Sam Thompson, the 33-year-old I’m A Celebrity winner and former Made In Chelsea star, opens up about his challenging recovery following vocal cord surgery. After undergoing the procedure to remove a cyst, he spent three days unable to speak and described the experience as intensely difficult.
Post-Surgery Update
On Saturday, Thompson shared a beaming selfie on Instagram, celebrating the return of his voice. He admitted, “I know it sounds crazy but that three days was actually super tough.” He explained further, “I didn’t realise how much I need to talk to get my emotions out and how much I need interaction with people. Probably just me being soft and also the ADHD I imagine plays a factor but yeah was really quite full on.”
Pre-Surgery Nerves and Procedure Details
Thompson revealed the cyst resulted from excessive shouting and talking loudly, which often left him losing his voice. In a hospital gown video posted to Instagram Stories ahead of the surgery, he shared his anxiety: “I’m having vocal cord surgery – this has been in the diary for a while, I had a cyst on my vocal cords. It’s because I talk too much and shout too loudly and I keep losing my voice really easily. So yeah they are cutting it out, they are putting me to sleep, I’ve never been put to sleep before. I’m a bit nervous, I don’t like not being in control.”
His older sister, Louise Thompson, picked him up post-procedure. She noted on her Instagram Story that he faced three days without speaking, predicting it would challenge his talkative and playful personality.
Early Recovery Moments
On day one of silence, Thompson posted from home: “Day 1 of no speaking… I am so bored. Although I am LOVING seeing all the cat memes you’re sending!!”
Recent Personal Life
The surgery follows Thompson’s Valentine’s Day plans with girlfriend Talitha Balinska, whom he began dating in September 2024 after parting ways with Zara McDermott. Last month, he confessed telling her “I love you” for the first time.
On his podcast Staying Relevant with friend Pete Wicks, Thompson discussed his low-key celebrations: hand-delivering a thoughtful card with two dozen red and white roses, followed by a home-cooked dinner and wine. Initial plans for a romantic ski trip fell through due to work commitments. He emphasized, “I don’t really want to do presents if I’m honest. I just feel like Valentine’s shouldn’t be about that.”
