ETV host apologizes for team’s actions as MP fell ill
In Estonia, ETV presenter Liisu Lass apologized for the actions of the team during a live political debate broadcast when member of parliament Kristo Enn Vaga fell ill. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening on the program “Esimene stuudio,” ERR News reports.
MP collapsed off camera
About 10 minutes after the debate began, Vaga, who represented the Reform Party on the coalition side, suddenly collapsed off camera. According to Lass, the politician quickly got up and returned to the lectern, but remained unsteady for some time. When the presenter asked whether everything was alright, he gave a thumbs-up.
Co-host Andres Kuusk brought Vaga a chair and checked on his condition. The MP indicated that he wanted to continue participating in the program. Lass said she later considered it a mistake that the broadcast had not been interrupted, at least temporarily.
Ambulance called after his condition worsened
Later, it became apparent to viewers that Vaga had begun speaking more slowly and less clearly. Lass and Kuusk could not see his face well from their positions in the studio. The seriousness of the situation became clear when the MP had difficulty answering a question.
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Kuusk then helped Vaga leave the studio, while Lass continued the broadcast with the other debate participants. The politician was assisted off camera, and an ambulance crew was called. Peep Kala, editor-in-chief of ETV’s news programs, said that he also initially did not understand what had happened. After noticing the deterioration in the MP’s speech, he personally went down to the studio, checked Vaga’s vital signs and called medics.
ETV to prepare internal guidelines
Vaga left the hospital overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. He later said that he had been diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder last spring. Cardiologist Margus Viigimaa noted that about 30,000 people in Estonia have such disorders and that they usually are not life-threatening, although a first episode can be frightening.
Kala also apologized to Vaga’s family, who were watching the event live. According to him, ERR analyzed the incident and will develop internal recommendations for cases when a guest or presenter falls ill during a live broadcast.
