The former Playboy model and television star has opened up about repeated surgeries, agonizing infections and fears surrounding suspected mold exposure, revealing how her medical struggles have transformed her everyday life.
Jenny McCarthy has revealed she is sleeping in a tent outside her home after a series of frightening health problems left her terrified of possible mould exposure inside the property.
The former Playboy Playmate and television personality, 53, described her unusual living arrangements on The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show, explaining how a medical ordeal beginning in 2024 led to repeated surgeries, dental infections and concerns about mycotoxins.
McCarthy, who is married to singer Donnie Wahlberg, 57, said she remains reluctant to sleep indoors despite spending thousands of dollars addressing suspected mold contamination.
Speaking on her podcast, McCarthy said: “I’m too paranoid to [sleep in my house], honestly, to freaking live anywhere else other than a tent.”
She continued: “That’s where this journey has brought me. After all those surgeries, after being diagnosed with mycotoxin poisoning, I feel a little bit sometimes crazy and like the walls are caving in and paranoid. It’s really, really hard.”
McCarthy added: “I’m still in the traumatic part.”
The former The View host said her difficulties began with severe jaw pain that prompted an emergency hospital visit in 2024.
She described the discomfort as “eleven out of ten”, claiming that even morphine provided little relief.
Her symptoms subsequently included recurring eyelid cysts, swelling, skin rashes, insomnia and newly developed food sensitivities.
McCarthy also reported being diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, a condition involving excessive bacteria in the small intestine.
She underwent dental treatment after discovering an infection affecting her jawbone, which she said contributed to the loss of several teeth.
The television star attributed her deteriorating health to possible exposure in an aging dressing room, describing its ventilation system as outdated.
She recalled working in a “very, very old” space with “air conditioning from like 1950”.
McCarthy said an eyelid cyst repeatedly returned despite surgical removal, forcing her to undergo further procedures while continuing her television commitments.
During filming of The Masked Singer, she attempted to conceal the swelling with her hair and sunglasses.
She said: “If you look back on my page, I’m wearing sunglasses. I felt so ugly.”
The repeated procedures and persistent pain eventually prompted McCarthy to seek additional medical advice.
She claimed a doctor recommended testing for mold-related toxins after hearing about her symptoms and recurring infections.
McCarthy said the doctor warned that her condition required urgent attention, although the precise medical findings have not been independently verified.
McCarthy believes the suspected exposure weakened her immune defenses, leaving her increasingly vulnerable to infections and prolonged recovery periods.
She said: “My body wasn’t able to fight anything anymore, that’s why I had to have repeated surgeries.”
The actress has also spoken about the psychological toll of her illness, saying ordinary indoor environments now trigger anxiety about potential contamination.
She shared footage of the tent erected in her garden, explaining that she feels safer sleeping outside while uncertainty surrounding the property continues.
Last month, McCarthy and Wahlberg listed their four-bedroom Chicago home for $1.1 million.
The couple have not publicly established whether the decision to sell was directly connected to her reported health concerns.
Jenny McCarthy reveals she’s sleeping in a tent after terrifying health ordeal leaves her afraid of her own home
