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My First And Only Interview About The 'Trout Pout'

The OK! World exclusive interview. Leslie Ash and Lee Chapman. The beautiful 'Merseybeat' star and her husband hit back over the cruel cosmetic surgery jibes.

Her career has never looked better and her personal life is as happy as it's ever been, but Leslie Ash has probably endured one of the toughest and most publicly difficult times of her life in recent weeks.

The beautiful actress has seen herself cruelly taunted and labelled a 'trout' and 'fish lips' by the unrelenting national media, because of cosmetic lip implant surgery that has gone tragically wrong.

The 43-year-old Merseybeat actress underwent the botched treatment last summer. But as her star has never shone brighter professionally, the cruel comments and hurtful jokes about her appearance have taken hold. Devastated by the stinging attack and media back-stabbing, Leslie has decided to finally break her stoic silence on the matter and return fire.

Speaking exclusively to OK! From her luxury penthouse on the banks of the River Thames in Wandsworth, London, Leslie reveals what actually went wrong with the treatment and sets the record straight on all the 'rubbish' and lies that have been written about her.

She also tears into all those critics who have been so vocal in ridiculing her for simply wanting to look better and credits her husband, former Leeds footballer Lee Chapman, 43, and the love and support of her two sons, Joe, 14, and Max, ten, with getting her through it. This is her answer to all her tormentors...

What's your reaction to all the unfavourable media coverage?

Leslie: I'm absolutely disgusted. What's been driving me mad is that the press have been jumping to all sorts of conclusions and they really don't know what they're talking about. It's been very damaging and hurtful. Lee: I really would like to see the people who have written these cruel things about her say them directly to her face rather than hide behind pens. I'm sure then they wouldn't be so spiteful. I know we all have good and bad periods in our careers, but this seems to be a very personal attack.

Why did you decide to have this type of lip treatment?

I've got to an age when a lot of my friends are having it done. There we are, just sitting around a table or at the gym talking about different treatments and I thought this is the one I'd like to have done.

What exactly did you have done?

A friend of a friend knew this surgeon who was coming over from abroad and, basically, she injects a silicon derivative, which is a polymer, into the lips which pumps them up. This is the treatment I had last summer, but I'd also had it two years previously. Then no one had noticed or said anything, but this time obviously something went wrong.

Lee, did Leslie discuss the treatment with you before she had it?

No, she does what she wants! She told me she was going to have a head transplant, so when she only had her lips done I was quite relieved! Seriously though, most people in her profession have work like this done, so I wasn't surprised.

How has it affected your relationship?

Lee: she is exactly the same person to me, so it hasn't changed anything between us. I think after 17 years together, we're stuck with each other now, whatever happens! We've had our fair share of ups and downs but I do think the longer you're together, the closer you become.

Are you proud of how Leslie has coped with it all?

She has been extremely brave to admit she has had the treatment and that it did go wrong. But she's now had corrective work and they look fine now.

So do you think lots of celebrities have this kind of treatment?

Leslie: You wouldn't believe how many celebrities have it done. Although I can't name names, there are lots of fortysomething actresses and television presenters who've had the same treatment. It is a total fashion accessory and has become part of their make-up.
Lee: It's like a must-have hair style or item of clothing, it's just very fashionable.

How does the treatment work?

Leslie: Basically your body breaks down the substance injected over a longer period than, say, collagen. I wasn't worried about having it again. It was exactly the same treatment as I'd had before, with the same surgeon.

What went wrong?

I think they injected me with a bit more than I needed, and they also injected it into my Cupid's bow, which I've been told since you shouldn't do.

Did you know something had gone wrong?

No, not initially, as you do get a certain amount of swelling after the injection.

If it happened last summer, why is it only in the papers now?

Leslie: It's because, although Merseybeat was filmed in the autumn, viewers are only seeing it on their screens now. I started filming Merseybeat straight after I'd had it done, so though they might seem quite different in the first few shows, by the fourth you can't really see much difference.

In this whole episode, what has hurt you the most?

Leslie: I am absolutely disgusted with the picture that is out at the moment - where they seem to have either digitally enhanced my lips or actually put someone else's lips on my face. I really don't think they're mine because I don't ever wear a colour on my lips and it's clearly a dark lipstick.
Lee: I think the worst thing is that some of the pictures have obviously been airbrushed to make her lips look bigger or they have been replaced with someone else's. I think some papers are just out to hurt her. It seems to be part of the British psyche that if you're successful, people just like to knock you down a couple of pegs. I'm sure next week they'll be picking on someone else, but at the moment it's Leslie's turn.

Have you just had to sit back and take it?

Leslie: There's nothing else I can rally do, I can't sue everyone. I've had hate mail - 'what the hell have you done to yourself?' - and that is really hurtful. It is hard to take all the untruths and rubbish that've been written about what was or wasn't supposed to have happened. It's even filtered through to television. Graham Norton was trying to be funny about it but in fact it just turned out to be downright rude. And (she laughs), after all this, I do have a list of people that I won't be talking to again - it's about as long as my arm!

So how are you really coping?

I've just had to let it pass me by. Each time I open the papers I realise it has become a battle between journalists to see who can be nastier about me. And what has surprised me most is that the majority of it is written by women. I am just appalled that they can get away with it. And it is really scary to know how much power these people have - they could have ruined my career.

