ITV This Morning star Ashley James has opened up about needing surgery for her health condition.
Ashley James opened up about her health on This Morning (Image: ITV)
This Morning star Ashley James has spoken about needing surgery after suffering with incontinence.
Ashley, 39, frequently appears on the ITV programme alongside the likes of Ben Shephard, Cat Deeley and Nick Ferrari. However, instead of discussing the day’s headlines on Wednesday (September 30), Ashley spoke about issues she’s been dealing with.
Over the weekend, the former Made in Chelsea star opened up about suffering with incontinence in a post on social media. She said: “Lots of you will know that since having Alf I’ve lived with various birth complications, and one of them is incontinence.”
She went on: “Our bodies go through huge, sometimes permanent sacrifices to bring children into the world, and we deserve support, not shame.”
Ashley added: “I’m still doing my pelvic floor training, still putting off the surgery, but in the meantime I’m not letting it stop me living my life.”
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She was widely supported for her post, and has now opened up on This Morning about the condition. Ashley explained how she’d been in Paris to see Celine Dion with her partner, and had left her washbag on the Euro Star which contained pads.
Without them, Ashley feared she wouldn’t be able to go out, as she said: “When you experience something like incontinence, you have to plan your days and evenings around this physical thing that nobody on the outside really sees but you know can happen. I try not to feel shame or embarrassment around it.”
Ashley explained how the incontinence began after the “traumatic” birth of her son, nearly six years ago, where she had both bladder and bowel incontinence.
“The reason we are so shamed into silence, it doesn’t help anybody, it doesn’t help women. And it is something where you feel you’re the only person going through it, or you’re embarrassed,” she went on.
Ashley explained that she had prolapse after giving birth to her son, which she didn’t realise she could have so young. After she gave birth, during check-ups, she didn’t have her stitches checked and admitted she felt like an “after thought”.
But when she returned to exercising, she received a message from a physio who had treated her from pelvic girdle pain, who diagnosed her with prolapse. It was then that Ashley was told that the faecal incontinence she was suffering from was “not normal”.
She continued: “I think because of so much secrecy and mystery around birth, I just assumed, in the ‘mother and baby doing fine’ that maybe everyone goes through this but no one talks about it because it’s really embarrassing and humiliating.”
Ashley was referred back to hospital, where she discovered she’d been not stitched up all the way, as well as the prolapse, confirming she now has to have surgery.
She added: “For anyone that experiences incontinence, it’s not something you have to put up with. And I will have to have surgery.”
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX
For more information, visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-incontinence/
LISA Snowdon has been soaking up the sun in a bikini during a luxury break in Sri Lanka.
The This Morning regular jetted off with her friend, hairstylist Zoe Irwin, for a getaway filled with cocktails, yoga and delicious looking food.
Lisa Snowdon is enjoying a sunshine getaway in Sri LankaCredit: InstagramThe trip came after Lisa opened up about her split from George SmartCredit: Instagram
Lisa shared a series of bikini snaps from the trip, writing: “The story so far here in Sri Lanka
“Birthdays, best friend and a couple of beers thrown in….. @zoeirwinhair
Lisa’s bikini snaps had her famous friends rushing to compliment her figure.
The TV star shared snaps from her girls’ tripCredit: InstagramLisa jetted off with her friend, hairstylist Zoe IrwinCredit: InstagramLisa’s break included yoga, good food and a couple of beersCredit: InstagramLisa is staying in a luxury villa tucked away in the jungleCredit: Instagram
Actress Claire Sweeney added: “You look amazing”, while presenter Lucy Alexander commented: “Looking wow”.
The friends are staying at Green Escapes, in a luxury villa tucked away in the jungle near Hiriketiya Bay.
The retreat features an infinity pool overlooking the trees, yoga classes and its very own chefs, with the beaches of Sri Lanka’s south coast just a short trip away.
The sunshine break comes after Lisa opened up about feeling emotional following her split from fiancé George Smart, her partner of 12 years.
During an earlier wellness trip to Bali, she wrote on Instagram: “Wellness, for me, has never been about perfection. It’s about connection.
“The women you meet, the conversations that stay with you, moving your body, slowing your mind, little soul searching, maybe a good old cry and sometimes having a cold beer barefoot on the beach.”
