Mum who blagged free nose job by faking mental illness now relying on NHS to survive

In 2019, Carla Bellucci became known around Britain as she admitted she ‘bent the truth’ to get a free nose job.

The 44-year-old appeared on This Morning where she said she ‘faked depression’ in order to have the procedure on the NHS.

But now the former glamour model has revealed she is relying on the health service to ‘keep her alive’ following a diagnosis with an incurable lung condition.

Carla was recently told she has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.

The disease includes damage to the air sacs in the lungs (emphysema) and long-term inflammation of the airways (chronic bronchitis). The problems tend to get worse over time and can limit someone’s normal activities, but treatment can help to keep it under control.

Carla made headlines with her admission. (ITV)

COPD is mostly caused by smoking, but Carla doesn’t use cigarettes. She has however suffered with severe asthma as well as chest infections and pneumonia over the past two years.

She told The Mirror her diagnosis has been ‘a shock’ as she added: “I am gutted but also relieved to know because I’ve been so sick on and off for two years — it’s a relief that it can now start to be controlled.”

And having once gone viral for lying to the NHS to get a free surgery worth £7,000, she said she is now relying on it to ‘keep me alive with medication’.

She said at the time: “I did bend the truth to get a nose job on the NHS ... Would I do it again? I took it, and I think a lot of other people would.”

Carla will now have to use steroid inhalers for the rest of her life and has been given emergency medications to prevent a severe attack coming on. The mum-of-four has to see lung specialists to learn to manage the incurable condition.

She joked about ‘how things can turn’ following the previous scandal but slammed anyone who says it’s ‘karma’ as ‘sickos’ for thinking like that.

Carla was recently diagnosed with COPD. (Instagram/officialcarlabellucci)

Carla is no longer going ‘to worry about anything that’s not necessary’ and plans to travel the world ‘more than before’.

“You get one life and I’m going to soak up every minute,” she added. “It makes you realise not to take life for granted because anything can happen.”

The mum feels ‘lucky to be alive’ and wants to now use her platform to educate people on COPD and tells those who smokes or vape to quit.

“It’s not worth it. I’m a little jarred off because I don’t smoke and still have this condition but it is what it is,” Carla added. “It will take more than COPD to take down the Bellucci.”