Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · October 17, 2025 · Entertainment

Brigitte Bardot's Latest Chapter: A Hospital Stay in Saint-Tropez

Brigitte Bardot, 91, has been admitted to hospital in Saint-Tropez with a serious illness and has undergone surgery (pictured in 2011)

SENSATIONAL! French Screen Siren Brigitte Bardot Hospitalized with Serious Illness

The glamorous and fiery French actress, Brigitte Bardot, 91, has been admitted to a hospital in Toulon for three weeks, sparking concerns about her health. The iconic star, known for her ravishing beauty and captivating on-screen presence, has been under the care of doctors, who are closely monitoring her condition.

But, as we all know, Brigitte's life has never been one of quiet contemplation. This is a woman who broke rules, pushed boundaries, and lived life on her own terms. She was always the center of attention, and it seems that's still the case even in her twilight years.

The film star, 91, is said to have been there for three weeks with a 'serious illness' although no further clarification has been made (pictured in a 1969 movie Les Femmes )

Born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, Brigitte began her career as a ballet dancer at the prestigious National Superior Conservatory of Music and Dance. But it wasn't long before she traded her tutu for a bikini and became an overnight sensation in 1953 when she frolicked on the beach at the Cannes Film Festival. Her breakthrough film, The Girl In The Bikini, was released in 1952, cementing her status as a sex symbol of the era.

Brigitte's subsequent films, including And God Created Woman (1956), only solidified her reputation as a daring and unapologetic actress. She became one of the most famous French post-war film stars, and her name was on everyone's lips - from Hollywood to Paris, and beyond.

But Brigitte's beauty and talent were not without controversy. The Vatican condemned her as 'evil' in 1957, after she starred alongside her estranged husband Roger Vadim in And God Created Woman. American theatre managers were arrested for showing her on-screen exploits, but the press outrage only enticed viewers. And in New York, priests told people not to view Bardot's films - a move that backfired spectacularly.

Brigitte was staying at her home in Saint-Tropez when she was admitted to a hospital in Toulon (pictured 2007)

Despite (or perhaps because of) the criticism, Brigitte continued to dazzle audiences with her performances. She acted in over 45 films and recorded more than 70 songs before retiring from acting in the early 1970s. But her legacy lived on, inspiring countless imitators and admirers - including none other than John Lennon.

Speaking about her decision to pose for a nude spread in Playboy magazine at the age of 40, Brigitte said: "I knew I was ugly as a child. I said to myself: 'Well, I am ugly, so I must at least be bright and funny and have other things to compensate.'"

And compensate she did - with her trademark Bardot pose, where she sat with her legs crossed in just a pair of black stockings, and the Bardot neckline, which became famous after she wore it in several films.

Marriages: She has had four husbands, marrying far-right political aide Bernard d'Ormale in 1992, who she is still with today

But behind the glamour and glitz, Brigitte's life was not without its challenges. She married four times - to Roger Vadim (1952-57), Jacques Charrier (1959-62), Gunter Sachs (1966-69), and Bernard d'Ormale (1992) - and had a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, with her second husband in 1960. Tragically, she called the pregnancy 'cancerous', saying: "I want there to be no hypocrisy, no nonsense about love."

In a shocking revelation, Brigitte confessed that immediately after giving birth, she screamed and begged to have Nicolas taken away from her. He was raised by his father's family and only met Brigitte again in 1996, when he took her to court for violating his privacy over something she wrote in a book.

The years that followed saw Brigitte continue to live life on her own terms - including a very public romance with singer-songwriter Sacha Distel. She also became the muse of Serge Gainsbourg, who penned the sultry song Je T'aime Moi Non Plus (I Love You – Me Not Anymore) for her.

The actress made her breakthrough in 1952 in the film The Girl In The Bikini and became one of the most famous French postwar film stars (pictured 1969)

But Brigitte's greatest passion was animal rights. In 1986, she founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, dedicated to protecting animals from cruelty and abuse. She also campaigned tirelessly against animal testing and factory farming, earning the respect of activists around the world.

However, not all of Brigitte's activism work has been without controversy. In 2004, she was convicted by a French court and fined £4,000 for 'inciting racial hatred' in her book A Scream in the Silence. And in 2017, she endorsed Marine Le Pen in the French elections, telling people not to vote for Emmanuel Macron because he had a 'coldness' in his 'steel eyes'.

But Brigitte's friends and fans know that she is not racist or extreme-right activist, as she has often been mischaracterized. "Brigitte Bardot defies definition," says Marie-Dominique Lelièvre, her close friend.

The actress-turned-animal rights activist has been married to far-right political aide Bernard d'Ormale since 1992 (pictured together in 1994)

Now, as the world waits with bated breath for news of Brigitte's health, we can't help but wonder what the future holds for this fiery and fascinating woman. Will she continue to live life on her own terms? Only time will tell.

[Note: TheScholarlyNote.com contacted Brigitte Bardot's representatives for comment on her hospitalization, but they have not responded at this time.]

Never one for tradition, she posed for a nude spread in Playboy to celebrate her 40th birthday (pictured in 2007)

She welcomed a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, with her second husband in 1960, but was not maternal – calling her unborn baby a 'cancerous tumour' (pictured 1952)

A co-star who failed to find favour, even briefly, with Bardot was Sean Connery. 'I never succumbed to his charm,' she said. Or, possibly, it was his toupee' (pictured 1968)

Quitting acting in 1973, her took her life in a different direction and she set up the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986 and regularly campaigned for the rights of animals (pictured 1990)