As we reported yesterday, the iconic comedienne Joan Rivers was rushed to hospital after she stopped breathing during a throat procedure.

The Fashion Police host was having surgery on her vocal cords at Yorkville Endoscopy clinic near Third Avenue when complications occurred, and she was taken to Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where doctors put her in a medically-induced coma.

According to the report, emergency services were called at 9.39am New York time. The caller told “We have someone in either cardiac or respiratory arrest”.

While she has been reported as being in critical condition by most media outlets, E! News correspondent Ken Baker later tweeted:

Our own lovely living legend Joan Rivers is in stable condition at Mt Sinai hospital ..#LiveFromE

— Ken Baker (@kenbakernow) August 28, 2014

Rivers’ only daughter Melissa (45), who works with her Emmy-winning mother both on Fashion Police and on their reality show Joan & Melissa: John Knows Best? travelled with her son Cooper to New York from Los Angeles with her son to be by her mother’s side

The 81 year-old keeps a busy schedule and gave no indication that surgery was needed during her recent commitments. The taping of her E! programme’s Emmy and MTV VMA 90-minute special went ahead on Tuesday.

Rivers’ made a joke about her own death on the eve of the procedure, telling fans in the audience of her show, “I’m 81, I could go over at any minute”, and pointing to the floor added, “I could go right there, and all of you would say, I was there for that”.

A scheduled stand-up gig at the Red Bank theatre in New Jersey has been postponed until further notice.

“I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming love and support for my mother,” Melissa Rivers said in a statement released by Mount Sinai Hospital. “She is resting comfortably and is with our family. We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.”

Our thoughts are with Joan and her family, friends and co-workers at this difficult time.

Stay tuned for developments…