Jo Whiley reveals her daughter Coco, 18, was rushed to hospital with suspected sepsis in 'absolutely terrifying' incident

Jo Whiley has revealed the 'absolutely terrifying' incident which saw her daughter Coco, 18, rushed to hospital with suspected sepsis. The TV and radio star, 61, is a mum of four to India, 34, Jude, 27, Cassius, 25, and Coco with her music executive husband Steve Morton. Speaking to her friend Zoe Ball on their podcast Dig It, Jo explained how youngest daughter Coco's 18th birthday celebrations last week were overshadowed when she fell ill.Jo revealed that just two days after celebrating her 18th, Coco was in hospital after developing suspected sepsis from an ear infection.Coco had been feeling 'unbelievably sick' with the ear infection throughout her birthday and had started vomiting up her antibiotics. Jo admitted she felt 'guilty' as she had 'a really busy day' at work and had to leave Coco at home. 'I'd kept checking on her, but then I ultimately had to go to work and do loads of stuff for the radio. And then when I was there, I got a message from [daughter] India and I looked down at my phone and all it said was "hospital sepsis come home",' the broadcaster recalled. Jo Whiley has revealed the 'absolutely terrifying' incident which saw her daughter Coco, 18, rushed to hospital with suspected sepsis Speaking to her friend Zoe Ball on their podcast Dig It, Jo explained how youngest daughter Coco's 18th birthday celebrations were overshadowed by the incident (pictured with Coco)'You know when your blood turns to ice... I forget everything else that's going on. This is real life. And it was absolutely terrifying.'She said she was extremely thankful that her eldest daughter India was checking on Coco and took her to the doctors 'who said that she was presenting signs of sepsis'.Coco was immediately given intravenous antibiotics and then taken by ambulance to the hospital where Jo and her husband Steve rushed to find their daughter 'super poorly'. Doctors told Jo that the source of the sepsis was Coco's middle ear infection, but the mum admitted that she would 'never in a million years have thought of sepsis. You don't think about illnesses like that.'Jo said she was particularly upset about going to work and 'the guilt that I'd left her behind and I hadn't checked on her and I hadn't not gone to work and looked after her. I felt dreadful about that.'The broadcaster also highlighted how she and her husband implemented Martha's Rule whilst in hospital. The rule, which has just been extended to all emergency rooms in the UK, gives patients access to alternative senior doctors.The rule was first introduced in 2024, following the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died in hospital after medics failed to escalate her care when she had developed sepsis. The rule means patients, families and staff are able to call a dedicated phone number to trigger an urgent review if a patient’s condition is deteriorating and they think their concerns are not being listened to. Jo revealed that just days after celebrating her 18th, Coco was in hospital after developing suspected sepsis from an ear infection'We were really stressing out and we were really panicking,' Jo explained, adding that knowing that they could get a second opinion bought them 'comfort'.'As a parent you just feel so helpless and completely at the hands of incredible doctors and nurses who are so overworked and stretched,' Jo continued.'You see firsthand when you're in A&E just what doctors and nurses and patients are up against. It's so frightening there was so much drama going on in the A&E and there were doctors and nurses just running from one to another to another and oh my gosh you could just see how exhausted they were and how stretched they were.' She praised 'one amazing nurse' who after Jo was told she had to leave her daughter overnight because she was aged 18, answered her calls throughout the night to give her updates. 'It makes a world of difference when someone is kind to you when you're in hospital. If you're a doctor or a nurse, just that soft, gentle approach really, really makes all the difference. I was so grateful,' she explained. Jo told listeners that a week on whilst Coco is 'battered and fragile' she is healing well' but added that 'the post-traumatic stress is quite real.''She's been absolutely petrified because she just kept saying when she was there, "I just want to close my eyes, but I'm scared I'm going to die".' During a March episode of their podcast Jo and Zoe reflected on their wild years partying and working whilst parenting their young children, admitting that they have a more present relationship with their kids now. Jo, 60, is a mum of four to India, 34, Jude, 27, Cassius, 25, and Coco with her music executive husband Steve MortonThe TV and radio stars, who host gardening and lifestyle podcast Dig It, mused that their children now have 'a much more boring version of who we used to be.'Jo is a mum of four whilst Zoe, 55, shares two children, son Woody, 25, and daughter Nellie, 16, with her ex husband, Norman Cook, aka the DJ Fatboy Slim.Both have discussed how they have cut back on drinking in recent years, and they admit it has affected their relationships with family. Jo explained that Coco has had a very different experience of her as a mother compared to her older siblings, admitting 'Coco has a much more boring version of who I used to be.''I used to really go out. I used to drink. I used to not get back until really early in the morning.''Whereas India can remember me going to the Brits and the various states that I got myself into but I think probably Coco is getting a better version of me... unless she thinks I'm lame maybe she thinks I'm really boring!''I can have one drink, I'll really enjoy a second. I can never have more than that. I'm really happy that I managed to get to that place in my life because I used to have a very different relationship with alcohol where I wouldn't stop at all,' Zoe agreed.'I think that is the thing that I love about me now, I don't love loads of things about me, but I am really happy that my kids get a healthy version of me who is there for them whenever they need me.'She added: 'I'm quite boring. I go to bed quite early. I sleep a lot. I like my little life as it is but I am much more available to all the people who need me and to myself. And that's a good thing.'