Christina Applegate breaks down as she receives standing ovation after opening up on MS condition

Last night saw the biggest names in television flock together once again for the 75th Emmy Awards - and it certainly was a tear-jerking evening all round.

Viewers both in the Los Angeles audience and watching from home were left heartbroken after an emotional tribute was made to honour late Friends star Matthew Perry.

During the In Memoriam segment of the prestigious award show - which honours those in the entertainment industry who have died within the last year - singer Charlie Puth broke into the legendary Friends theme-tune 'I'll Be There For You' to honour the Chandler Bing star.

And actor Niecy Nash-Betts - famed for her stellar performance in Netflix's serial killer drama Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story - inspired viewers by dedicating her illustrious win to 'Black and Brown unheard, yet over-policed women'.

One of the other major highlights from the star-studded evening was the moment that actor Christina Applegate received a heartfelt standing ovation from the audience.

The Samantha Who? star, 52 - who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis back in August 2021 - was called up to present an award, taking to the stage with the assistance of a cane.

Television Academy/FOX

Making her way to the podium, the mother-of-one was celebrated with a colossal standing ovation after the entire audience at LA's Peacock Theater rose to their feet in support.

Visibly touched by the sweet gesture, Applegate gushed into the mic: "Thank you so much! Oh my God!"

Ever the joker, the Anchorman actor went on to tease: "You're totally shaming me [and my] disability by standing up."

She continued: "Some of you may know me as Kelly Bundy from Married with Children. We don't have to applaud every time I do something."

Ending her heartfelt speech, she laughed: "I'm going to cry more than I've been crying."

Television Academy/FOX

Viewers of the annual award show have since taken to social media to heap praise onto the Hollywood star for her rib-tickling speech and bravery throughout her health battle.

"The standing ovation for Christina Applegate has me bawling already," one fan penned on X.

Another noted: "I adore Christina Applegate. She’s such an amazing comedic talent and absolutely gorgeous (always has been!). Her zings here are [fire emoji]."

The blonde bombshell has remained open and honest with her devoted fan-base since receiving her life changing diagnosis, previously revealing that her symptoms dated back years before she actually knew what she was dealing with.

Television Academy/FOX

MS can affect the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a wide range of potential symptoms including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

For Applegate, she first began to experience a loss of balance while filming a dance sequence in the first season of Dead To Me in 2019.

Her tennis game began to falter, before she later told the New York Times: "I wish I had paid attention. But who was I to know?”

Among the symptoms she experienced were tingling and numbness in her extremities; feelings the NHS describes as being among the 'main symptoms' of the condition.

After being forced to stop filming midway through the final series when her symptoms became too severe, she told Variety: "It was very scary for me, because this body that I had known was no longer mine.

"We had to kind of work around that until, finally, I had answers.

"I found that I had MS while we were shooting on a Monday. I went home, and the doctor said, “I need to do this meeting with you.” I could feel that this Zoom was not going to be good news. It sucked, I’m not going to lie."

There's currently no cure for MS, though treatments can help control the condition and ease symptoms.

"There was the sense of, ‘Well, let’s get her some medicine so she can get better',” Applegate said of the filming hiatus.

"And there is no better. But it was good for me. I needed to process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me. So I needed that time."