Sam Vanderpump, star of Made In Chelsea, has issued a heartfelt plea as he fights end-stage liver disease. The 29-year-old reality TV personality, who welcomed his son Duke with wife Alice in February, desperately needs a liver transplant to survive.
Speaking about the birth of his son, Sam said: 'There's this amazing love and bond. When he was born I cried. There was this moment, that everyone explained, that I couldn't believe was going to happen. And when it happened I was like, 'This is the best feeling in the world.''' He added that he gets up at 2am to cuddle Duke, saying: 'I love you so much.'
Sam was diagnosed with congenital hepatic fibrosis at age four, but the condition remained stable for 23 years. In December 2024, an infection led to life-threatening sepsis, and doctors now say he has irreversible end-stage liver disease. A transplant is his only chance to see his son grow up.
Sam's mother Simone has volunteered to be a living donor, offering a portion of her liver, which can regenerate. Sam is documenting his journey in a two-part Channel 4 special, 'Made in Chelsea: Sam Vanderpump's Story'. He said: 'At first all I knew was I needed a liver transplant and I knew the statistics for me and the journey I had to go through which was a very scary and daunting feeling.'
With 615 people on the UK liver transplant waiting list, Sam's future remains uncertain. His wife Alice recalled the fear during her pregnancy: 'I almost feel like I didn't enjoy my pregnancy because it wasn't at the forefront of my mind. I think Sam's health was definitely taking priority in all of our lives at that time.'
