15 March 2024 , 22:11
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Celebrity Big Brother star Louis Walsh opened up about the impact on his mental health amid his recovery from a rare form of blood cancer, during Friday's episode of the series.
Speaking out about his secret illness for the first time, Louis confirmed he was diagnosed with the disease during lockdown, as the housemates discussed the coronavirus pandemic and what was going on in their lives at the time in 2020. As Levi Roots asked Louis what lockdown was like for him, Louis confessed he was sick and nobody knew.
Louis opened up about the impact the illness had on his mental health, revealing it still affects him now. Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu asked Louis if his diagnosis had affected him mentally, to which he replied: "It did, yeah, I've got to be honest with you."
While Louis revealed the cancer was "gone in weeks", the shock of having the illness has stayed with him. He explained: "It’s just up here, even when I go past a hospital I almost get sick.
"It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word – nobody wants that word. I have it blocked out, a reality check." On keeping his health news a secret, he told them: "I was sick and nobody knew I was sick.
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"I had cancer, a mild version, a rare one, in my blood." Viewers watching at home send their best wishes to the star, amid him facing eviction from the house.
Louis Walsh opened up about the impact on his mental health amid his recovery from a rare form of blood cancer (ITV)Taking to X, one fan posted: "Know he’s done everyone’s head in but this is really sad - Can’t imagine how hard dealing with cancer right in the middle of Covid could’ve been for him and so many people. Hope he’s okay."
Another said: "So Louis had Cancer during Lockdown Poor guy, glad he is ok now." Blood Cancer UK praised Louis for opening up about his diagnosis and raising awareness, as they shared their helpline number for anyone needing support.
It comes after the brutal nominations twist during Thursday episode, that saw housemates vote face-to-face. It resulted in the five stars being nominated, and there were some brutal home truths too sparking house rows.
Louis secured a whopping eight votes from stars including Fern and Ekin-Su, while Ekin-Su was voted four times. David, Fern and Levi all received to votes each, amid drama following a question challenge in the previous episode.
Colson Smith voted for Levi just hours after being left in tears, after Levi called him boring. One moment with Love Island star Ekin-Su left her co-stars baffled, with them visibly questioning her latest move on the show.
Ekin-Su decided to nominate Louis, despite them both being close on the series. Her decision and her reasoning left some of her housemates, including Louis, visibly puzzled amid fans speculating it was a tactical move.
Stars including Zeze Millz pulled faces as if they did not see her decision coming, with them not able to understand what she was playing at. Meanwhile as Fern then nominated her, she did not hold back as she called it "disturbing" that she "didn't know the real her".
Louis called the moment "brilliant" as he witnessed Fern laying into Ekin-Su suggesting she was fake and "wearing a mask". Fern said: "I don’t get you, you don’t get me. I sometimes feel like you’re wearing a mask… I feel like I don’t know the real you and that has disappointed me and disturbed me."
Marisha Wallace broke down in tears as she admitted she wanted to go home after Ekin-Su’s reaction to being nominated by her. "I know if I get to the final, I can’t beat you. I know that if you get to the final with me, you will win the public vote," Marisha explained.
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"I know that if we go head-to-head, you have a huge following, you played these games before you know how to win and if I want to win this, if I ever had the chance, I wouldn’t have the chance against you.” Ekin-Su was seething and replied: "I knew this was going to happen, this judging me because I went on a f***ing show before. You’ve been close with me this whole time so you’ve been fake with me this whole time."
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