Patsy Palmer reveals she’s done a U-turn on cosmetic treatments after swearing off it following a nightmare ordeal that landed her in hospital with botched Botox.
The former EastEnders star, 52, said she ‘freaked out’ and ended up in A&E when a botox job went wrong, and vowed never to touch it again.
‘That was my relationship with Botox over. I got really scared about it,’ she declared at the time.
In a candid confession, Patsy has admitted she’s returned to cosmetic work – against her husband’s wishes – and is even planning a facelift in the near future.
‘I do a little bit of botox every now and then. I’ve tried lots of different things, obviously. I’ve tried fillers once but I don’t like that,’ she admits. ‘I just have a little bit of botox – I can still move my face. I’m probably due to have a little bit more.’
Patsy has lived in LA since 2014 with her husband, Richard Merkell. They have two children, Fenton and Emilia, while Patsy also has a son, actor Charley Palmer Rothwell, with her ex Alfie Rothwell.
Patsy Palmer, 52, reveals she’s done a U-turn on cosmetic treatments after swearing off in 2010 (right) when botched Botox landed her in hospital
She conceded that getting cosmetic work as an actress comes with its challenges, saying: ‘We want to look natural! I don’t want to look like I’ve had a face full of stuff – I want to look natural, but it’s hard to get that balance.’
Speaking on the Not Getting Any Younger podcast before entering this year’s Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night, Patsy insisted she doesn’t obsess over her looks.
‘I don’t think too much about my appearance because I haven’t got a very strong opinion of myself – you know when your mates were really pretty growing up; I never felt like I was the pretty one.
‘I was always the joker or the one to be out having a laugh with all the boys. I was a little bit of a tomboy.
‘Then I got to my twenties and started to become a little bit more aware and started to care a little bit more about my appearance.
‘But I always felt like everyone was prettier than me. Where I would see them all caring about make-up, what make-up to buy – they were all really into – I was never really into it.
‘I don’t obsess about it because it’s never been part of me – worrying too much about what I look like – I don’t know that I really care that much about it.
‘But I just want to look a little bit fresh when I look in the mirror; not so tired. I just want to look a little bit like I’m not drooping down. I would go in for the lower [face] lift. It’s just the neck.
The actress (pictured in EastEnders) has admitted she’s returned to cosmetic work – against her husband’s wishes – and is even planning a facelift in the near future
Patsy spoke as she prepares to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night, after landing a reported six-figure payday
‘The neck gets old. It’s all normal things for me now and I don’t care to talk about it because I know it’s so normal as you get older – and I feel like you’re allowed! You can say all these things and no one cares. It’s brilliant.’
Patsy said the cosmetic work she gets is not down to pressure from society or the acting industry. ‘It’s just for me, so I can feel good. My husband doesn’t like any of it.
‘He does not like the look! I tell him I’ll just do a little bit, but he says you don’t need to do anything. So that’s really lovely as well.
‘And we’ve been married for 25 years so I don’t feel that I need to impress anyone. I’m not out there having to date people – I think that’s a lot more of the pressure for people, rather than the industry. Being single in the industry must be awful.’
She also shared that her life in LA contributes to her happiness and wellbeing, adding: ‘I think the sunshine’s an amazing medicine. I would never live where it gets dark at three o’clock again, ever. That drains me. I’m a light person.
‘I think I’ve found out for myself what I need, naturally, to be a happy person. It’s sunshine, good food and outdoor life – and to just find the joy in every situation’
‘Because I’m a sensitive person so I can get easily bothered by the slightest little thing and it will devastate me. So I just need to be in the light and be around nice people. I need to be reminded that the world is not as terrible as it seems right now.
‘I go pilates, I like the reformer – I’m really into the Cadillac reformer in LA. It’s got all the bits and bobs on it and it stretches you out.
‘I do it one on one because I’m scared of hurting myself. I love pilates and it’s so good internally for all your stuff. And stretching’s important. I love walking. I love a sauna and I’ve got a cold plunge in the garden.
‘My husband makes baths and I said put one in the garden, like a concrete one. We were doing it at first because it was all a bit of a novelty but I can’t be bothered filling it up, honestly.
