This Morning star Lisa Snowdon revealed she was left 'unable to walk' after a horrifying battle with meningitis that saw her rushed to hospital. 

The TV presenter, who regularly hosts the fashion segments on the ITV show, joined hosts Ben Shephard and Alison Hammond to speak about her experience. 

Lisa, 54, explained she came down with the infection, which affects the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, more than a decade ago.

Suffering from headaches, a stiff neck and a high fever, the star had put her symptoms down to exhaustion - overlooking them for almost a month. 

When she finally went to hospital, Lisa was diagnosed with viral meningitis, leaving her close to death and her parents told to 'say their goodbyes'. 

Lisa told Ben and Alison: 'I remember it so clearly, it was October 2010, it was dark, it was cold, and I was feeling really run down which you do at that time of year. 

'But I remember this crippling headache that was just blinding, and I stupidly just kept battling on, I kept taking different painkillers, I was still working at the radio station.

'Then I kept getting fevers, I would wake up and the bed covers would be soaking wet and the headache kept me awake at night - and the stiff neck really was a concern, it felt like I'd pulled my neck because it was just so stiff. 

'My hands, my feet and my fingers were always so cold, but I stupidly just kept going and I was so tired... and then towards the end, the lights started to become quite blinding in the studio and that's another sign of meningitis.

'I felt like I had nothing left in the tank, and then I couldn't walk, I was just absolutely broken, and then I was in the hospital...'

Lisa continued of her struggle to be diagnosed: 'We think of meningitis as something that affects very young people, toddlers and children, but it can strike anybody. 

'The doctors didn't know, and there were complications with my viral meningitis because I had left it so long, I also had glandular fever, so it wasn't until they did a scan and they say the swelling in my brain, that's when they [knew].'

The severity of Lisa's illness meant that doctors warned her parents they might have to 'say their goodbyes' to her, adding: 'The doctors didn't know, they were doing all sorts of tests and scans...

'They told my parents, "We don't know what is wrong with your daughter, you need to come and say your goodbyes" - and I was so out of it, I couldn't do [anything].

'I was just lying there, I was barely conscious.' 

There were lasting affects for Lisa, too, who added: 'For a few years I found it really hard to concentrate, I still get very, very tired... I also get bad headaches. 

'There are lots of long-term, not very nice to live with [affects] but I was very lucky because I walked out of that hospital and some people don't.'

Raising awareness as president of Meningitis Now, Lisa is planning on trekking the Sahara Desert alongside others who have been affected by the virus. 

She concluded: 'It's going to be a life-changing trek to help raise money.'

In England alone, there were 396 confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), including 33 deaths, in 2022, the most recent year there are full records for.

This number represents a near doubling compared to the 205 cases reported the previous year, which was during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Pre-pandemic, in 2018-2019, there were 525 cases. 

These figures reveal that the highest number of cases of IMD were found among 15 to 19-year-olds and 45 to 65-year-olds. 

Like flu, a high fever may be the first sign—usually sudden and severe—accompanied by shivering, chills and extreme fatigue, and children and adults alike can suffer muscle aches, general malaise and feeling 'off'.

In babies, the symptoms can be more vague. They may refuse feeds, become unusually irritable or lethargic, or have a weak, high-pitched cry. 

One of the hallmarks of bacterial meningitis is an intense headache, often described as worse than any previous headache. 

This is typically accompanied by stiffness in the neck—with the person unable to bend their head forward without pain. 

Bright light may become unbearable, and nausea or vomiting often follow.

As inflammation around the brain and spinal cord worsens, people can become confused or drowsy.  Speech may become slurred, and seizures are not uncommon.

Meningococcal blood poisoning, which occurs when the bacteria enter the bloodstream, can lead to one of the most well-known signs: a purplish rash that doesn't fade when pressed. 

It comes after This Morning fans were left up in arms on social media as they slammed the Lisa for 'doing over' weight loss makeover guests with 'hideous' outfits. 

Viewers were quick to take to X, formerly known as Twitter, to hit out that some of the guests appeared to 'hate' the new looks they were given on screen. 

On Tuesday's episode, show hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard were joined by Lisa for her regular fashion segment, this time with three special guests. 

Adele, Danielle and Emily took to the show after losing weight with the help of weight loss injections, with the hopes Lisa, 53, would give them a fresh new look. 

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX