Sam Vanderpump Champions Life Changing Organ Donation After Liver Disease Diagnosis

We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson

FlightStory

Relationships, Society & Culture, Leisure

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 November 2025

⏱️ 100 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump opens up about life behind reality TV, the advice his aunt Lisa Vanderpump gave him, and the rare liver disease that now means he faces a life-saving transplant. For the first time, Sam reflects on growing up as part of the Vanderpump family, the pressure of living up to his father’s expectations, and the moment he nearly lost his life to sepsis. He also shares how reality TV unexpectedly helped him process trauma, why he’s determined to use his platform to raise awareness for organ donation, and how love and fatherhood have given him new purpose. Sam shares: ◽ The truth behind the Vanderpump family legacy ◽ What his father’s death taught him about love, pride, and approval ◽ How Lisa Vanderpump became a father figure in his life ◽ The terrifying day he went into organ failure ◽ How Made in Chelsea helped him confront his emotions for the first time ◽ The moment media headlines about his illness broke him ◽ Why he’s now fighting to raise awareness for organ donation and liver disease ◽ The message from his fiancée that left him in tears Sam Vanderpump. We Need To Talk. Register your decision to donate here: ⁠⁠https://g2ul0.app.link/gtfy87FcnYb⁠⁠ (00:00) Intro (01:56) Sam Addresses Public Perception of the Vanderpumps (04:45) What Sam Learned About Love From His Mum and Dad (07:31) Sam's Complicated Relationship With His Father (12:20) Coping With the Death of Sam's Father (14:48) How Reality TV Helped Sam's Mental Health (16:40) Why Sam Joined Made In Chelsea (24:55) Paul Shows Sam a Childhood Photo (29:45) How Authentic Is Made In Chelsea? (34:44) Has Made In Chelsea Been Good for Sam's Relationships? (37:54) Paul Shows a Message From Sam’s Fiancée Alice (41:08) Aura Frames Ad (42:18) What Type of Father Sam Wants to Be (45:11) Sam Explains His Current Health Condition (54:37) Key Statistics About Sepsis (57:04) Why Sam Needs a Liver Transplant (01:01:13) Sam Addresses the Media Storm Around His Health (01:04:36) How the Media Storm Affected Sam’s Family and Friends (01:06:39) How Organ Donation Works and Why Sam Advocates for It (01:14:54) Sam Reads a Letter From His Grandmother (01:17:42) Yes I Donate Message (01:18:58) Liver Transplant Survival Rates Explained (01:23:24) Sam’s Mum Shares Her Perspective (01:29:42) A Letter From Sam’s Mother (01:32:24) Most Memorable Conversation (01:38:10) Paul’s Takeaways Sponsored by: Aura Frames - https://auraframes.co.uk 'PAUL' for £45 off Register your decision to donate here: ⁠https://g2ul0.app.link/gtfy87FcnYb⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The doctor came back and he went, Sam, you're going into organ failure.
0:03.0	The next step from that is basically you're dead.
0:05.0	Wow.
0:06.0	A lot of people assume the Vanderpump name is attached to old money.
0:09.0	Yes.
0:10.0	Far from that.
0:11.0	We are just a family of entrepreneurs.
0:13.0	And that's why it was so sad in the way my dad passed away.
0:17.0	I never got to achieve my goal or making him proud.
0:19.0	It wasn't until I started doing reality TV
0:21.6	that I realized how to process those emotions.
0:24.3	Everything was perfect and then, bam, smash your hip by a freight train.
0:29.5	The sepsis came from my liver disease.
0:32.2	Wow.
0:32.7	I always get sad when I think my dad's never going to see his grandchild.
0:36.8	To now start having that thing dawn on you,
0:39.3	am I going to see my child?
0:40.3	That's terrifying.
0:42.3	What are you thinking in that moment?
0:45.3	Am I going to die?
0:46.3	Every newspaper comes out with the headline four or five years left to live.
0:57.5	That's not true.
	...

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