Former Big Brother UK star Sam Ashby has bravely revealed he spent a staggering £16,000 on cosmetic treatments during a secret battle with addiction, before a frank intervention from his doctor helped him reclaim his confidence and identity.
The 27-year-old performer, who became a fan favourite on the recent series of the reality show, admitted his obsession with injectables like fillers and Botox spiralled out of control as he tried to combat deep-seated insecurities.
The High Cost of Chasing Perfection
Sam's journey into aesthetics began with curiosity but quickly turned into a financial and emotional drain. "I'd always loved the thought of aesthetics and I wanted to play with them," Sam confessed. "Once I started performing and earning money, I got really addicted to it."
This addiction saw him pour every spare penny into procedures over several years. "I was addicted and if I earned any money, it was going on that," he said. "I was putting so much emphasis on the way I looked and changing it, probably from insecurities that I had from when I was younger."
The Doctor's Intervention That Changed Everything
The turning point came during a routine visit for yet another procedure. His doctor delivered a blunt assessment that finally broke through. "I went to my doctor again for another procedure and she was like, 'We need to get rid of this stuff because it looks awful,'" Sam recalled.
Initially resistant, arguing "this is me - I can't be without it," Sam eventually agreed to start dissolving the fillers. This process proved to be a revelation. "I started to see what I'd been doing all that time," he admitted. "I wasted all that money on looking a certain way that I actually didn't want to look like anymore."
Fortunately, the nature of his treatments meant the damage wasn't permanent. "It was all fillers and botox, which isn't surgery, it's more temporary," he explained. "I learnt that it wasn't serving me anymore and it wasn't healthy."
A Newfound Confidence and Future Ambitions
Now free from his reliance on cosmetic tweakments, Sam says he feels more self-assured than ever. He connects this transformation to his broader personal growth. "I've been changing all the time as I've grown up and become more comfortable with my queerness," he shared.
"It was another part of that journey, realising I didn't have to have all of that to feel attractive or good looking enough. I've got a lot of confidence in myself now - probably too much!"
He also acknowledged the contradiction in his past behaviour: "I've been preaching for years for everyone to love themselves and then at the same time, injecting myself with all this filler and spending so much money that I wasn't even really earning at the time."
While he hasn't sworn off procedures entirely, his perspective has fundamentally shifted. "I've learnt that perfection is not accessible. It's not a reality," Sam stated. "It's fine to get tweakments and things done - I'm still going to get bits of Botox here and there but it's not my whole world anymore. I don't have so much emphasis on how I look anymore and it feels good to have that pressure off me now."
Looking ahead, the reality star has set his sights on a huge ambition: representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest. "I'm waiting for the call, babes. I'm ready - that has been my biggest dream my whole life," he declared enthusiastically. "I'm happy to add to the rumours to make it happen. You've got to fake it until you make it!"
