Brigitte Bardot, 91, Rushed to the Hospital in France 'With Serious Illness' and Undergoes Surgery
Brigitte Bardot, 91, has been hospitalized and undergone surgery for mysterious 'serious illness.'
Oct. 17 2025, Published 10:45 a.m. ET
Reclusive legendary actress Brigitte Bardot has undergone surgery after being rushed to a hospital in France with a "serious illness," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Bardot, 91, is said to be in a "worrying state" after she was taken to the private Saint-Jean hospital in Toulon while staying at her home in Saint-Tropez.
Bardot's Health Challenges
Bardot has reportedly been sick with a 'serious illness' for several weeks.
A local outlet reported Bardot "is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days but her condition remains worrying."
The French actress is currently in recovery from an unspecified surgery and will continue to be monitored by doctors.
While Bardot has reportedly been in the hospital for around three weeks, it's unclear what "serious illness" she was suffering.
Bardot's hospitalization comes two years after she required medics to be sent to her home in July 2023 due to respiratory issues amid a heatwave.
Bardot underwent surgery and is being monitored by doctors at the hospital.
At the time, the Rum Runners star's fourth husband, Bernard d'Ormale, whom she married in 1992, told a French outlet: "It was around 9am when Brigitte had trouble breathing.
"(Her breathing) was stronger than usual but she did not lose consciousness. Let's call it a moment of respiratory distraction."
Medics administered oxygen to Bardot and then "stayed to watch her" before eventually leaving.
d'Ormale added: "Like all people of a certain age, she can no longer bear the heat. It happens at 88 years old. She must not make useless efforts."
Bardot suffered respiratory issues in 2023 and has been diagnosed with arthritis.
Bardot has suffered a string of physical and mental health issues over her lifetime.
She overdosed on a suspected combination of red wine and sleeping pills a day before her 49th birthday in 1983. The actress wandered out to the beach where she was later discovered before being rushed to the hospital, where her stomach was pumped.
A year later in 1984, Bardot was diagnosed with breast cancer. After refusing chemotherapy treatment, she opted to undergo radiation and went into remission in 1986.
The actress also suffers from arthritis and has been seen using bracing sticks.
Silver Screen Accomplishments
The legendary actress received the Legion of Honour, the highest merit award in France.
Bardot emerged as a sex symbol in the 50s and 60s and left her mark on Hollywood in classic films including And God Created Woman (1956), Helen of Troy (1956), The Truth (1960) and Viva María! (1965).
Her role in And God Created Woman earned her the nickname "sex kitten," and soon she became known for portraying self-indulgent characters who often pushed back on social norms of the times.
After being an icon of the sexual revolution for years, Bardot announced she was retiring from acting in 1973 as "a way to get out elegantly."
She starred in nearly 50 films and was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1985, which is the highest and most prestigious merit award in France for both civilians and the military.
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Bardot's Animal Rights Legacy
Following her acting career, Bardot became a fierce animal rights advocate and rallied against the consumption of horse meat.
In 2013 she threatened to leave her native France unless the country stopped the euthanasia of two sick elephants at a zoo in Lyon. Because of her tireless fight the elephants were spared, which then 78-year-old Bardot called "a great relief."
She became a vegetarian and established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals in 1986.
