Ross Kemp thanks NHS after horrific wasp sting leaves him with swollen lip

The actor said he had disturbed a wasp nest as he unveiled his injuries in a video on Twitter
Kimberley Bond4 August 2020

Ross Kemp has thanked the “fantastic” NHS for treating him after he suffered a horrendous wasp attack.

The 56-year-old, who is no stranger to exploring some of the world’s deadliest territories in this documentary series, faced danger on a more familiar turf when he approached a wasp nest while opening up a loft space – resulting in multiple angry stings.

Posting his injuries to Twitter, Kemp was in fairly good humour about the stings, joking he “looked like Mike Jagger” as his swollen lip protruded.

“That’s what happens when we get stung by three or four wasps in the nasal and lip area,” the former EastEnders star told his 208,000 followers. “Be careful of those critters!”

The star showed off his swollen face after wasp stings
@RossKemp

After receiving treatment at hospital, Kemp thanked the doctor and the NHS for treating the stings.

“I still look like a massive Botox victim,” he said in a later video, where his swollen features had calmed somewhat. “But that goes to show what happens when you mess with nature.

“I’m very lucky they only stung me around my nose, in my nose and my top lip – it could have been far worse.

“But thank you very much again, you lovely, lovely NHS.”

One of Kemp’s most recent documentaries has observed the hard work of the NHS during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

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In On the NHS Frontline, the star observed the intensive care unit of the Milton Keynes University Hospital to show first-hand how NHS staff are coping with the fight against Covid-19.

However, the documentary faced criticism before it even aired over fears that Kemp’s presence being intrusive and unnecessary – something Kemp himself has responded to.

“The criticism happened before it went out. It was like they didn’t even judge the book by the cover, they hadn’t even seen the cover and they judged,” he told the Radio Times.

“I think it’s a very important story to tell and the NHS wanted us to go in there, I didn’t suddenly rock up and go, I want to go into the ICU with a camera."