TV presenter Laura Whitmore reveals her distressing sexual harassment experiences
She opened up about her #MeToo experiences
Last updated 12th Apr 2018
TV presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing star Laura Whitmore has opened up in a candid blog post about the distressing sexual harassment she has received in her life.
Admitting she's wanted to speak out for a while but has been 'scared', Laura revealed that despite still being scared, she feels it is the right time to highlight her distressing #MeToo experiences.
Laura bravely recalled a moment when a man put his hand under her skirt and touched her inappropriately last year. She wrote, 'Last year I was in a club with my friends and I could feel a hand on the back of my leg. Initially I thought it was my boyfriend messing or a mate about to pinch my bottom – but the hand went under my skirt, between my legs, and firmly touched me. As I turned, I saw it was a guy who I did not know. He was laughing.'
Laura's latest blog post comes as the #MeToo movement was set up and spread virally in October 2017, soon after allegations were made against Harvey Weinstein. The movement was set up with the purpose of preventing sexual assault and harassment and has been supported by a whole host of well known celebrities.
Speaking about the movement, Laura wrote in her blog, 'The MeToo movement has highlighted the shockingly high incidence of rape and sexual assault in everyday life, across the world. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. At every turn, whether on a night out, or in the media, women are routinely treated as pieces of meat – and worse. Now the time has come to fight our fears of s--- shaming, embarrassment and social pressures and say – enough!'
The 32-year-old also bravely spoke about how she felt 'extremely uncomfortable' after being paired with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2016.
Just before the series started, Giovanni split from his girlfriend, causing the media to predict a new 'romance' between himself and Laura. Speaking about the experience, Laura wrote, 'I was thrown into the lion’s den and into the middle of someone’s break-up that had nothing to do with me. Once again, I was a ‘rumoured love interest’'.
She then went on to admit how the show left her feeling 'broken', revealing she was left in tears every day after it affected her deeply.
She added, 'I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with – and in the end I felt broken. I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end. To the outside world I tried to suck it up and smile, and I did that to the best of my ability – but it affected me deeply. My friends and family knew that I was struggling. And they were there for me. The media, however, saw me as blonde bait in a sequined dress.'
Since publishing her blog, Laura has received heaps of praise from fans online, with many thanking her for speaking out.
Laura first shot to fame when she presented on MTV, but it was her presenting job on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here NOW! that really excelled her career.
After presenting the show for four years, Laura made the decision to leave in 2016 and most recently presented new ITV2 reality show Survival of the Fittest.