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![[HD]Simon Sheikh Collapsed on LIVE TV, ABC's Q&A](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xAGrF0XuVuA/mqdefault.jpg)
[HD]Simon Sheikh Collapsed on LIVE TV, ABC's Q&A
- Published_at:2012-07-03
- Category:News & Politics
- Channel:WorldViralNews
- tags: ABC's Q&A
- description: WHEN GetUp director Simon Sheikh collapsed on live television, it was the reaction of Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella that got the attention of Twitter. Mr Sheikh was sitting next to Ms Mirabella when he slumped forward as panellists discussed the carbon tax last night, with his head making an audible thud on the desk. Climate Change Minister Greg Combet was answering a question on the carbon tax when he gave a confused look in Mr Sheikh's direction. "I'm not quite sure what Simon's doing there. Is he okay? I think... he's not okay. Simon is not okay," he said. Mr Combet and members of the show's crew rushed towards Mr Sheikh. But it was Ms Mirabella's apparent recoil from Mr Sheikh that got the attention of Twitter. "Oh, and if I'm ever in need of first aid I really hope the first person on the scene isn't Sophie Mirabella," tweeted columnist Joe Hildebrand. "Good on Greg Combet for jumping in to help Simon Sheikh when he collapsed on #qanda - what was Sophie Mirabella doing? She's no Hoff," TV and radio host Ben Fordham added on Twitter. Radio presenter and journalist Wendy Harmer said: "This flaming of Sophie Mirabella does not sit well with me. As much as I do not like her politics, this is not on." Other Q&A viewers tweeted: "Watching Simon Sheikh passing out is horrible. But worse is seeing Sophie Mirabella recoil in horror, rather than help". "Just watched the #QandA footage of Simon sheik collapsing. Disgusted at Sophie mirabella's reaction. No thought of helping someone in need," another viewer tweeted. A spokeswoman for Ms Mirabella said the MP was in shock, like others on the panel. "She was unaware it was a medical emergency at the time and has since contacted him to wish him a speedy recovery," the spokeswoman said. Mr Sheikh regained a degree of consciousness soon after the incident and said "sorry, I just fainted", before he was helped backstage. Q&A host Tony Jones said a few minutes later that Mr Sheikh had suffered a seizure and had been taken for a checkup. Mr Sheikh's wife, Anna Rose tweeted soon after: "Thanks everyone for your concern for Simon. Ambulance has just arrived". Mr Sheikh later took to Twitter from hospital. "For those watching Q&A sorry I couldn't stay - I'm in hospital, thanks for all your support". Twitter users had earlier suggested that Mr Sheikh struggled with a couple of his answers earlier in the program. GetUp describes itself as a grass-roots community advocacy group. GetUp released a statement later saying Mr Sheikh had been given the all-clear by doctors at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney, where he was taken after the collapse. Mr Sheikh has been battling the flu for a number of weeks, the statement said. "We have a number of important campaigns we are working hard on at GetUp right now and perhaps like a lot of us, I have been burning the candle at both ends," Mr Sheikh said. Mr Sheikh said he was grateful for the messages of support he has received and was keen to let everyone know he was recovering. "I am sorry to have caused any concern and am grateful people have been texting and emailing to check everything is okay," he said.
| ranked in date | views | likes | Comments | ranked in country (#position) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-06 | 129,863 | 23 | 81 |
( ,#1)
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