She added: “I am feeling stronger mentally and physically and it’s not over yet.”
Speculation about the couple’s relationship began after Lisa was spotted without her engagement ring, while George had been largely absent from her Instagram since January.
The pair first dated around 20 years ago before rekindling their romance in 2014. They got engaged in 2016.
Lisa had previously said she was in no rush to marry George, telling Hello!: “A lot of women imagine walking down the aisle. They imagine their flowers, their dresses, and I just have never had that vision.
“I’m just really relaxed and so is George. It will happen, but I just don’t know what that looks like.”
TWO years ago, Cat Deeley was in a very different place to where she is now.
The TV presenter, 49, who had replaced Holly Willoughby on This Morning in March, was grappling with a punishing work schedule, the pressure to save the ITV show from its tarnished reputation and a marriage faltering under the pressure of two “tricky” work schedules.
This Morning host Cat Deeley had an unexpected response to her ex Patrick Kielty’s new relationshipCredit: AlamyCat’s ex, TV presenter Patrick Kielty, was all smiles as he left a north London pub with a new date following a cosy evening togetherCredit: TillenDove
In the three month period she became tearful three times on screen, and appeared at times “visibly overwhelmed.”
And speaking five months after stepping into her new hosting role, she admitted the scrutiny she was under had “shocked her.”
However, the popular star has rebuilt her life after her divorce from Patrick Kielty, 55, with a second National Television Award under her belt with This Morning, a series of lucrative commercial deals and new man Charlie Coleman, who she hopes to spend Christmas with.
And friends of the star this week told how ex Patrick’s new relationship with businesswoman Michelle McManus – the pair were seen cosying up at a North London boozer – is the icing on the cake – saying she told them: “She seems nice, and she is doing me a favour, he’s a better person when he’s happy.”
One said: “Cat’s attitude is: ‘Good luck to them. At the end of the day, that’s the whole point of separating in the first place.’
“She is genuinely happy for him, and knows it’s good for them that he’s happy and positive.
“Cat herself is in a great place and that’s where she wants to stay.
“She and Charlie are getting on really well and are already talking about spending this Christmas together, though they will have to work out the practicalities as she and Paddy share the childcare arrangements 50/50.”
Former So You Think You Can Dance? host Cat – who swapped her $5 million family home in Beverly Hills for a £4.9 million five-bedroom house in Hampstead in 2020 – joined This Morning during a period of extreme turbulence.
Former host Phillip Schofield had quit ITV in May after an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger co-worker was revealed.
Holly, who appeared on This Morning for 14 years prior to her exit, stepped back from the spotlight in October, following stalker Gavin Plumb’s terrifying plot to kidnap, rape and murder the TV star being uncovered.
Plumb was jailed for life in July following an eight-day trial.
Against this challenging backdrop, Cat and Ben Shephard, 51, took the reins of the popular daytime show.
Sources told how the pair appealed to bosses as a “safe pair of hands” who could steer them out of a crisis.
But even her early interviews showed signs she feared wading in too deep, as she said: “If it gets too much for me, I’m going to quit. I don’t need to do it – I could be a mum for most of the year and go and do the shows in America.”
And in one interview she opened up about juggling work and motherhood: “I do the juggle – the juggle is real, the struggle is real. You know, we know, we’re all just trying to make everything work. It’s all a juggle.”
Cat shares two sons, Milo and James, with ex husband Patrick – who she was married to for almost 13 years before they announced their split in July 2025.
But sources say the fault lines had appeared in late 2023, when the pair were struggling to balance their schedules.
Patrick – the host of RTE‘s The Late Late Show in Ireland – commuted to film the show in Dublin, while Cat’s So You Think You Can Dance? schedule had also created issues, requiring her to jet back to the US for long stretches.
Her move back to UK television was supposed to lessen the pressure on the duo – one of TV’s power couples.
Cat Deeley was all smiles at the National Television Awards 2026 showCredit: GettyPatrick and his beau looked cosy- spending several hours over dinner and wineCredit: TillenDove
But fans noticed that the star appeared increasingly emotional on the This Morning set.
In March 2024, just days after she joined as host, Cat burst into tears backstage upon meeting Buddy, an autism assistant puppy introduced to the studio.
