It’s estimated that upwards of 200,000 people in the UK, 1 million people in the US and 50,000 people in Australia have a stoma. Despite this, stomas are often misunderstood (or not known about at all), resulting in ostomates feeling embarrassed or struggling to adjust to life with a stoma bag. However, there are many celebrities with a stoma bag, some of which you may not be aware of.
Famous people with stomas are helping to smash the stigma and raise awareness by being open about their ostomy. In this list, we name 11 celebrities with a stoma bag and highlight how they are inspiring others.
What is a stoma?
A stoma is a small opening in the stomach, formed by a surgeon to allow waste (faeces or urine) to leave the body and into a bag. This type of surgery is used to treat a range of conditions, including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and more. Find out more: What is a stoma?
11 celebrities with a stoma bag
Read below to discover 11 celebrities with a stoma bag.
1. Adele Roberts
Adele Roberts is a British celebrity with a stoma bag. She is a broadcaster, known for hosting on BBC Radio 1 and television appearances such as I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, Big Brother and most recently Dancing On Ice, where she finished in 3rd place in its 16th series.
In 2022, she underwent chemotherapy and stoma surgery to treat bowel cancer. She is now cancer-free and remains a strong advocate for stoma awareness, declaring to her 238,000 Instagram followers in her bio that she is ‘Proud parent to Audrey the stoma’. She has been open and honest about her struggles with cancer and her stoma in public appearances and on social media, helping to educate others on what can be an unfamiliar or uncomfortable topic. Plus, she published a book in April 2024 with her stoma bag clearly visible on the front cover.
She has said that her loop ileostomy is reversible, but she is in no rush to get rid of Audrey.
In 2023, she achieved a Guinness World Record for becoming the fastest woman to run the London Marathon with a stoma bag. And in 2025, she achieved another Guinness World Record for being the first and fastest woman with a stoma to complete all 6 of the major marathons in the world! Adele is living proof that a cancer diagnosis and a stoma don’t define you or limit what you can achieve.
2. Louise Thompson
Next on our list of celebrities with a stoma bag is Louise Thompson, best known for starring in the reality TV series Made in Chelsea, and she is also a #1 Sunday Times Bestselling author. She was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2018 and has spoken openly about her battle with the disease. She proudly shares in her Instagram bio to over 1.5 million followers that she is a ‘Stoma wearer’, which she revealed in 2024.
She has also recently discussed on her podcast, ‘He Said She Said’, that she thinks she may have ‘Barbie butt surgery’ (proctectomy) in the future. She posted the clip on social media, taking the opportunity to explain why someone may have this surgery and how despite the name, it’s not a cosmetic surgery someone would have by choice.
She said: “I like to talk candidly about these things so that people that have to go through this crap (pun intended) feel like they can talk about it more freely”.
Her relatable, funny content helps to normalise stomas and start conversations about them in the public eye, helping to show that IBD can affect anyone and that stomas are nothing to be ashamed of.
3. Mollie Pearce
Another celebrity with a stoma is TV personality and model Mollie Pearce. She was introduced to the public eye in the hit ITV reality game show The Traitors on its second series, famous for its explosive finale when she was betrayed by her best friend, Harry Clark. She told her story about having ulcerative colitis on camera and has gone on to raise more awareness since, explaining in interviews that her stoma (who she has affectionately named Sid) changed her life for the better.
She competed in the 2025 series of Dancing On Ice, making it all the way to week 6. She has featured in publications such as The Times talking about her stoma journey. She has used her platform to encourage people not to ignore the signs and symptoms of IBD and never be embarrassed about going to the doctor. This is an important message that she sends to young people.
She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when she was 11 and had colostomy surgery when she was 18. She also has a limb difference and is a disability advocate, calling for and embodying acceptance, representation and inclusion for people living with disabilities.
What’s it like to live with a stoma bag? Find out in our blog: Living with a stoma
4. Al Geiberger
Al Geiberger, AKA Mr. 59, is a sporting celebrity with a stoma bag. He is an American former professional golfer, earning his nickname from his famous performance in ‘The Greatest Round of Golf Ever Played’, where he became the first golfer in history to post a score of 59 in a PGA event. He won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour.
In 1980, Al had stoma surgery to form an ileostomy. In a 1982 article in the New York Times, he said: “Before my operation, I had ulcerative colitis and felt miserable. I had recurring diarrhoea attacks, and any place I went, the first thing I’d do was locate a bathroom. During tournaments I often had to dash off into the woods. It was embarrassing. For the first time in years, I’ve been able to concentrate on golf.”