‘If you eat well – 80 percent of it is what you’re eating – so I just try and eat as well as I can. It’s hard to eat well in London because you’re cold. So it’s stodgy [food]. In LA it’s smoothies and salads.’
Celebrity Big Brother begins on Monday at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2025: MEET THE LINEUP!
MICKEY ROURKE
AGE: 72
FAMOUS FOR: The actor and former pro boxer is one of the show’s biggest ever signings and after public feuds with Robert De Niro, two marriages and a string of high profile relationships, producers will be hoping he brings plenty of drama.
DALEY THOMPSON
AGE: 66
FAMOUS FOR: The double Olympic gold-medallist is considered one of Britain’s greatest athletes, and he would no doubt cause a stir with younger celebrities if he entered the house. He broke the decathlon world record four times.
PATSY PALMER
AGE: 52
FAMOUS FOR: It’s an open secret that Patsy is leaving EastEnders, with the actress enjoying a wild leaving party this month. The Bianca Jackson star posted a snap of her character on Instagram with the caption: ‘Bye bye B, always grateful to see her again.’
DONNA PRESTON
AGE: 38
FAMOUS FOR: While Donna has featured in several TV shows and movies, the comedy star is known for hosting Apocalypse and for the role of a circus Compere in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald. She plays Den in Coronation Street, has featured in Pants On Fire in 2019 and even wrote and co-produced BBC Three’s Comedy Threesomes.
CHESNEY HAWKES
AGE: 53
FAMOUS FOR: The singer topped the charts for five weeks in 1991 with his hit The One And Only, before making a string of acting and TV appearances. His arrival on CBB has been described by a TV source as ‘perfect timing’, as he’s set to release a comeback album in April.
ANGELICA BELL
AGE: 49
FAMOUS FOR: The TV presenter is said to have landed a staggering five-figure deal to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. Fans will be keen to see if the CBBC legend spills all on her untimely exit from The Martin Lewis Show – which left fans baffled back in 2023. Angellica currently co-presents Hits Radio while Fleur East is on maternity leave.
DANNY BEARD
AGE: 32
FAMOUS FOR: The RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner – whose real name is Daniel Curtis – has signed up as a late entry. Danny previously made headlines after swearing on Big Brother’s Late & Live last March whilst doing an impression of housemate Louis Walsh. The incident saw the guest say the word ‘c***’ before immediately apologising after being informed they weren’t allowed to say that on the show.
CHRIS HUGHES
AGE: 32
FAMOUS FOR: After shooting to fame on Love Island in 2017, Chris went on to become a sports presenter and regularly hosts the horse racing coverage on ITV.
JOJO SIWA
AGE: 21
FAMOUS FOR: The American singer, who shot to stardom on reality show Dance Moms, is expected to draw a big American audience. The hitmaker has made a name for herself in the U.S. pop charts and is known for her outlandish looks and being a vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community.
TRISHA GODDARD
AGE: 67
FAMOUS FOR: The talk show host regularly presented on ITV from 1998 to 2004 and then shifted to Channel 5 from 2004 to 2010. Trisha has been suffering horrible side effects of her chemotherapy – but has bravely battled on.
JACK P. SHEPHERD
AGE: 37
FAMOUS FOR: The actor has played David Platt in Corrie since 2000 and is following in his pal Colson Smith’s footsteps by taking part in the popular reality show. He has won a string of awards for the role including Best Actor at the British Soap Awards.
ELLA RAE WISE
AGE: 24
FAMOUS FOR: Producers have been keen to land the TV personality, who previously dated Pete Wicks and has had an on-off romance with Dan Edgar. Bosses are hoping the TOWIE star might reveal all about some of her other famous exes.
MICHAEL FABRICANT
AGE: 74
FAMOUS FOR: The former Conservative politician is understood to have signed a lucrative six-figure deal to take part after political stars were banned from the broadcaster’s other reality show, I’m A Celeb. He served as MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire from 1992 until his defeat in 2024 as well as vice-chairman of the party under David Cameron. But he is perhaps best known for his blonde mop for which he has been widely ridiculed but repeatedly denies is a wig.
