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Gemma Atkinson, 38, has pleaded with fans to get their blood pressure tested as she took to social media with an impassioned video. The actress and radio host stressed the importance of getting the test while she recounted her dad’s untimely death aged only 52.

Filming herself at home, Gemma said: “So this Valentine’s Day myself and Gorka went and got a free blood pressure test – this was at a local Tesco pharmacy.

“Now, there’s around 300 Tesco pharmacies offering tens of thousands of blood pressure tests, and it’s essential you check your blood pressure.”

In view of her 1.8 million followers, she added: “My dad died of a heart attack when I was just seventeen.

“He was only 52, and fifty percent of heart attacks and strokes are related to high blood pressure. So, if you can get on top of it, it can make a difference. It could potentially save your life.”

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Gemma previously spoke out on the loss of her dad to a heart attack at such a young age.

Last year, the TV star took to the social media platform to candidly explain the moment her sister’s son Tyler had been hospitalised and just three months later her father sadly died.

Gemma was just 17 at the time of her dad’s death but revealed he had asked to “swap places” with Tyler after he had fallen ill.

Medical staff at the Royal Manchester children’s hospital had previously informed the family that Tyler, who had contracted meningitis, would not survive.

But the actress recalled her father asking out loud to take his grandson’s place and let him live.

Ahead of hosting a charity ball at the Royal Manchester children’s hospital, Gemma said: “The reason I’m involved in the children’s Royal Manchester hospital is quite a spooky story, actually.

“My nephew, Tyler – he is absolutely fine now – gorgeous, really handsome, just a beautiful lad, when he was a tiny baby he had meningitis. He was really poorly.

“He was in intensive care and he got all puffed up in the face, he was yellow.”

She continued: “We were told that he was probably not going to make it. He was only one month old.

“It was awful. While we were up saying our goodbyes to him my dad came with us.

“My dad genuinely said, ‘I’m not religious. I don’t know what I believe in anything. But just swap places. I’ve had a great life, I’m an older man. I’ll swap with him.’

“I remember my sister saying, ‘Dad, don’t be saying stuff like that. That’s ridiculous. Anyway, after that Tyler started making a recovery.”

Gemma explained her family made calls to the hospital to check on her nephew’s progress and if he was “still with us”.

The medical staff explained he was coming out of his illness and was getting better much to their surprise.

“It was so bizarre. Tyler made a full recovery. They had said if he didn’t recover he could lose his limbs, he was so poorly but he’s fine.

“Literally three months later my dad passed away. Heart attack… boom.”

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