Laura Hamilton, 42, looks positively glowing while presenting A Place in the Sun, dressing for warmer climes in beautiful maxi dresses that conceal her health woes.
On Sunday, the TV star revealed she was suffering from a "flair-up" of an autoimmune disease known as Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which she said was triggered by stress.
© InstagramThis could be why her "crazy week" at work has seen her break out in bruises that cover her legs – a classic symptom of ITP. Sharing a photo of her painful-looking bruised legs on her Instagram Stories, she wrote: ''This is ITP! Just a little flair-up this week. But you won't see it under my dress for filming! #itp #autoimmunue #itpawareness."
Following her photo, Laura filmed a video of herself in an off-the-shoulder blue patterned maxi dress on the beach to thank fans for their support. "Well hello and good morning. I just want to say thank you so much to everybody who has reached out to me following my recent story with my legs that are bruised.
© Instagram"So that's ITP, Immune thrombocytopenia, a reaction from a low platelet count that I have in my blood.
"It's been a very, very crazy week for me which I'll tell you more about very soon, but I've been really really busy and I think it's just taken its toll."
She added that she's currently filming in Crete in 37 degrees heat, telling fans: "Hopefully a bit of warmth is going to make me feel better."
Laura's diagnosis
© Stuart C. WilsonITP causes a low platelet count, a type of blood cell needed to form a blood clot after an injury to prevent bleeding and bruising. This can cause bleeding symptoms, including bruising, nosebleeds, gum bleeds, blood in your urine, fatigue and heavy periods.
Laura was diagnosed less than a year after she gave birth to her daughter Tahlia in 2015. She said it was a "coincidence" but added that people wrongly accused her weight loss for her health woes.
In an interview with The Sun, she said: "It could have just been coincidental that 10 months after Tahlia was born, I ended up getting an autoimmune disease.
© Instagram"But there were people going, 'Oh it's because you lost loads of weight'. And I gradually sort of thought, 'Right, this isn't good, I need to be a good role model and I put some weight back on.'"
Laura has been trying to raise awareness of the rare disease for several years. While she tries to keep a positive "glass half-full" attitude, she often candidly admits when stress exacerbates her symptoms, including during her house build and a work trip with A Place in the Sun in 2023.
During the latter, she showed off her bruises as she posed poolside in a bikini. See more of Laura's gorgeous holiday wardrobe in the video...
Laura wrote in the Instagram caption: "What a great few days filming something new in the sun. My legs are covered in bruises, but with ITP, that is often the case, and I'll never let it stop me from doing the things I love!"
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