Emma Willis: Why Birmingham Children's Hospital means so much to me

TV presenter Emma Willis has been back home to support Birmingham Children's Hospital by switching on their Christmas lights.

Hundreds of staff and patients and their families watched the Big Brother and The Voice presenter kick-off the festive season at the Children's Hospital.

Emma has been a supporter of Birmingham Children’s Hospital for a number of years, after staff saved the life of her friend Jeanette’s son. Little Rudy Maxwell-Jones, now three-years-old, was born with a life-threatening narrowing of the aortic heart valve - a condition called Critical Aortic Stenosis - which left his heart dangerously swollen. At just 36 hours old, Rudy underwent life-saving open heart surgery.

Emma, who's originally from Sutton Coldfield and married to McBusted singer Matt Willis, said:

“Birmingham Children’s Hospital has always been close to my heart, so I was honoured to have been invited to switch on its Christmas lights this year. Christmas brings so much happiness and joy to children and is especially important to the brave young patients and their families at the hospital.