Gemma Collins has called on women to discuss the issue of incontinence more openly to dispel stigma around it.
The former Towie star, 42, aims to help women overcome shame or embarrassment around the “taboo” subject in a new campaign.
Collins recalled an incident when she first experienced incontinence while playing with her nephew on a trampoline.
She told BBC News: “I couldn’t believe it, I was on a trampoline, you know, although I’m 42, I still think I’m 21.
“And I was on – and you know, like, with your mums and your aunties, you’ve always heard growing up, ‘Oh my God, I need a pad, I’ve got leaks’ and you’re like, ‘Eugh, I will never get to that stage in my life’.
“Well, honeys,” Collins continued. “It’s happening. I got on my trampoline with my nephew Hayden and I was having a great time and literally, I was laughing, I was jumping, and the leak just started happening.”
Collins joked that the experience made her feel “officially old”, then added: “No, it’s nothing to do with age, so many women get it. One in three are suffering from it.”
According to the NHS, urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine and is believed to affect millions of people.
The condition affects twice as many women as men due to pregnancy and childbirth, which can impact the bladder, urethra and other muscles supporting these organs.
However, Collins said incontinence shouldn’t stop women from going out and living their lives.
“Would I have stopped jumping on the trampoline? Hell, no,” she said.
“It is really sad to know that women are stopping doing their activities. They might not want to go on holiday now because of their leaks. They might not want to get on a trampoline with their children or their families because of the leaks.”
Collins added: “Nothing’s ever going to stop me from doing anything in my life. But why are women so embarrassed to talk about it still?”
The TV personality has spoken candidly about her experiences with incontinence in the past.
In 2017, she fell into a trap door in a stage while presenting the Radio One Teen Choice Awards in a moment that went viral online.
But the following year, she revealed that the embarrassing moment was made worse by the fact she “wet herself” after the fall.
“The worst thing about it was that I wet myself as it was such a shock,” she told OK! magazine. “James [Argent] came running down from the audience to make sure I was OK and all I could think was, ‘I hope he can’t tell I’ve wet myself’.
“That hole changed my life, it catapulted me into a meme star,” she added.
