Sam Ashby, a contestant on this year’s Big Brother UK, has disclosed that he spent £16,000 on cosmetic procedures, including fillers and Botox, over a period of years.
The 27-year-old performer attributes the spending to a previous reliance on cosmetic treatments, describing it as an addiction. In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, Sam said,
“I was addicted, and if I earned any money, it was going on that. I was putting so much emphasis on the way I looked and changing it, probably from insecurities that I had from when I was younger."
The treatments were mostly reversible, and he has since reversed many of them.
He clarified that it consisted entirely of "fillers and Botox," which are non-surgical and more temporary options. He acknowledged that these procedures were no longer beneficial for him and were not healthy.
Sam first became interested in aesthetic procedures before entering the entertainment industry.
“I’d always loved the thought of aesthetics and I wanted to play with them,” he explained.
After beginning his career, he said the use of cosmetic treatments became more frequent, with earnings largely going toward maintaining his appearance.
An intervention by his doctor led him to reconsider the treatments.
He recalled visiting his doctor for another procedure, and the doctor advised that he needed to get rid of some "stuff" because it looked awful, though he initially felt he could not be without it.
Following this advice, Sam began dissolving the treatments and re-evaluated his previous decisions.
He explained that as they started dissolving the procedures, he realized how much money he had spent trying to look a certain way that he no longer wanted.
The reversal of cosmetic procedures coincided with a broader personal development for Sam.
He explained that he had been constantly changing as he grew up and became more comfortable with his "queerness."
He also indicated that reducing procedures was part of his journey, helping him realize he did not need all of that to feel attractive or good-looking enough, and that he now has a lot of confidence in himself.
While Sam still occasionally receives treatments, he clarified that they are no longer a priority. He added,
“It’s fine to get tweakments and things done - I’m still going to get bits of Botox here and there but it’s not my whole world anymore. I don’t have so much emphasis on how I look anymore and it feels good to have that pressure off me now.”
During his time on Big Brother UK, Sam was involved in several storylines on the show.
He described some on-screen events as lacking context and explained that when he watched "code-gate" for the first time, there was no context for how events occurred.
He added that they had started making code names to talk about people on the outside, which later became about people in the house as they developed crushes.
He also commented on his post-show relationships with fellow contestants, saying he will stay in touch with "Nancy" and Caroline [Monk], while he has heard from Cammy B, Farida [Khalifa], and Gani [Khan], but not from others.
Looking forward, Sam indicated an interest in representing the UK at Eurovision, describing it as his biggest "dream" and mentioning that he is willing to contribute to the rumours to make it happen, adding that sometimes you have to “fake it until you make it.”
Stay tuned for more updates.
TOPICS: Big Brother UK 2025, ITV, ITV2, Big Brother UK, Big Brother UK 2025 Sam
