Ruth Codd, who rose to fame on the BBC's Celebrity Traitors, has shared a significant health update, revealing she has undergone a second below-the-knee amputation. The 29-year-old actress, known for her role in Netflix's The Midnight Club, made the decision to improve her quality of life after years of complications.
The Accident That Changed Everything
Ruth's life was irrevocably altered at the age of 15 after a simple accident while playing football at school. She fell, triggering eight years of severe complications that left her relying on crutches. When she was 23, she made the difficult decision to have her right leg amputated in pursuit of a better life.
She previously reflected on this period, stating, "My whole life revolved around trying to heal my leg. For years, I didn’t see it getting any better. I was stuck in a really bad mindset. When I made the decision to amputate it, things finally started to turn around. It was a relief."
A New Challenge and a Return to TikTok
This week, Ruth announced that she has now had her left leg amputated as well. The need for the surgery stemmed from the long-term impact of using crutches for eight years, which destroyed the joints in her other foot. She had already undergone surgery to have all the toes on that foot removed in 2021.
Explaining her decision, Ruth said, "It's just kind of the same thing, it's gone past the point where they can kind of do anything about it... It was just my quality of life, it's never going to get any better from this point." She added that the persistent health issues had made it more difficult for her to work in her acting career.
True to her character, Ruth delivered the news on TikTok with her signature sharp humour. Filming from her parents' house, she told her followers, "Good news - we've had a full circle moment. I'm back making TikTok content in my parents' house. Bad news... I've just had my second below-knee amputation."
From TikTok to Stardom
Ruth's path to fame was unexpected. During the Covid pandemic, she began creating TikTok content about her life as an amputee, blending beauty hacks and comedic skits. Her unique perspective and humour quickly resonated, amassing over 670,000 followers and millions of likes in less than a year.
This online success caught the attention of casting directors. Despite having no professional acting experience, she was invited to audition for and landed the role of Anya, a lower leg amputee, in Mike Flanagan's Netflix series The Midnight Club. This launched her career, leading to a subsequent role in The Fall of the House of Usher and a part in the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon.
Looking ahead, Ruth is optimistic about her future with two prosthetic legs, confidently stating, "I think with two prosthetics I'll be pretty unstoppable."