She explained to viewers that meeting Buddy triggered her grief over losing her family dog, Lilly, the previous summer.
Weeks later in April, while introducing guest Kerry Irving – whose late springer spaniel Max had helped him overcome depression – Cat broke down in tears and had to ask co-host Ben to take over reading her lines.
And two months later Cat fought back tears during an interview with the family of William Reckless, eight, who had to have both of his legs and nine fingers amputated due to a severe battle with sepsis and scarlet fever.
Her 48th birthday broadcast in October also caused the presenter to break down in tears, after she was surprised by a recorded message from British poet Pam Ayres – who she said had inspired her as a child.
But 2025 seemed to bring a more positive standpoint – and a bombshell, as Cat and Patrick announced their divorce in July.
Both were keen to insist that they remained amicable, and stressed that no third parties were involved in their decision to split.
They also made clear their intention to share the parenting of their children, Milo, 10, and James, eight.
A few months later, September brought an incredible boost for the star – when This Morning won the National TV Award for Daytime, after the repeated scandals engulfing the programme had seen it lose the title in 2023 and 2024.
After the cast and crew were seen going wild in the audience, Cat said on stage: “We are so lucky to get to do this show, we all love it.
“Every single person who comes on, we love this show and it’s like having a family.”
Sources told how the award was “a shot in the arm” for the entire team behind the show – appearing to signal they were back on track.
And in the months to follow, Cat was to build up a relationship with Amazon MGM exec Charlie Coleman – who she was spotted with at a Hyde Park Lewis Capaldi gig in July.
Two months later, she spoke out about how she was thriving as a single mum – saying it was about being “as organised as you can be.”
She also admitted she had an “amazing nanny” to keep their lives on track around her busy schedule.
And she added: “Everybody is doing their best.”
In the same month Paddy – who has signed a new deal with The Late Late Show which will see him host until 2028 – said he was “pretty good” adding that the divorce was “part of the tapestry of life.”
And now, with him also moved on with new love Michelle, it seems another piece of the tapestry is complete.
The pair were married for almost 13 years before they announced their split in July 2025Credit: GettyA source said Cat ‘is genuinely happy for him’Credit: Splash
NHS GP Dr Amir Khan says a common method for dealing with nosebleeds is not correct
Dr Amir Khan has explained how a common method for treating nosebleeds is not right(Image: No Appointment Necessary)
Dr Amir Khan has offered guidance on how to properly treat a nosebleed, revealing that many people have been receiving incorrect advice. The well-known TV doctor and NHS GP, recognised for his regular slots on ITV’s This Morning and Lorraine, discussed the matter with his followers on the latest instalment of his podcast, No Appointment Necessary.
His explanation may come as a surprise to some who have been instructed to do something entirely different when dealing with a nosebleed. Co-host Cherry Healey appeared to be among them, as she questioned him about the advice people have given her for managing a nosebleed.
She said: “You know when someone gets a nosebleed, they always get told to put their head back. It’s so awful when you get a nosebleed and someone tells you that because it’s what you don’t want to do. Is that true?”
The doctor responded: “No. It used to be that, but it’s not head back. It’s head forward. Yeah, because if you go back, you could swallow the blood and then cause all sorts of issues.”
He then outlined what you should do instead, saying: “First of all, you want to pinch the soft bit of your nose just underneath the bone. I’m talking like this now because I’m doing it. So pinch that bit as tight, as tight as you can and then lean forward.
“So head between your knees or lean as far forward as you can for, you’ve guessed it, 15 minutes. 15 to 20 minutes is when anything is bleeding.
“That’s how long you need to put pressure on it.” Cherry then replied: “Because that’s how long it takes to clot.”
His advice is important because many people have been given incorrect advice. McGill University in Canada says the tilt-the-head-back method is a ‘common misconception’.
Its website states: “First aid standards have changed throughout the years, making it difficult to keep up with the right practice. Tilting your head backwards is common misconception. Currently, Red Cross standards and most clinicians inform us to sit neutral, tilt head slightly forward, pinch the bridge of the nose, and wait for 10-15 minutes.”
