SHE’S a successful TV host – but Emma Willis isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

The former model has once again swapped showbiz for scrubs to work on the front line of a busy maternity unit for her award-winning show.

She spent three months ­training to become an NHS maternity care assistant for Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, which has returned for a second series on the W channel.

The presenter worked up to 13-hour shifts four times a week, helping to deliver babies as well as completing a written test to become fully qualified.

And now Emma, 43, is calling on readers to nominate a midwife who has touched their lives for one of The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards. The entry form is below.

She said: “Any excuse to shine a spotlight on them is hugely important. The Sun’s awards are a fantastic opportunity to give back to our NHS heroes.

“None of us would be here without the ­amazing midwives of the NHS, which is why they deserve enormous recognition at every opportunity.

“If you have been particularly touched by an amazing individual, this is your chance to thank them by voting for the nation’s Best Midwife.”

Voice host Emma has remained close to many of the midwives she worked alongside at the Princess Alexandra ­Hospital in Harlow, Essex.

She said: “They love it and I think that’s the thing with that job. Whether you’re a midwife or a maternity care assistant or a nursery nurse, you have to really love that job and you have to care about people.

“One thing that always rings true with me was something a midwife called Val told me in the first series. She said, ‘You’re only low-risk until you’re high-risk’ — and that can happen in a minute.

“It can quickly go the other way. You never know what’s going to ­happen.”

And that’s something that Emma — who has three children with her Busted pop star husband Matt Willis, 36 — knows from personal experience.

She had a traumatic birth with her eldest child ­Isabelle, now ten, who had to be delivered by forceps after a long labour.

Emma has also revealed she fainted in the operating theatre while filming her show after a post-birth ­surgery brought back memories of her own horrific experience.

And she said working on the ward has given her a greater appreciation of her own mum, Cathy Griffiths, who was an auxiliary nurse.

Cathy worked on maternity wards for two decades and Emma even contemplated ­following in her footsteps when she was younger.

While at school she did work experience in her local hospital before she was scouted as a model at the age of 17.

Emma said: “I have so much respect for anybody who works in the NHS because I’ve grown up around it.

“But the minute I had a baby, my respect for midwives and maternity care assistants just went through the roof.

“So to shine a spotlight on them was hugely important.

“We live in a world where things are lovely and wonderful and fluffy most of the time.

WHO CARES WINS: THE CATEGORIES

WE want you to nominate the selfless medics, researchers and volunteers who have made a difference to your life.

The categories are:

• Best Doctor – a GP, junior doctor or consultant
• Best Midwife
• Best Neonatal Specialist – a team or an individual
• Best Nurse
• Ultimate Lifesaver – a paramedic, ambulance worker, medic or member of the public who stepped in to save a life, it can be a one-off emergency or a life-time service award
• Groundbreaking Pioneer or Discovery – researcher, scientist, team or inventor who has made a medical breakthrough
• Best Health Charity
• Unsung Hero – volunteers, carers and healthcare assistants – anyone who has given up their time to help at a hospital, charity, hospice to make a difference
• Young Hero – any hero under the age of 18
• Mental Health Hero
• The Christina Newbury Memorial Award – this is a special recognition award for anyone working in health who doesn't fit in another category. It could be a team, individual, manager or campaigner who has gone above and beyond the call of duty

“You can forget what’s actually ­happening close by that’s quite serious — in a hospital with babies.

“And it was also a massive part of my childhood as well so it’s given me a bit more insight into my mum — what she went through every single day.

“But also for me it’s that ­reality check of real life.”

FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER YOUR NHS HEROES

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