After his surgery, he won the Senior PGA Tour 10 times. Al sets a fantastic example, showing how stomas can give people their life back. Find out more: Quality of life in stoma patients
5. Rolf Benirschke
Another American celebrity with a stoma bag is Rolf Benirschke. He is a former professional American football player who played for the San Diego Chargers from 1977 to 1986, and went on to become a TV presenter after he retired from the pitch. He was named NFL Man of the Year in 1983.
He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 1979. He was given medication and continued to play, but felt very unwell. It came to a head when he collapsed on the team plane on the way back from a game. He was rushed to hospital where his colon was removed in an emergency surgery.
He worked hard on his recovery with the team’s strength coach and amazingly, 8 months after leaving hospital, was back on the roster. He played four seasons with an ileostomy bag and then had surgery to form an internal pouch which he lives with today.
Rolf’s influence
His story gained lots of media coverage. As Rolf explains in this article: “I was interviewed by writers and reporters in nearly every city we played in that season. Amazingly, every week after any type of interview, my locker would be filled with letters from patients who were desperate for information and hope.”
Rolf played an important role in showing that ostomates can do anything – even contact sport at the highest level. The same support as today wasn’t available when Rolf was at the peak of his fame, so his story was particularly important in making ostomates feel seen.
Rolf continues to be an advocate for ostomates, releasing three books on the topic and running many campaigns. He says: “The days that bring me the most joy are those when I get to personally connect with an ostomy patient, listen to their story and help encourage them in their journey.”
6. Beth Dunlavey
Beth Dunlavey is a British influencer and YouTuber who is best known for sharing her pregnancy and motherhood journey. During a difficult childbirth, she had surgery to form a stoma. She has openly admitted on social media how much she has struggled to adapt to living with her stoma bag and hopes to have it reversed when she can.
Her video revealing that she “didn’t just leave the hospital with a baby, I also left with a stoma bag” has been viewed 14 million times on Instagram. In 2019, she appeared on the Channel 4 reality game show series The Circle and she is engaged to former Love Island star Connagh Howard.
By normalising the everyday struggles of being a mother and an ostomate, she helps to give a voice to an often forgotten-about demographic, offering a source of strength for others in a similar position. She has also helped others by sharing her IVF and endometriosis journey.
7. Brittani Nicholl
Brittani Nicholl is an Australian celebrity with a stoma bag. She is a surfer who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was 7 years old. She has had many different surgeries, including temporary ileostomies, and now lives with a permanent colostomy after having a proctectomy in 2020.
She has shared her story in detail on social media. About her proctectomy surgery, she said: “The outcome of this permanent surgery will allow me to finally step out of the viscous cycle I’ve been trapped in for so long, it will allow me to move forward with all aspects of my life… and finally, start living.”
Despite her health problems, Brittani was a successful professional surfer and continues to work in the surfing industry today, and as an occupational therapist. She represents Crohn’s and Colitis Australia as an ambassador.
8. Fran Brown
Fran Brown is a British Paralympic athlete and ostomate who won silver at the 2024 Paris games in the Women’s C1-3 road cycling time trial.
In the same year that she placed 4th in the triathlon at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic games, she had stoma surgery to treat Crohn’s disease. Running seemed to exacerbate her Crohn’s, so in 2022, she decided to focus fully on cycling.
The year after her stoma surgery, she won double gold in the 2022 women’s C1 at the Para Road World Championships. In the 2023 Cycling World Championships, she won gold in the individual pursuit, scratch race and omnium, silver in the 500m time trial in the velodrome, and double gold in the road race.
About her stoma, Fran said on Instagram: “I was initially embarrassed about having a stoma, and worried that it meant the end of the things I love but actually it’s opened up my life again, it’s clean, easy to look after and rarely causes issues and I’m proud to say I’m no longer embarrassed about it.”
9. Blake Beckford
Blake Beckford is a fitness model and bodybuilder, as well as an IBD and ostomy advocate. In 2014, he was the first person in the UK to appear in the National Fitness Modelling Competitions with a stoma and went on to win. He modelled for Men’s Fitness and his story was shared across the world.
He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2003 but didn’t have surgery until 2013 after he experienced his worst flare-up ever. His colon was removed and he had an ileostomy. His surgery wasn’t straightforward and recovery took a long time, but eventually he was able to return to the gym and got in the best shape of his life.
Blake said in this article: “I am determined to show people and society that having a stoma doesn’t change who you are and it doesn’t mean you’re not normal. It is the opposite in fact. It means you can achieve anything you want to do, you can be attractive, and you can lead a normal life. My stoma saved my life and I have never looked back.”
Blake is also a multiple brain surgery survivor.
