In 2021, Leslie Ash sent an alert to those considering getting lip fillers after experiencing a botched procedure herself two decades ago.
In an interview, Ash warned people to take caution: “The only thing I’d say to people is: Do your homework.”
The 61-year-old actress underwent lip surgery at 40, which left her with a permanently altered appearance.
During that time, Ash, speaking about her surgery, said, “This man-made plastic silicone has been injected into me, gone into the muscles around my mouth and become hard. I had steroid injections which helped soften it a bit but it won’t ever go away.”
As if her botched surgery wasn’t already enough to bring misery into her life, Ash contracted a bug that nearly left her wheelchair-bound.
Key Takeaways
- Leslie got infected by a bug that almost made her unable to walk.
- Her husband, Lee Chapman, a former soccer player, supported her all along.
- Ash sued the hospital and got compensation.
Leslie Got A Super Bug Infection That Almost Crippled Her
It all started at her house, where she cracked two of her ribs falling off the bed while making love with her husband, Lee Chapman, in 2004.
During her treatment at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Ash contracted a ‘deadly strain’ of the MSSA, which resulted from an abscess that had developed in her spinal column.
Following this, they put her on antidepressants for a long time, which she wouldn’t advise anyone.
I wouldn’t advise anyone to go on antidepressants — work it out, talk to someone but don’t go on those pills because they just numb you.
Nonetheless, the To Be Someone actress successfully came off the antidepressant and longed to resume her acting career.
Leslie’s Husband Took Care of Her During This Difficult Time
After two decades of living with a hospital-acquired infection, Leslie Ash gave an update about her health.
She highlighted the fact that the infection altered her life, and she would not have the same life she had prior to this.
“I will never be the same as I was,” Leslie said on the set of Good Morning Britain in April 2024. “It is 20 years exactly. It’s fine – I can still do bits, just nowhere near what it was before.”
The Men Behaving Badly star also revealed the significant role her husband, Lee Chapman, played in navigating through the toughest part of her life.
Chapman was beside her to help her with her day-to-day life with the infection. He helped the actress with her rehab, getting her in the gym and ensuring she was at the top of her health.
The infection, which almost put Leslie in a wheelchair, was due to the carelessness of the hospital staff.
In 2007, the Trickster actress sued the hospital, and the establishment accepted a breach of duty over her treatment.
However, they denied taking any responsibility for the outcome of their carelessness.
A year later, Leslie reportedly received a £5 million compensation in an out-of-court settlement.
In 2021, Ash made her TV comeback after an 11-year-long hiatus on the daytime soap Doctors, followed by Casualty and Sky Comedy Shorts.
Now, the English actress is set to star in an exclusive dark comedy play, Artificially Yours.
FAQs
Does Leslie Ash Have Any Children?
Leslie Ash shares two sons, Joseph (b. 1990) and Max (b. 1993), with her husband, Lee Chapman.
