‘Louise nearly died three times’: Sam Thompson fights back tears as he recalls his sister’s traumatic birth and says he’s in therapy to try and process what happened

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Sam Thompson became emotional while talking about his sister Louise’s difficult childbirth, and he’s now seeing a therapist to help him cope with the experience.

Louise nearly died while giving birth to her son Leo in 2021 following an emergency caesarean.

Following the birth of her son, Leo, Louise experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety related to a life-threatening delivery. She has since been diagnosed with Lupus and Asherman’s syndrome, experienced another serious internal bleed, and now relies on a stoma bag.

Sam recently shared a deeply upsetting experience, describing the rush to the hospital and the shocking news he received.

Louise experienced three life-threatening situations, including complications during childbirth and a severe hemorrhage at home, which her friend Jamie Laing described as particularly frightening on his podcast, Great Company.

‘I was at the ITV Palooza and my mum called me and was like “you need to get to the hospital now”.

I was really angry and it was late, around 11 p.m. I went to Chelsea Hospital, but because of Covid restrictions, it was still locked down. I somehow managed to get inside.

I found Ryan, Louise’s partner, on the floor in the room, and it was one of the most upsetting moments of my life.

He went on to say that Louise is incredibly strong, and going through this has been really tough for her. He added that it was by far the hardest time in his own life as well.

I recall the doctor entering the room on two occasions and stating they couldn’t control the bleeding. I was shocked and exclaimed an obscenity.

‘That was something I will never ever, ever forget that.’

Sam praised Louise for her ‘bravery’ as he went on to recall how his sister told him she was dying. 

We’re incredibly fortunate she’s still with us. While the delivery went well, a couple of years later she developed a serious stomach infection – sepsis – which was a completely different and much more dangerous situation.

I was back in the hospital visiting her, and she told me she was dying. The doctor then came in and explained that she needed her colon removed or she wouldn’t survive.

‘That girl turned round and said, “Get it out”. The bravery of that was out of this world.’

Sam shared that he’s still dealing with the effects of past trauma, but he’s begun therapy to help him heal and cope with his difficulties.

To be honest, I haven’t really had a chance to fully think things through yet. I haven’t had the time to sit down and properly talk it over, even in therapy – we haven’t gotten to that point yet, he explained.

The winner of I’m A Celebrity also commended Louise’s partner, Ryan, for staying strong and supportive even though he was having a difficult time himself.

Sam described a terrifying experience: witnessing someone he cared for suffer a severe injury, fearing for their life, all while unexpectedly being responsible for a baby. He found the situation incredibly difficult.

I definitely had a tough time, but I think Ryan doesn’t get enough recognition for what he did. It was like that scene in Spiderman where he’s holding two trains apart – Ryan was single-handedly keeping everything from falling apart.

‘Don’t get me wrong I was there through the whole thing, but that man, it was tough.’ 

Sam finished by sharing what he loved most about Louise, explaining that she’s incredibly kind and empathetic, deeply feeling everything around her.

My sister is incredibly selfless. She’s the type of person who will go to great lengths to help others, often putting their needs before her own. She doesn’t ask for much and genuinely finds joy in helping people.

I was really moved by Louise’s recent sharing of incredibly difficult, previously unseen footage of her birth experience. It was so brave of her to speak out, and I completely agree with her call for a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting – we desperately need to improve maternity care across the UK. It’s time things changed.

After experiencing difficulties herself four years ago, Louise is working with former MP Theo Clarke to push for a dedicated maternity commissioner. Their campaign follows a parliamentary investigation they led, which revealed that maternity care across the UK is ‘alarmingly poor’.

I was so moved by Louise’s story. After a really tough birth with her son Leo back in 2021, she was diagnosed with PTSD. She bravely shared videos of her experience on Instagram, and dedicated the post to those who sadly didn’t make it, or lost their babies. It was a really powerful and heartbreaking thing to see, and I admire her strength in sharing it.

The actress also announced she’s started a petition calling for a dedicated maternity commissioner. She encouraged her fans to sign it, hoping to gather 100,000 signatures to bring the issue up for discussion in Parliament.

Louise has spoken openly about the health issues she faces after a difficult childbirth, including Asherman’s Syndrome, which causes scarring inside the uterus, and worsening bowel problems. These complications, along with emergency surgery after significant bleeding, mean she is unable to have any more children.

In a recent video, she explained that the country needs a comprehensive plan for maternity care, based on conversations with other mothers who’ve faced similar challenges.

Louise captioned the post with a heartfelt message, dedicating it to those who have passed away and to families who have lost children.

‘Thank you to the 30,000 of you who have already signed our petition.

This number is important because it represents the number of women who experience PTSD after giving birth annually.

I strongly believe our country needs a maternity commissioner. Every woman deserves a safe and respectful childbirth experience.

It’s time our government started acting on the 748 suggestions made over the last ten years from different investigations.

It’s incredibly reassuring to see so much support for women, reproductive rights, and the well-being of our children. It’s especially heartening given recent comments, like those from Steven Bartlett, that place blame on women for falling birth rates.

It’s time to act. I just finished a fascinating book about critical moments, and I believe we’re on the verge of causing something significant to happen. I’d love for you to join me in making that happen.

As someone who cares deeply about this, I truly believe we need to stop putting this issue on the back burner. Childbirth isn’t just another healthcare concern – it’s the very beginning of life! Honestly, what could be more important? We absolutely need to establish consistent, high-quality care for every single mother and baby, no matter where they are.

‘Next steps – We would love a conversation with our health minister Wes.’

Louise and Theo founded the Birth Trauma All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and then spearheaded the first national investigation into birth trauma.

A recent 2024 report revealed serious problems with NHS maternity care, finding that the quality of services varies widely across the country and is often shockingly poor. The report concluded that receiving good maternity care isn’t typical, but rather an unusual occurrence.

The investigation heard from over 1,300 women, some of whom were new mothers left unattended for hours, bleeding and in unsanitary conditions. Some reported being scolded by midwives for experiencing natural bodily functions.

A woman carrying twins went into premature labor at 19 weeks and, after losing one of her babies, was told by a doctor to simply relax. In another case, a mother’s concerns about potential complications were dismissed, and sadly, her baby later died from those same issues.

The report revealed that inadequate care is often accepted as standard practice, and women are frequently treated as a burden.

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2026-01-28 15:13