E4's It's A Scouse Life star recalls harrowing near-death experience that made national headlines

E4's newest reality TV show hit screens for the first time earlier this week, showcasing nine big personalities all navigating life, love and business in Liverpool.

It's A Scouse Life kicked off with a bang on Tuesday night (November 12), serving up a hefty dose of drama, from swanky soirees to house hunting escapades, all culminating in an explosive clash between the show's female leads, Melina and Georgia.

Among the central cast is 27-year-old Anthony Jacobs, but it isn't his first appearance on TV. He may seem familiar to some as he captured hearts nationwide with his incredible survival tale on back in 2015.

When he was aged 18, Anthony's routine football session took a life-threatening turn when his heart stopped. He collapsed and stop breathing, prompting a group of seven strangers to rush to his aid, reports .

Sharing the harrowing details with hosts and , Anthony reflected: "It was just a normal morning really. I put my kit on, we set up the goals and then from that point on it was all just a blur."

Accompanying him on the show were his mum Maxine Farah and Mike Pugh, a groundskeeper who performed CPR on the young sportsman. Mike recounted: "When we come over Anthony was just lying on the floor," adding starkly, "Straight away we knew he was dead. He was grey, he was not responsive. One of our colleagues was performing CPR on him and then we all literally rallied round and did a relay on him."

Seven individuals tirelessly performed CPR on him for over 30 minutes to keep him alive. It wasn't until an ambulance arrived and restarted his heart that he was pulled back from the brink, but Anthony admitted he didn't fully come around "until a few days after" the harrowing event.

As detailed by the Liverpool Echo at the time, Anthony subsequently had a defibrillator fitted and received the devastating news that his football and rugby days were over. This experience spurred him to back his mum's fundraising drive aimed at ensuring defibrillators are accessible at amateur football clubs and sports pitches.

It's A Scouse Life's pilot episode airs again on November 15 at 8pm on E4