Amanda Holden tells ITV News: My blood drained when I feared my sister was caught up in Nepal disaster
Amanda Holden has told ITV News of the "horrendous" moment she feared her sister had been caught up in a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest.
Holden's sister Debbie was in the region as she prepared to climb Everest when a huge 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck central Nepal and sparked an avalanche, which sent rocks and ice hurtling towards base camp.
"The minute I switched on the news and saw it, my blood just drained - to know my sister was in the middle of it all was just horrendous," Holden told ITV News.
The Britain's Got Talent judge said she was overwhelmed by "worry, sickness and dread" as she waited to hear from her sister.
But Holden's sister managed to send a text message to her family from a friend's phone to say she was safe.
The Britain's Got Talent judge said her sister was suffering from acute altitude sickness which prevented her from travelling with another group to Base Camp 1.
"Potentially she saved her own life by being ill...that in itself is miraculous."
Holden said her sister had potentially been airlifted from the mountain this morning or could even have walked back down.
She added: "I'm so joyful but also so aware of the families who are still waiting to hear from their loved ones - I know there are so many people who aren't as lucky as us."