wind” but soon discovered her pains were far more serious.

“It's been a funny old week,” she wrote on Instagram. “A week ago yesterday, I was meant to take @mattjwillis on a surprise birthday trip to ibiza. Instead, at 6am, I entered Barnet General A&E with a stomach ache that was getting progressively worse.

“I thought I may be wasting everyone's time with a bad case of trapped wind, but 9 hours later, I was wheeled into theatre and what they found was a horribly infected appendix.

Willis went on to personally thank all of the doctors and nurses who were involved in helping her though her surgery and putting her “at ease.”

“The man in this picture was my surgeon, Marco Venza. He, and his team, were incredible. Thank you so so much for taking care of me and for putting me at ease every time I panicked,” she wrote.

The presenter and mother-of-two praised everyone who worked in the NHS for their tireless efforts and for “working their butts off.”

Just hours before she was rushed to hospital, the TV star posted a snap of herself with husband Matt Willis as they were about to jet off on holiday.