Jackie ‘O’ Henderson revealed her own harrowing experience with panic attacks Wednesday morning after ABC star Nate Byrne suffered one on live TV.
The radio host, 49, expressed her deepest sympathies for the breakfast show weather presenter when he experienced a bout of anxiety mid-report.
Sharing her own past struggles with the disorder, Jackie confessed she once had a bad drug experience which led to regular panic attacks for up to two years.
She admitted she once popped ‘a tab of acid’ which led her to have panicked episodes for about 18 months to two years.
Assuring KIIS FM listeners and co-host Kyle Sandilands that she no longer suffers from the crippling panic attacks, Jackie empathised with Nate and his struggles.
ABC News Breakfast weather presenter Nate was forced to halt his report in the middle of Tuesday morning’s broadcast after suffering a panic attack live on-air.
Nate cut short his broadcast just before 6.30am, telling viewers: ‘I’m going to need to stop for a second.’
Voice quivering, he said: ‘Some of you may know that I occasionally get affected by some panic attacks, and actually that’s happening right now.
Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, 49, (left) revealed her own harrowing experience with panic attacks Wednesday morning after ABC star Nate Byrne (right) suffered one on live TV
‘Lisa [Millar], maybe I could hand back to you.’
Co-host Lisa, 55, quickly took over the broadcast while Nate recovered off camera.
Nate has spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety – publishing an article in 2022 where he documented his experiences of on-air panic attacks.
Sharing her own past struggles with the symptom, Jackie confessed she once had a bad drug experience with a ‘tab of acid’ which led to regular panic attacks for two years
The weather presenter was later welcomed back to the show and apologised for stepping out.
‘Sorry if I gave anybody a bit of a scare,’ he said.
Co-host Michael Rowland responded in jest that he was only scared he might have had to step in and report the weather.
Nate has previously described his experience of a live TV panic attack as leaving him ‘gasping for breath’.
‘As I stood there under the studio lights, talking to people having their morning coffee and wiping sleep from their eyes, my heart was racing,’ he said.
Assuring listeners and co-host Kyle Sandilands that she no longer suffers from the crippling panic attacks, Jackie empathised with Nate and his struggles. Pictured during the event
He continued: ‘I was gasping for breath and sweat was pouring out of every pore as my brain screamed: “RUN!”
‘But I was standing in one of my favourite places, doing the thing I love most.’
Nate said as soon as the camera was off him, he dropped his on-air demeanour and ‘doubled over, trying to catch my breath, light headed and confused’.
He has since been working with a psychologist to learn and action coping skills so he can continue to do his job.
