Cliff Notes – Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump’s health struggles after end-stage liver disease diagnosis
- Sam Vanderpump, 28, has been diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, requiring a transplant to extend his life expectancy beyond a few years.
- He recently shared his health challenges on Made in Chelsea, revealing a near-fatal bout with sepsis triggered by a genetic condition.
- Vanderpump’s fiancé, Alice Yaxley, expressed emotional concerns about their future as they prepare for a baby amidst his health crisis.
Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump’s health struggles after ‘end-stage liver disease’ diagnosis
Sam Vanderpump revealed on last night’s episode of Made in Chelsea that he has been diagnosed with ‘end-stage liver disease’ and only has a few years left to live unless he has a transplant.
The 28-year-old reality tv star – who is nephew to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump – has produced some of the most touching, candid moments on the E4 series since his SW4 arrival in 2024.
Speaking on the show, Sam said: ‘We had a call from the doctors and I’ve got end stage liver disease.
‘There is no hope of my liver getting better and he said I wouldn’t be having this call with you if I thought you could make it through the next four or five years.
‘They’re sending me for a liver transplant assessment.’
After being asked by Ollie Locke how he is feeling, he continued: ‘The way I look at it is I’m healthy now, hopefully I will remain healthy all the way up until I’ll get a call and go in for surgery and then I wake up and I’ll be healthier.’
Asked how long this will take, Sam added that people ‘will be higher up on the list who can’t survive the surgery’, so he can’t be sure.
Sam almost died in December after he contracted flu, which triggered a genetic condition (Picture: @samvanderpump)
He contracted sepsis and almost died (Picture: @samvanderpump)
While the London-based reality TV show often rolls eyes for its glossy portrayal of well-to-do 20-somethings and their often frivolous antics, some moments such as this one cut through in a meaningful way.
This series, Sam and his fiance Alice Yaxley have endured a turbulent time with huge highs and devastating lows, and have generously shared it all on the show.
After announcing their engagement and the exciting news they are expecting a baby, Made in Chelsea followed Sam grappling with his fate as a father, after his own dad – and Lisa Vanderpump’s brother – died by suicide in 2018.
But before his engagement or the baby news, and before he told good friends Ollie Locke and Tabitha Willet on Monday evening’s show about his devastating liver disease update, he almost died over Christmas last year.
What is end-stage liver disease?
End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is the final stage of liver damage, where the liver is so scarred and damaged that it can no longer function properly.
This irreversible condition is the result of chronic liver diseases, such as advanced cirrhosis, or acute liver failure.
Symptoms include fatigue, jaundice, swelling, confusion, and abdominal pain, and treatment may involve a liver transplant if the liver function is severely compromised
Sam Vanderpump’s health issues
Speaking in March, Sam opened up about how an infection – caused by a genetic disease he has – had spread and led to sepsis over the festive period.
Sam confirmed he’d recovered physically from the ‘terrifying’ ordeal but was suffering from health anxiety: ‘Mentally, it probably is the most challenging thing I’ve gone through.’
The TV star was born with two rare conditions: congenital hepatic fibrosis of the liver and polycystic kidney disease.
They were dormant in his body until getting the flu in December – coupled with asthma – triggered it, leaving his organs struggling to cope.
Thankfully, Sam’s quick-thinking fiancee Alice made sure he went to hospital when his health worsened in December, calling an ambulance after he became ‘delirious’ from dehydration.
Sam has now revealed he’s got ‘end-stage liver disease’ (Picture: E4)
He revealed the news to Ollie Locke on Monday evening’s episode of Made in Chelsea (Picture: E4)
Sam was told if he had waited another 24 hours to be admitted to hospital it would have been too late to save him.
He later told the Daily Mail: ‘I thought I was going to die. I didn’t think my body could cope and that was the scariest thing. It was terrifying.
‘I remember the doctor saying to me that I was going into liver and kidney failure. I burst into tears. My mum didn’t react badly, you would expect her to be in complete meltdown, but she didn’t want to scare me.
‘The words they used for the function of my liver were “deranged” and “demonic”. You don’t feel your organs normally but when they stop working and because my liver and kidneys weren’t working my heart was in overdrive, my pancreas was struggling, my spleen wasn’t well…
‘And you can feel all this pain and uncomfortableness, I was really, really fighting to keep myself alive. I didn’t think I was going to survive or see the outside of the hospital again.
‘You never think the flu will lead to you being in a hospital bed and nearly dying. They told my mum that if I had got to hospital 24-48 hours later, I wouldn’t have made it. By calling the ambulance, my girlfriend literally saved my life.’
In a liver function test, Sam explained how a normal CRP protein level was about 0 to 5 milligrams, when your body is not fighting infection.
Sam will not live past a few years if he doesn’t get a liver transplant (Picture: @samvanderpump)
Sam and Alice Yaxley recently announced they are expecting their first child together (Picture: INSTAGRAM/lifeofyaxx)
With a mild infection, this will go up to 50, and a medically urgent amount is about 100, but Sam’s level was up in the 400s.
‘My white cells, which are meant to be between 8-12 were double that. My liver enzymes, which are meant to be at 40, were at 140. They told me I was the sickest patient on the ward,’ he told the outlet.
This all led to sepsis and for the first 48 hours doctors struggled to keep the infection under control. He eventually got better through antibiotic treatments, but his liver will now never recover.
What has Sam Vanderpump said about his health?
Since the episode of Made in Chelsea aired, Sam has not spoken out about his condition, though Alice took to social media and said she watched the episode back and it made her emotional.
He simply shared a post from the official account for NHS Organ Donation, who wrote: ‘You may have seen in tonight’s episode of #madeinchelsea, that one of the cast members Sam Vanderpump needs an organ transplant. Our thoughts are with Sam and his family as they face this news. We hope that his courage in speaking out will offer inspiration to others.
‘Sadly, thousands of people are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant because not enough people agree to donate their organs.
‘If you want to be an organ donor and save lives after your death, please confirm your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and ensure your loved ones know and support your decision.
It’s been a hugely turbulent few years for Sam, after his father died by suicide in 2018 (Picture: @samvanderpump)
In January, Sam, who said he lost 15kg during the ordeal, took to social media and said: ‘I shared my story because, until December, I was perfectly healthy. Although I had an underlying liver and kidney condition, it never affected my life.
‘Doctors assured me I could live normally and that it might never impact me. While my condition played a role in how sick I became, the truly frightening part was sepsis, which can happen to anyone.
‘1 in 5 deaths in the UK are linked to sepsis, and 11 million people die from it globally each year. Many of these deaths could be prevented if symptoms are recognized and treated quickly. Sepsis is a race against time, and I was dangerously close to losing that battle.’
Sam Vanderpump’s life with fiance Alice Yaxley
While Sam and Alice only met in the summer of 2024, their relationship has cemented fast as they’ve been through a lot together.
Sam previously explained on Made in Chelsea that he proposed to Alice – in March 2025, having only dated for six months – after his health scare, explaining this terrifying ordeal made him realise he wanted to marry her.
Sam and Alice only met in July 2024, but they fell fast and are now engaged and expecting their first child together (Picture: Instagram/samvanderpump/lifeofyaxx)
Just six weeks ago, Sam and Alice announced they were expecting a baby.
‘Life is full of surprises, but this is the best one yet. I can’t put into words how happy and excited we are!’ Sam said.
On Monday evening’s episode of Made in Chelsea, Alice broke down in tears over Sam’s recent end-stage diagnosis, admitting she worries about keeping up a brave face for Sam while also being pregnant.
She explained that Sam could get a call any day over the next months to tell him he needs to get the life-saving liver transplant.
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