Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump, yes, nephew to Lisa Vanderpump, has broken his silence about the terrifying health scare that almost took his life.
Back in December 2024, Sam thought he was battling a bad flu. What he didn’t realize was that the flu had triggered sepsis, a condition that quickly led to both liver and kidney failure. And yes, doctors initially missed it.
“From shopping at Selfridges to being told I might not make it in less than 24 hours. My lips were so dry they were crusty. I was delirious.”
Sam shared during a sit-down on Good Morning Britain.
Despite the severity of his condition, Sam was discharged on his first hospital visit. He says his symptoms—like dehydration, back pain, and breathlessness, were written off as an asthma flare-up. His fiancée, model Alice Yaxley, was the one who insisted he return to the hospital. That decision likely saved his life.
While Sam is physically recovering he’s gained back 10kg (22lbs) after losing 15kg (33lbs.) during the illness. But, the mental aftermath of sepsis has been a whole different battle.
“The hardest part now is the mental recovery,” he said. “Everyone else goes back to normal, but you’re stuck with this health anxiety.”
Sam, who has congenital hepatic fibrosis and polycystic kidney disease, now serves as an ambassador for the UK Sepsis Trust. He’s urging people to pay attention to the warning signs of sepsis, especially after experiencing “just flu-like symptoms” or a high temperature.
And the fear is real. Sam says that when Alice recently came down with a fever, he rushed her to a doctor immediately.
Beyond reality TV, Sam is a finance entrepreneur with businesses in the UK and Dubai and, apparently, a fiancé now too (he proposed in March 2025). But it’s clear this brush with death changed everything.
If you take one thing away from this… don’t ignore your symptoms. Trust your gut. And maybe give Lisa’s nephew a follow—because we’re betting he’s got more to say.
12 Responses
ummm. hello mr vanderpump.
I had sepsis really bad, emergency surgery, coded twice, in the hospital for MANY days, came home with a bag, and it wasn’t a Louie. I got rid of it four years later. Yes! Please pay attention to symptoms, and mine were very different.
oh wow! Glad you caught that. ❤️
How scary! Thanks for sharing this story!
💯
Found him now on instagram. Seems like a nice guy! What is Made in Chelsea?
British structured-reality television series.
Made in Chelsea chronicles the lives of affluent young people in the West London and South West areas of Belgravia, King’s Road, Chelsea, Fulham and Knightsbridge, as well as their travels to other locations around the world.
I’ve been meaning to check out the latest season.
hard to find where to watch it.
🙏💔
HOW did I NOT know Lisa has a nephew on UK reality tv?! 👀👀👀
something in the blood