Overview
- The former Bake Off judge experienced a severe migraine while on holiday that left her with partial loss of vision and an inability to speak clearly, prompting her husband to contact their GP and request emergency help.
- Her GP ordered an ambulance, paramedics and A&E staff repeated stroke checks, and she waited several hours in the emergency department before a CT scan was performed.
- Clinicians carried out imaging and observation because transient ischaemic attacks and strokes are more common at advanced age, and the scan showed no evidence of a stroke.
- Leith has suffered migraines since childhood and uses a travel kit of paracetamol, ibuprofen and sumatriptan she calls her ‘migraine bombs’ to treat attacks.
- She published a first‑person account in The Oldie, praised NHS staff for their care and has not reported any further medical updates since being discharged.