Kim Woodburn's health struggles explored as 'I’m a Celebrity' star dies at 82

Beloved TV star Kim Woodburn from How Clean Is Your House? and appearances on reality shows including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother has died at the age of 82 after a short illness.

According to the BBC, her death was announced by her publicist, who said that the reality TV star was an "incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person."

Woodburn, a well-known British television personality, had been candid over the years about her lifelong health battles, both physical and mental. In early 2025, she was rushed into surgery for her eye and was forced to take a break from all of her work, including attending fan mail and public appearances.

After the surgery, her management released a news statement stating that she required time to improve her health, causing concern and best wishes from her fans at the time (Daily Mail).

She had a history of eye problems that originated in her childhood due to neglect and abuse. Due to her mother’s denial, Woodburn was born with vision problems that were not treated, which she has talked about in interviews and her autobiography, Beaten.

"I was born with no sight in one eye and limited sight in the other, but to be honest, I didn’t really know I had a problem for a long time." Kim Woodburn told The Mirror in a 2016 interview.

More about Kim Woodburn's past health struggles

Kim Woodburn supposedly had developed a squint as a child and had very limited sight in one eye and partial vision in the other. Her sister got intervention early, but Kim was left unattended, and it affected her education and confidence terribly.

"I had a squint in my right eye and so did Gloria but because my mother loved her, she got her eyesight sorted out aged 5. I just had to cope, and I’m sure my schoolwork suffered because of it." Woodburn had stated.

She did not realize how compromised her vision was until she was in her late teens when she started working in a factory and kept hurting herself repeatedly because she couldn’t see well. Then, she was finally diagnosed with severe vision impairment and prescribed glasses.

Over time, Kim Woodburn developed other problems: dry eyes and cataracts. One of the cataracts was so bad that she was considered inoperable and depended on contact lenses and eye drops to help her get through the day.

In addition to her eye issues, Woodburn fought other long-term health problems. Decades ago, she was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, which led to bouts of extreme fatigue and body temperature swings (The Sun).

She also had recurrent episodes of alopecia, often leaving bald patches on her scalp and necessitating vitamin B12 injections. Despite these difficulties, she continued in the television industry.

Kim Woodburn has also spoken publicly about the trauma of losing a child when she was in her 20s. She also frequently talked about the abuse she suffered from her parents and stepfather.

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"I was on my own, I didn't have the backing of my parents. My boyfriend of three years had gone and found someone else. I'm so glad today it isn't such a shameful thing." She said addressing her baby's death.

While her sudden surgery earlier this year raised concerns, her fans hoped she would bounce back, as she had many times before. However, the news of Kim Woodburn's death has now left her fans and colleagues in sudden shock.

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