Pamela Anderson Reveals Doctors Gave Her 10 Years to Live

Subscribe to Newsletter

Pamela Anderson Reveals Doctors Gave Her 10 Years to Live

08.09.2026 8 September 2026
1988
1 min.
6 connections

Ten Years Left

Pamela Anderson has revealed that doctors once told her she may have only 10 years to live after she was diagnosed with hepatitis C.

The former Baywatch star, 59, contracted the virus in the late 1990s, when no cure was available. Speaking at the 2026 amfAR Gala Venezia, Anderson said the diagnosis felt like a death sentence and admitted it may have influenced decisions she made afterwards.

She also feared for her sons, Brandon Thomas, 30, and Dylan Jagger, 28, whom she shares with ex-husband Tommy Lee.

According to Variety, Anderson told the audience: "It turned my life inside out."

She said treatment eventually took almost everything she had in the bank, while the shame and guilt surrounding the illness continued to affect her for years.

Anderson first publicly revealed her hepatitis C diagnosis in 2002. New medications capable of curing the virus were approved in 2011, and she announced in 2015 that she was free of the disease.

Her health battle unfolded during a period when she was one of the most recognizable stars in entertainment. Anderson became internationally famous through Baywatch alongside David Hasselhoff and was also closely associated with Playboy and its founder Hugh Hefner.

Last month, Anderson also reflected on her time at the Playboy Mansion. During an earlier appearance on The Howard Stern Show, she explained that she always maintained firm boundaries and refused to stay overnight at the mansion, choosing a hotel instead.

Her latest comments offer another look at the private struggles behind a public career shaped by Baywatch, Playboy and intense celebrity attention.

ANDERSON Pamela

Canadian-American actress
#43
LEE Thomas

American musician
#791
HASSELHOFF David

American actor
#794
HEFNER Hugh

Founder of Playboy magazine
#797
Variety

#41
Playboy Enterprises

#51

Tags:

Section: healthcare

<!-- advertisement 10-->
<div class="mobileShow">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : 'fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 250,
		'width' : 300,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435/invoke.js"></script>
</div>
<div class="mobileHide">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : '8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 90,
		'width' : 728,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20/invoke.js"></script>
</div>

12 August 2026

healthcare

The Office Star Lucy Davis Reveals Stage Four Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Lucy Davis Opens Up Lucy Davis has revealed she is living with incurable stage four breast cancer, s...

26 July 2026

culture

Emma Thompson’s Daughter Gaia Wise: Her Acting Career Explained

Gaia Wise steps into spotlight Emma Thompson is not the only performer in her family. Her daughter, ...

22 July 2026

culture

Chantelle Houghton Reveals She Was ‘Slowly Killing Herself’ During Eating Disorder Battle

Inside Chantelle’s Eating Battle Chantelle Houghton has revealed that severe disordered eating...

6 July 2026

healthcare

Davina McCall Feared Menopause Symptoms Would End TV Career

Davina’s Career Fear Davina McCall has admitted that the effects of menopause became so severe...

<!-- advertisement 11-->
<div class="mobileShow">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : 'fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 250,
		'width' : 300,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435/invoke.js"></script>
</div>
<div class="mobileHide">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : '8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 90,
		'width' : 728,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20/invoke.js"></script>
</div>

15 October 2026

culture

Stephanie Mills Demands Apology From Lady Gaga Over Fashion Shoot Snub

A Surprise Performance Turned Sour Stephanie Mills has accused Lady Gaga of treating her disrespectf...

14 October 2026

culture

Sense and Sensibility Trades Regency Perfection for Emotional Truth

Sisters Before Romance A new Sense and Sensibility treats Jane Austen’s world less like a poli...

13 October 2026

culture

Wildwood Turns Sixteen Years of Stop-Motion Into Laika’s Boldest Bet

Built One Frame at a Time Wildwood arrived in London as more than another animated premiere. For Lai...

11 October 2026

culture

Geordie Greep Loses US Shows After Denying Misconduct Allegation

Tour Turns Into a Crisis Geordie Greep's North American tour has begun to unravel after a public mis...

8 October 2026

culture

Nana Patekar Leaves Indian Cinema Without Its Fiercest Original

A Voice India Could Not Ignore Indian cinema has lost one of its most recognisable performers. Nana ...

7 October 2026

culture

FKA twigs Wins the Right to Tell Her Own Story

Silence Clause Loses Its Force The newest turn in the conflict between FKA twigs and Shia LaBeouf is...

<!-- advertisement 12-->
<div class="mobileShow">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : 'fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 250,
		'width' : 300,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/fb295e992fc854c036d42ed81b5ef435/invoke.js"></script>
</div>
<div class="mobileHide">
<script type="text/javascript">
	atOptions = {
		'key' : '8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20',
		'format' : 'iframe',
		'height' : 90,
		'width' : 728,
		'params' : {}
	};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="//www.highperformanceformat.com/8875b602880c921b683acb0fb6f04f20/invoke.js"></script>
</div>