Ex-Neighbours star Madeleine West hospitalised with mystery illness: ‘It was scary’

Australian actress Madeleine West has revealed she has been hospitalised and forced to undergo a mystery operation, in a lengthy post on Instagram.

Former Neighbours star Madeleine West has revealed she was hospitalised on Friday and forced to undergo an operation.

The 41-year-old mother-of-six, who has recently opened up about her traumatic divorce from celebrity chef Shannon Bennett on her podcast Restart, posted a picture of herself on Instagram from her hospital bed with a lengthy caption about mental health.

“So I’ve had to pop into #hospital for a bit of an op. IM FINE!!! It was inconvenient, scary, but necessary, one of those ailments many women and some men will face, and with the right care will overcome,” West wrote, stopping short of sharing what the operation was for.

“A big part of that is taking better #care of ourselves. Which we are all pretty bad at doing. Particularly safeguarding our mental health.

“Waiting in #emergency I witnessed first hand the impact escalating mental health issues have on our flailing medical system, our economy, and average Aussies as I watched patient after patient plagued by psychological pressures and disorders seeking help from embattled triage nurses already under enormous strain from the #pandemic and a hospital system under-staffed and Ill-equipped to help them.”

'It was scary': Madeleine West was hospitalised on Friday.

Several of West’s acting peers rushed to comment on the post, with Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney writing: “Hope you’re ok beauty? Feel better love.”

Offspring actress Kat Stewart added: “Sending love. Recover soon xxx.”

West, who tagged Beyond Blue and Carers Foundation in her post, went on to thank hospital staff for taking care of her.

“To acknowledge how hard the last two years have been, how lucky we are to be emerging slowly on the other side, and remember to take care of each other, particularly our #health !!! It’s all we’ve got!”

It comes after West recently divulged on her “toxic” 2018 split from Bennett in a candid social media post, pointing to hew new podcast with Mamamia.

While West never mentioned Bennett by name in the post, she spoke of feeling like it might have been “easier to stay … especially when kids are involved.” The pair were together for 13 years, and have six children together.

Shannon Bennett and Madeleine West were together for 13 years. Picture: Instagram

“Separation hurts, it gets dirty, vicious, it can bring out the very worst in you as it brings you to your knees. It tears apart your world, damages the things you hold dearest and turns love toxic. You wouldn’t put your worst enemy through it, let alone the person you promised to love and honour for as long as you both shall live,” West began in the heartfelt post earlier this month.

West wrote that she “failed” and wished she “knew then what I know now,” speaking of the “crushing loneliness” that followed the split.

West at the 2001 Logie awards. Picture: Fiona Hamilton

“I wish I’d known how hard it would be to be rudderless, to challenge everything I thought I knew about myself and my world. I wish I’d known how hard it would be to re-establish my sense of self when for so long my whole identity revolved around being one half of a duo that was now a solo act,” she wrote.

West, who is best known for playing Dee Bliss on Neighbours from 2000 to 2003 and again from 2017 to 2020, is now happily dating Byron Bay environmentalist Maximo Bottaro, who she met while volunteering for his environmental organisation ReForest Now.

She recently purchased a home in the celebrity hotspot for $4.6 million.