NHS advice on what to do if you have a nosebleed
The NHS website advises that if you experience a nosebleed, you should sit down and lean forward, with your head tilted forward and your mouth open; pinch your nose just above your nostrils for 10 to 15 minutes; and breathe through your mouth. It adds: “Holding an icepack (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) on the top of the nose may help reduce the blood flow. But the evidence to show it works is not very strong.”
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It also provides guidance on what to do for the 24 hours following a nosebleed. To reduce the likelihood of another nosebleed, for 24 hours afterwards, it recommends you should try not to pick your nose, blow it, or pick any scabs.
It also suggests avoiding lying down flat, doing any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, or consuming hot drinks or alcohol.
Dr Amir Khan tells patients what not to say in his practice
The doctor’s guidance comes a day after he shared with Instagram followers a list of things he does not want to hear from his patients. The reassuring post, which we reported about on Friday, stated people should not apologise for their weight, their toenails, or their hairy legs.
He said: “Please, you’re having a medical examination, I am not bothered about anything else. “He also said people should not apologise if they feel the need to cry, or if they cannot remember the name of their tablets. And he said: “Please don’t say things like I’m sorry to waste your time.
“If something is worrying you enough that you’ve come to make an appointment to come and see me, that’s what I’m here for.” He concluded by noting: “The only thing that I care about is that you feel able to tell me what’s really going on.
“Because the thing you might be embarrassed about might actually be really important, and I can’t help something you feel ashamed to tell me. So, come as you are, cry if you need to, don’t shave anything on my account, and please stop apologising for just being a patient. You’re not an inconvenience, you’re literally the reason why I’m here.”
Find episodes of the podcast on YouTube, Apple or other platforms.
Monty Don recently quit Gardener’s World after more than two decades but has now landed something new, teaming up with one of the most famous footwear brands in the country
22:53, 10 Sep 2026Updated 22:53, 10 Sep 2026
Mont Don has landed a new job after quitting Gardeners’ World (Image: ACN / New Balance)
Monty Don has landed a new job just days after quitting Gardener’s World. The TV star,71, is best known for having fronted the BBC agricultural programme, and on air for more than two decades.
“Created as a dedicated space for rest, reflection and connection, the garden brought New Balance’s manufacturing heritage with Burnham’s distinctive creative language and longstanding relationship with the natural world.”
Just days ago, the presenter said the time had come for change and he was ready for his next adventure, but promised his fans that the move does not signal the end of his TV career.
Monty said: “I have decided that the current series of Gardeners’ World is to be my last. I began hosting the programme 23 years ago, first at Berryfields and for the past 16 years here in my own garden, Longmeadow.
“Throughout that time – and around seven hundred programmes – I have had the privilege of sharing my own abiding passion for gardens and gardening with an equally passionate, and often equally knowledgeable audience.
“That connection with millions, not just in Britain but across the world, who share a love of gardens, plants and the natural world is something I have always treasured and which I increasingly believe to be at the heart of a life well lived.
“I have also always relished the craft of programme making and to do so, week in week out, as part of a superlative BBC team has been a deeply rewarding experience. But now is the right time for a change.
“I look forward to continuing to work with and for the BBC on other projects, as well as following new avenues. There are more books to write, more programmes to make. And of course, I will still be gardening, dog by side, here at Longmeadow.”
Born in Germany and raised in England, Monty made his television debut on This Morning in 1989 after his home garden was featured in several publications. After repeat appearances, he got additional TV work on BBC shows Holiday and Tomorrow’s World.
He also began putting his ideas and tips into words, and has published over 25 books since 1990. In 2002, he was recommended by Alan Titchmarsh to replace him as the lead presenter of Gardeners’ World. Monty then became the first self-taught horticulturist presenter in the show’s history.
Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed that he has been speaking to Strictly winner Karen Carney for advice ahead of his own debut on the BBC competition later this month
20:03, 10 Sep 2026Updated 20:04, 10 Sep 2026
Shaun Wright-Phillips has been speaking to Karen Carney for advice ahead of Strictly(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Shaun Wright-Phillips has played for Manchester City, Chelsea and earned 36 caps for England – but swapping the pitch for the ballroom could prove to be his biggest challenge yet.
