A meteorologist with a Paramount-owned television station in Los Angeles suffered a medical incident that was broadcast to millions of viewers on Saturday.
The health scare happened at the top of the 7 a.m. hour on the KCAL Morning News, which was airing live on KCBS (Channel 2), KCAL’s (Channel 9) sister station.
Co-anchors Nichelle Medina and Rachel Kim had tossed to meteorologist Alissa Carlson to give an update on a severe rainstorm expected to impact Southern California this week when Carlson’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell forward on her desk.
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Medina and Kim did not seem to understand the severity of the incident, with one of the co-anchors quipping, “not again, no!” The tone quickly changed from amusement to horror when Carlson landed on her desk face first, then fell backwards onto the floor with a loud thud that was clearly heard on the KCBS broadcast.
“We’re going to go ahead and go to break right now,” Medina said before the station cut to black. The station never returned to its morning show, instead airing public service announcements and promotional spots before joining the network’s coverage of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament.
Carlson’s co-workers called 9-1-1, and she was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
“Hopefully we’ll know more shortly,” a spokesperson for KCBS/KCAL said in a statement on Saturday. “In the meantime, Alissa will be in our thoughts, and we’re praying for her to be feeling much better soon.”
Carlson took to Facebook to let viewers know she was okay and recovering at the hospital. It was not clear if she was still in the hospital or discharged as of Sunday afternoon. A station spokesperson said she is expected to return on-air as soon as she is well enough to do so.
It was not the first time Carlson suffered a health scare while reporting live on air. At her previous station, KGET (Channel 17, NBC) in Bakersfield, Carlson vomited during a weather forecast. It was later revealed that Carlson had a leaky heart valve, according to her doctors.
