Leslie Ash says she nearly lost everything after contracting a hospital superbug and opens up about suing the NHS for £5 million

Leslie Ash says she nearly lost everything after contracting a hospital superbug while being treated for broken ribs, and she is speaking out about her decision to sue the NHS for £5 million. The 65-year-old actress, known for Men Behaving Badly, says the payout helped safeguard her family’s finances after an infection that left her with mobility problems and, at one point, paralysis. The case, settled in 2008, drew intense public attention and debate over accountability and the costs of medical mishaps, but Ash says the money was never about vanity or punishment; it was about preventing a personal and financial collapse.

The timeline begins in the mid-2000s, when Ash was admitted to hospital after what she described as a televised personal crisis: a fall from bed that led to a punctured lung and multiple broken ribs. She has said the injury precipitated a rapid, disorienting fall from public optimism to private fear. “We had such a fantastic life,” she recalled, describing the moment life felt “like the rug being pulled from under your feet.” The hospital stay, she said, became the turning point that reshaped everything from her mobility to her finances and her sense of security.

Two years after the hospitalization, Ash pursued a legal challenge that culminated in a £5 million payout from the National Health Service. She has acknowledged that the decision to sue was controversial, and she faced backlash from some observers who believed public funds should not be used to compensate a celebrity. In her recounting, she stressed that the NHS makes mistakes and, when it does, the system should acknowledge responsibility: “They totally messed my life up.” She added that the money was necessary to prevent the loss of the family home and to stabilize a life that had been upended by illness and disability. “I know a lot of people dislike me for suing the NHS, but while the NHS is brilliant, they do make mistakes,” she said. “I didn’t take any joy out of suing them, but when they make a mistake, they have to hold their hands up.”

The legal settlement came after a public health story that highlighted the tension between patient safety, hospital-acquired infections, and the use of compensation as a form of redress. Ash has said that her case was not about personal enrichment but about ensuring that a family could continue to live in their home and manage medical expenses that followed a serious infection in hospital. “It was preventative, and I needed the bl***y money,” she told a broadcaster, explaining that the funds helped avert a broader financial crisis. She has argued that NHS failures are not unique to individuals and that the system bears a broader obligation to improve patient safety and transparency.

Beyond the legal and medical episodes, Ash has discussed the public scrutiny that accompanied a high-profile recovery. She described a period in which a botched cosmetic procedure years earlier left her facing ridicule and a sense of being a “laughing stock” among peers. “It was horrible,” she said of the lip surgery that went awry and the way it dominated conversation about her career and appearance. On the How Do You Cope podcast, she recalled waking up to headlines and social commentary that added to the stress of rehabilitation. Still, she emphasized resilience and a return to work as a measure of recovery.

In recent years, Ash has pursued acting roles again, finding avenues to laugh with an audience and restore confidence in her craft. She described being cast in a stage production, Artificially Yours, at the Riverside Studios last year, a project that offered a welcomed return to the stage and a fresh outlet for humor after years of disruption. She said the experience reconnected her with audiences and helped her regain the rhythm of performance. A prior screen opportunity, Hotel Babylon, stalled when the director saw her on crutches and could not accommodate a pivotal opening scene, but Ash did not dwell on setback. Instead, she credited perseverance and a new agent who helped her secure a role in a comedy with a quick, dense script that played to her strengths and timing.

Family life remains a cornerstone for Ash. Married for nearly four decades, she and her husband, a former footballer, raised two sons and now enjoy the status of grandparents. She spoke candidly about the arc of a career that started in the late 20th century and continues to evolve, insisting she does not regard herself as a victim of past missteps. “I don’t want people to pity me,” she said. “I was stupid, I did this thing and it backfired and I have to hold my hands up and say, Yes, that was a stupid thing to do.”

Today, Ash frames her story as a broader reflection on health, accountability, and resilience. She acknowledges the NHS’s strengths while underscoring the need for continuous improvement in patient safety and care. Her case remains part of a longer conversation about the costs and consequences of hospital infections, the responsibilities of health systems, and the human stories behind legal settlements. As she continues to balance family life, stage work, and the echoes of a well-known career, Ash portrays a candid picture of the enduring impact of health crises and the personal decisions that follow them.