Television presenter Josie Gibson has shared a candid update on her private health battle, revealing plans for further surgery as her condition deteriorates.
"My Legs Don't Belong to My Body": A Candid Confession
The 40-year-old former Big Brother winner appeared on ITV's This Morning with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard to discuss her diagnosis of lipoedema. This chronic condition causes a painful and disproportionate build-up of fat, typically in the legs and arms, which is resistant to diet and exercise.
Josie explained that despite being fit, healthy, and not overeating, her body "holds onto fat differently." She described the lipoedema fat as "congealed" and stated that training seven days a week would not eliminate it. "I've got this small waist, but it's like my legs, they don't belong to my body," she said poignantly.
A Lifelong Struggle and a Costly Last Resort
Gibson revealed she was diagnosed only a year ago, after a lifetime of unexplained symptoms. She recalled that even as a child in primary school, she struggled to walk after sitting cross-legged in assembly, a sign her lymphatic system wasn't functioning properly. "You just got on with it back then," she noted.
The condition has also impacted her work. While filming A Taste of the South West, she often had to prop herself up due to heavy, painful legs that would swell dramatically afterwards. "I'd bruise like a peach," she added.
With the condition worsening with age—now visibly affecting her arms—Josie has turned to surgery as a "last resort." She underwent an initial procedure on her calves in September and highlighted the significant financial burden, having paid over £7,000 for that single stage. Treatment is split into sections due to its scale and cost.
Seeking Expert Help and Raising Awareness
In her quest for answers, Josie consulted multiple specialists, travelling to Berlin and seeing three experts in London. Her decision to speak out aims to shed light on a poorly understood condition that affects many, particularly women.
By sharing her story on national television, Gibson hopes to increase public understanding of lipoedema and the challenges faced by those living with it, emphasising that it is a medical condition, not a lifestyle result.
