Loose Women star Janet Street-Porter returned to the ITV panel this week after recovering from knee replacement surgery — but revealed she recently suffered a painful tumble in a car park that left her “crying out for help.”

The 78-year-old broadcaster made her comeback on Tuesday’s episode, weeks after undergoing the major operation. During her first show back, she confessed to her fellow panellists that recovery had been going well — until a mishap outside the hairdresser caused an unexpected setback. (The Express)

As Janet walked onto the panel to warm applause, co-host Charlene White welcomed her warmly:
“Before we start anything else, give a huge round of applause and a huge welcome back to Janet! Honestly, when we saw your gorgeous face this morning, it was like, ‘Oh it’s so lovely to have Janet back!’”

Janet Street-Porter

Charlene then asked the question on viewers’ minds: “For those that don’t know, you were away because you had a knee replacement. How have you been getting on?”

“I slipped backwards… like a beached whale.”

Janet explained that although her recovery had initially been smooth, she suffered a frightening fall the previous day.

“Well, I’m getting on fine,” she began. “But I had a bit of a setback yesterday! I had the operation three weeks ago today — I’ve done really well. I was walking within two hours of coming back to my hospital bed, and I managed to stagger to the loo unaided. So I did really well!”

Despite receiving regular physiotherapy and hydrotherapy — treatments often recommended for joint-replacement recovery (NHS Knee Replacement Rehab Guidelines) — being back home has come with new challenges.

“I went to the hairdressers, and when I came back, I slipped backwards by the lift in the car park,” she said. “So I’m lying there, a bit like a beached whale, going, ‘Help me, help me!’”

Fortunately, two people rushed over. “When they tried to get me up, I said, ‘Don’t touch the knee!’ But I’m alright. I’m on the road to recovery!”

Janet’s humour and honesty about her fall drew laughter from the studio audience — consistent with her long-standing reputation for delivering unfiltered, sharp-witted commentary (The Guardian profile).

Janet Street-Porter was left screaming for help after collapsing following knee surgery(ITV)

Meanwhile, co-star Kaye Adams shares her own difficult weeks

The episode also touched on the emotional strain experienced by fellow Loose Women panellist Kaye Adams, who recently addressed allegations of bullying junior staff members at BBC Scotland — claims she strongly denies. The BBC previously confirmed an internal review into staffing concerns, though no disciplinary action was announced publicly. (BBC News)

Speaking on her How To Be 60 podcast with co-host Karen MacKenzie, Kaye reflected on what she described as “the most wretched five weeks” of her life.

“I was doing Loose Women last Friday and then again on Monday,” she explained. “My eldest daughter, Charlie, came down for the weekend… and do you know what, I’m not going to say much, but it’s been the most wretched five weeks. It really has.”

Kaye said the allegations forced intense soul-searching:
“I know I’m not the person I was painted as. I’m not perfect — never said I was — but I’m not that person.”

She continued: “I thought, I cannot allow this to drag me down and rinse me of all joy, which it certainly has done. And I can’t allow it to do that to my family.”

Kaye shared that the stress made her feel emotionally unavailable to her daughters.
“I’ve felt terrible because I haven’t been as available to them as I normally would be — I’ve been too wrapped up in my own bloody issues.”

To reconnect, she spent the weekend walking outdoors with Charlie: “We just walked and walked and walked and walked.”

Janet Street-Porter opened up about a mishap(ITV)

A week of honesty and vulnerability on Loose Women

Between Janet’s candid account of her painful fall and Kaye’s emotional revelations, the Loose Women panel offered viewers an unusually raw and heartfelt episode. The show, known for blending celebrity discussion with real-life honesty, continues to shine a spotlight on women’s health, ageing, mental wellbeing, and the pressures of public scrutiny — themes echoed frequently in ITV’s programming and praised by audiences (ITV Viewership Reports).

Janet reassured viewers she is focused on full recovery: “Despite the adversity, despite the hiccups, I’m still going forward.”

For fans, her return marked not just the comeback of a long-time favourite — but a reminder that even the strongest voices face their own setbacks behind the scenes.