Did it ever make you not want to go out?

No, I wouldn't ever do that, and Lee has also been incredibly supportive. We did go out and I did hide my face from photographers, but I just thought, why should they get another picture of me?

So, has it put you off having more cosmetic surgery?

I obviously won't be going v=back to that doctor again! However, I don't think there is anything wrong with having this kind of treatment. But if I can just teach people one thing from my mistake, it would be to urge women who want to undergo any kind of treatment to go to a reputable doctor. There are so many cowboys out there. And also to find out exactly what substances are being injected into you.

Has Lee been a rock?

Yes, he's been amazing and very supportive. I have shed a few tears and he knows that I dread every weekend looking at the papers and thinking, oh what are they going to say about me this time?

Did the treatment cause any paralysis?

No, my lips felt the same but the area between my lips and nose became very hard.

Have you had any treatment to reverse the problem?

For a couple of weeks I've been having some corrective treatment with a new doctor. This has really helped to reduce both the swelling and the hardness.

Has it affected your sons in anyway?

My boys hate the press when they're being nasty to their mum or dad. They're totally used to them. They've had them outside the house, knocking on the door. They have learned to live with it.

Lee, you also had your fair share of media intrusion recently, focusing on financial difficulties at your London restaurant and bar, Teatro. How did you cope with that?

Luckily, all the problems have now been sorted out. It did seem for a while that everyone had it in for Leslie and me. I just think it goes in circles. You have good and bad press - both now and when I played football - and at the moment we're the ones to suffer. Over the years I've become fairly conditioned to this so it doesn't affect me that much now.

Teatro is famous for its celebrity clientele. What do you think they like about it?

I think the famous faces like to come and chill out and relax in the private members' bar without getting any hassle.

Not only have you opened a new bar, SO.UK, but you have also moved house...

Lee: yes, it's been a busy time for us. I opened SO.UK - an Oriental-styled bar in Clapham - and it's been very successful. The music is very DJ-driven and we've also released two SO:UK CDs which have been selling really well. Regarding the house move, we just felt after eight years it was time to move on.
Leslie: It was a large family home, which we had just outgrown. Now both the boys are at boarding school, we just didn't need such a big house. I liked the idea of moving into a penthouse as it felt more secure. In the future, we'd like to buy a house abroad so that we can just up sticks with the boys and spend holidays there with them.

With Merseybeat, you have to spend a lot of time away from London...

Leslie: yes, but it's not been too bad. I go up to Liverpool every Sunday, film all week and come back to London each weekend.

The ratings have soared since you joined Merseybeat. You must be very pleased...

I only joined halfway through the last series. And when Haydn Gwynne (who played Susan) left, I think the producers wanted to see whether or not the ratings were going to take a dive or whether they'd improve. So I felt I did have quite a responsibility, and I felt pressured to make an impact. I'm delighted it is doing so well - the ratings are well over 6 million.

Are you happy to sign for another series?

Absolutely delighted. I love working on Merseybeat and I love the character.

It must be fun to play a feisty, independent woman like Charlie Eden?

Definitely. She's a very career-driven woman, who's feisty and certainly not a pushover. She can be difficult but, at the same time, she can also be vulnerable.

Do you think she will fall in love with another police officer?

I hope not. I think to maintain her reputation as an inspector and gain respect from her colleagues, there has to be some distance between them.

Did you have to do any special preparation for your police role?

I didn't have any time as I was literally thrown in at the deep end. From the moment I started filming I never stopped - once I shot 11 scenes in one day! I have, however, played a police officer before, in CATS Eyes.

Some Hollywood actresses have said that good acting roles seem to diminish as they hit 40. Do you feel that is the same in Britain?

I hope not otherwise I'm done for! It certainly hasn't affected me yet. I've been very, very lucky, actually, because I never ever think of myself as 43. I always think of myself as the same age as all the people I work alongside! I really enjoyed playing nurse Karen Buckley for three years in Where The Heart Is. I got on very well with Lesley Dunlop (who played Anna) and she's a dear friend to me. I miss her and the programme terribly, but I just knew I had to move on. And then suddenly Merseybeat just fell into my lap and I really liked the character I knew I had to do it.

Do most people still identify you with Deborah in Men Behaving Badly?

Yes, but that is always likely to happen if you appear in something so successful. It doesn't matter who you are - just look at David Jason, everyone identifies him with Del Boy.

Do you still keep in touch with your co-stars, Neil Morrissey, Caroline Quentin and Martin Clunes?

We don't really see each other now because I think we have all grown up a bit and moved on. Also, Caroline and Martin have moved outside London now and they've got babies, so it's more difficult. I do, obviously, see Neil as we're still doing the Homebase commercials.

What have you got coming up in the future?

Well, I haven't really stopped since last August, but before I start filming the new series of Merseybeat in April I'm going to film another BBC drama and a new Homebase campaign.

Is there anything you'd really like to do?

I've been really lucky as I have been able to try my hand at nearly everything. I've done presenting, theatre, a West End musical and even released a single with Caroline after the success of Men Behaving Badly! I don't have any aspirations to go to Hollywood. I like working here and I'm very happy to continue working on television. I would love to do another comedy series, though.

Interview by Annabel Mackie