10. Hannah Witton
Hannah Witton is a British YouTuber. She was an online sex educator for over 10 years and published two books on the topic. Her original YouTube channel had over 700,000 subscribers and she posted videos about ‘Mona’ her stoma regularly, to break the stigma around stomas, sexuality and disability. She has a playlist with over 30 videos about her stoma that is still live and many of these videos have over 1 million views.
She shifted careers in 2023 and her new YouTube channel has over 90,000 subscribers. She now creates lifestyle content about parenting, books and productivity.
She has ulcerative colitis and had emergency surgery in 2018 to remove her colon, meaning she has an ileostomy.
She has recently revealed that she doesn’t talk much about her stoma anymore because she is so used to it – showing new ostomates that while having a stoma may feel daunting at first, it will soon become a normal part of your everyday life.
11. Matt Forde
Matt Forde is a comedian who had stoma surgery as a result of a bone cancer diagnosis in 2023. He underwent a 13-hour surgery to get rid of a tumour in his spine and now lives with a colostomy bag. He uses humour to make light of his stoma bag and often talked about it on his radio show.
He is now cancer-free and since his surgery has been on tour and performed in the Royal Variety Performance for the second time. He also hosts three podcasts, alongside Alice Levine and Jon Richardson. He voiced Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer on the Britbox revival of Spitting Image.
Other celebrities with a stoma bag
These bonus entries on the list are celebrities who have had temporary stomas; not all stoma bags are for life. Some stomas are formed to treat a disease or allow a damaged section of the bowel to heal, and then reversed so that it can go back to behaving ‘normally’. Learn more: Is a stoma permanent?
Merlin Griffiths
Merlin Griffiths is well known as the barman who appears regularly on the popular Channel 4 dating show First Dates. He chats to people at the bar before they go on their nerve-wracking blind date.
He underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his bowel in April 2022. In January 2023, he revealed on Twitter that his stoma had been reversed. He said, “Gosh, it’s very odd knowing all my insides are actually inside me again after 9 months of a stoma. Next step, farting. Then food.”
In another Tweet, he said “Stoma, you saved my life, and if I need you again I won’t grumble, but time to try for a new normal.”
He discussed this on season 23, episode 1 of First Dates which aired in February 2025, when speaking to a contestant on the show who had a stoma to treat ulcerative colitis.
Georgina Elliott
Georgina Elliott is an influencer who you may remember from her appearance on The Circle in 2019. Part of the reason she applied for the show was to raise awareness about Crohn’s disease. She discussed living with it and shared photos of herself wearing her temporary ileostomy bag openly on the show.
She is now a Crohn’s and Colitis UK ambassador, using her platform to spread awareness and help raise funds for the charity.
Did these famous people have a stoma?
Yes, Friends star Matthew Perry had a temporary colostomy bag in 2018 for nine months after his bowel perforated due to opioid abuse. This surgery saved his life.
It’s rumoured that the famous singer and actor Fred Astaire had an ostomy bag in the 1950s. However, there is no evidence to suggest this was the case.
Yes, in 1956, while serving as President of the United States (1953-1961), Dwight D. Eisenhower had colostomy surgery to bypass a bowel obstruction. He had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease earlier that year. Read more here.
It is believed by some that Napoleon Bonaparte had a stoma bag due to a gunshot wound. Some people think this is why he was often depicted as having his hand covering his abdomen. However, there are no official sources that confirm this, so it’s unclear whether this is accurate. It is true that he died of stomach cancer.
No, there is no evidence to suggest that the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton has a stoma bag or has undergone any type of bowel surgery, despite rumours caused by the abdominal surgery she had in January 2024 for an undisclosed condition. In March 2024, she confirmed she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.
There are also rumours about another member of the Royal family having a stoma bag – the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth. She did have an operation to remove a tumour caused by colon cancer in 1966, but did not have a colostomy. Read more here.
Stoma resources
If you are living with a stoma, or are due to have surgery to form one, it’s clear from these examples that it shouldn’t stop you from doing things you enjoy and achieving your best. If you are struggling, reach out to your stoma care nurse who will be able to help you.
Part of thriving with a stoma is being able to manage it with the correct products such as medical adhesive remover, barrier films and ostomy seals. You can order free samples today.
There are lots of communities out there to provide advice and support to ostomates, including:
- Colostomy UK
- Urostomy Association
- Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association
- Bladder and Bowel Community
Further reading
5 inspirational women with stomas and their advice – StoCare
Dan’s story: Living with an ileostomy to treat hereditary colon cancer – StoCare
Colostomy – NHS
Ileostomy – NHS
Urostomy – MacMillan Cancer Support
