Ashley James has turned an unexpectedly awkward moment during a glamorous Paris getaway into a powerful message about postpartum health, after posing in adult incontinence pants and telling women they deserve 'support, not shame'.
The 39-year-old broadcaster shared the candid photograph after losing the wash bag containing her usual incontinence pads while travelling on the Eurostar. With replacement supplies proving difficult to find, her partner Tommy Andrews went out in Paris to help—but returned with Tena Pants instead.
Rather than hiding the reality behind the polished photographs of a celebrity trip, Ashley chose to share it with her followers. The former Made in Chelsea star said she had been living with birth complications, including incontinence, since the birth of her son Alfie in 2021.
Ashley's Candid Paris Photo
Ashley was in Paris with Tommy for a birthday trip, which included seeing Céline Dion perform. But the weekend took an unexpectedly personal turn when she realised she had left her wash bag on the Eurostar.
The bag contained the pads she relies on to manage her condition, leaving her without the supplies she had planned to use. Ashley sent Tommy out to find replacements, but he eventually returned with Tena Pants.
Ashley described pulling them on as a 'very humbling' experience, particularly against the glamorous backdrop of Paris.
'I'm so grateful to have a partner who has never made me feel embarrassed about any of it, but also, that should be the bar,' she wrote.
The moment gave her an opportunity to highlight something rarely visible in the carefully curated images associated with celebrity travel.
Ashley's photograph was not simply about an embarrassing travel mishap. It showed the reality of managing a condition that can affect everyday plans, even during what should have been a carefree weekend away.
'Support, Not Shame'
Ashley has been open about the fact that her incontinence began after the birth of Alfie in 2021.
She has described experiencing birth complications and has said she believes a missed third-degree tear and subsequent treatment contributed to her ongoing problems. Those details are based on Ashley's account of her experience.
In her Paris post, she challenged the idea that women should feel responsible or ashamed when they experience lasting physical consequences following childbirth.
'I have these birth injuries because I gave birth to our children, and so many of us live with birth injuries, with nowhere near enough postpartum care, while somehow being made to feel like the consequences are embarrassing or a failure on our part,' she wrote.
'They're not. Our bodies go through huge, sometimes permanent sacrifices to bring children into the world, and we deserve support, not shame.'
The response from women who followed her was immediate. Ashley said her direct messages were full of women saying 'me too', with some describing incontinence as something they had previously treated like a 'dirty secret'.
Tommy Andrews' Support
Tommy's role in the Paris mishap also became an important part of Ashley's story.
After learning that Ashley had lost her usual supplies, he went out to find replacements despite difficulties in the city. He eventually returned with the incontinence pants that Ashley ended up wearing for the photograph.
For Ashley, his reaction mattered because it showed the importance of having a partner who does not make someone feel embarrassed about a health condition.
She praised Tommy for never making her feel ashamed, but added that this kind of support 'should be the bar'.
The detail adds a more personal dimension to the photograph, transforming what could have been an uncomfortable celebrity anecdote into a story about practical support and compassion.
Ashley Reveals She Will Have Surgery
The Paris post has since been followed by another major update in Ashley's treatment journey.
Appearing on ITV's This Morning on 30 September, she revealed that she will need surgery after living with urinary and faecal incontinence for nearly six years. She said she has an appointment to discuss the operation and admitted that the prospect brings back difficult memories surrounding her son's birth.
'For anyone that experiences incontinence, it's not something you have to put up with. And I will have to have surgery, but it's just the trauma of it,' Ashley said.
She also explained that the condition can affect how she plans her days and evenings, even when people around her have no idea what she is dealing with.
Challenging the Glamorous Celebrity Image
Ashley's decision to share the photograph is particularly striking because it sits in such contrast with the usual image of a celebrity trip to Paris.
She acknowledged that her public life can look glamorous, with hair and make-up, major events and travel, but said incontinence exists 'below the surface' and does not discriminate.
That contrast gives the photograph its wider significance. Ashley did not attempt to present a perfectly polished version of her Paris weekend. Instead, she showed one of the practical realities she was managing away from the cameras.
Her message is ultimately about removing the embarrassment surrounding postpartum complications and encouraging women to seek support rather than suffer in silence.
And after turning an adult pull-up into the unlikely centrepiece of a Paris photograph, Ashley James has made her position clear: women living with birth-related health problems deserve understanding, proper care and, above all, 'support, not shame'.
