Reality star Theo Campbell issues New Year’s Eve safety warning after champagne cork accident left him blind in one eye
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‘The Challenge’ and ‘Love Island UK’ alum Theo Campbell, who lost vision in his right eye after a champagne cork struck him six years ago, is urging partygoers to pop bottles safely to prevent similar life-altering injuries.
As people around the world prepare to pop bottles of champagne to ring in the New Year, reality star Theo Campbell is reminding partygoers about the dangers of flying corks. In 2019, the ‘Love Island UK’ and ‘The Challenge’ alum was struck in the eye by a cork during a celebration at a beach club in Ibiza, an accident that ultimately left him blind in his right eye.
At the time, Campbell said he was standing among friends when multiple bottles were popped at once. One cork hit him directly in the eye, causing immediate and severe damage that required emergency surgery. Despite doctors’ efforts, he permanently lost vision in that eye.
Campbell tells People that the vision in his injured eye is distorted now.
“The best way to describe it is like you’re looking through a stained glass window or looking through a glass of water,” he explains. “So I can kind of see what’s around me, I can tell the shapes of things and the colors, but everything’s just a super blurry version.”
Campbell also revealed that he initially thought his vision loss was “the worst thing in the world.” He gained a different perspective after numerous doctors shared with him how similar accidents left patients either completely blind or needing their eyes removed.
“It could have been worse, you know? I’ve got my other eye, so I try to be grateful for that part. As long as that one doesn’t get damaged, I still got a lot to be thankful for.”
Despite his partial loss of vision, Campbell says he’s grateful for what remains. He’s continued working, traveling, and raising his two sons, while learning to navigate life with depth-perception challenges and visual limitations. More than anything, he hopes sharing his story helps someone else avoid the same outcome.
“If you ever pop a bottle of champagne, do it up in the air. Better to get a little hole in the ceiling than a hole in someone’s eye socket. Always be careful,” he stresses. “And if you’re not the one popping it and you are in the room while someone else is popping it, just watch where they’re aiming that bottle or let them know to pop it upwards.”
“Just being a bit more careful and aware,” Campbell adds. “Hopefully it saves a couple other people losing their eye.”