Fellow footballer Karen Carney knows a thing or two about making the switch, having gone all the way and lifted the Glitterball last year. She’s been on hand to give her pal a few pointers. “She said to just dive straight into it and don’t hold back,” Shaun, 44, explains. “So I’ll take that advice. I’m going to go for it and do the best I can.”
For Shaun, who scored six international goals between 2004 and 2010 and played club football under the watch of titans such as Kevin Keegan and José Mourinho, Strictly is proving to be a whole different ball game.
“It’s something that’s definitely out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I don’t get overly nervous in general, but this is obviously something that’s really new to me.”
Shaun’s family and friends, including his famous footballer dad, Ian Wright, are used to him busting a move on the dancefloor, but usually after a few beers. He is now bracing himself for their reaction when he takes to the floor every weekend.
“I’m sure they’ll be giving me as much feedback as the Strictly judges,” he laughs. “They’re used to seeing me dance at parties, but this will be the first time they’ve seen me dance while sober.
“Everyone was crazy excited when they found out I was taking part. And then all of a sudden my inbox was filled with friends and family trying to get their live show ticket orders in! I’ve received a really nice amount of support so far.”
Over the course of his career, Shaun played for play for Manchester City, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and England. He retired from the pitch in 2019, and since then, has carved out a career as a football pundit, appearing across BBC, ITV and Sky Sports.
Last year, he competed on Cooking With The Stars alongside comedian and Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis, former Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu and This Morning’s Kelly Hoppen.
Shaun became the tenth name announced to compete and the BBC Saturday night favourite will return to screens in just a matter of weeks.
When it was confirmed that he had signed up, he said:: “Dancing is in my blood—but mainly at family events! Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!”
ITV bosses have wiped “uncomfortable” footage of Miriam Margolyes from the edition of This Morning that appears on its ITVX service.
Miriam Margolyes’ appearance on This Morning sparked huge backlash(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Miriam Margolyes has been met with a wave of fury after using a highly offensive term to describe Andi Peters’ skin colour during an ‘uncomfortable’ appearance on This Morning.
Viewers have branded the 85-year-old ‘disgraceful’ following her interview on the ITV show and bosses have scrubbed the remarks from the ITVX footage.
In the interview to promote her book, which aired on Thursday’s episode, she began dissecting Christine Lampard’s Northern Irish accent before turning her attention to her co-host.
“What accent would be normal for you? What are you?,” she asked the 56-year-old, leaving him baffled. The presenter responded: ”This is normal. What am I? I’m me!”
“You’re a mix, aren’t you? You’ve got a Black daddy and a white mummy,” she said. He explained that both of his parents are Black, jokingly questioning whether his make-up artist had used a “lighter shade than normal”.
“I think you’re high yella. That’s what they call it in America when someone isn’t deeply black,” she continued, with Andi quipping that he “didn’t even know there were shades”.
The presenter then pointed to his earpiece and revealed that bosses were intervening, explaining that they were “getting nervous”.
“There are shades and this is what we have to incorporate,” the Harry Potter actress added. “Don’t be nervous, we welcome everybody. That’s what I want to write about in my book, it’s about inclusion.”
The Merriam-Webster US dictionary defines the term – sometimes spelt high yaller – as a dated and often offensive piece of slang used to describe a black person with a light complexion.
ITV bosses have yet to issue a statement over the segment but the offensive footage has been removed from the episode on ITVX. However, the rest of her interview still remains.
Viewers were left reeling over the segment and quickly rushed to social media with one saying the term was “super racist” and many calling for further action to be taken.
One person wrote on social media: “That Miriam Margoyles clip is just about the cringiest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s like a scene out of The Office.” Another agreed: “I do not accept that it’s just her age or character. She uses words and phrases that are totally unacceptable. I hope #thismorning never brings her back on the show.”
One posted: “That Miriam Margolyes interview is the most uncomfortable thing to sit through what the hell was she thinking.”
Another said: “Just watched @thismorning interview from this morning Miriam Margolyes is disgrace what she said about Andi Peters is way out of line she should be banned from @ITV @SkyNews @BBCTheOneShow she was way out of order.” They added: “@andipeters i am standing with you [sic].”
The Mirror has approached ITV, This Morning, Andi and Miriam for a comment.