Comedian descirbes horrific assault at showbiz Christmas occasion in BBC Question Time debate

Comedian Deborah Frances-White has recounted a horror encounter with who she describes as a “high profile man” at a showbiz Christmas party

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A comedian and podcaster has shared her shocking experience with ‘a high profile man’ at a showbiz Christmas Party during BBC Question Time this week.

Fiona Bruce presented an hour of debate from Exeter, with politicians, commentators and members of the public. On the panel: from the government, the defence minister Luke Pollard; the Conservatives’ shadow AI minister Ben Spencer; Layla Moran from the Liberal Democrats, Matt Goodwin from Reform UK, and comedian and podcaster Deborah Frances-White.

The first topic of debate was focused on how to protect women and girls from men in power following the Russell Brand rape conviction and allegations surfacing about David Walliams this week.

Deborah Frances-White, best known as the creator and host of the hit comedy podcast The Guilty Feminist, which has surpassed 200 million downloads and is recorded live around the world described her encounter with a “famous man”. She did not name the man or provide any specific details about the party at which the assault happened at.

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Deborah’s experience

Deborah Frances-White described her experience being a plus one at a big showbiz Christmas party. She said: “A high profile man, a famous man, who runs in the same circles as those who have been in the news in the last couple of weeks did a turn around the room walked past me, put his face into my cleavage and moved his head back and forth, in the manor that some men call ‘motoboating’, unpleasantly.

“And he just kept walking. And he just didn’t introduce himself, there was no flirtation, nothing. He just kept going like I was a vending machine and I just was so shocked.” She added: “I knew full-well if I made a complaint I would be asked to leave the party, there’s no question.”

She went on to explain “he came around again and put his tongue in my mouth, he never said a single word to me.”

Deborah explained how she told someone at the party about his conduct and reflecting on the incident she said: “It’s kind of a weird sticky feeling that stays with you but I don’t feel massively traumatised, but many women would and especially if someone has been assaulted before it would be extremely triggering.”

Fiona Bruce asked if Deborah thought this issue spread wider than the entertainment industry to which she replied: “It is wider, but the thing about fame is ‘the talent is the product is the money’.” She concluded “We need to make it more expensive to harbour predators.”

Below are the responses from representatives for Labout, Reform UK and the Liberal Deomcrats on the panel…

Liberal Democrats

Layla Morgan added: “I would love to tell you that it is just this industry but we know full well it isn’t.”

She added: “At the moment it is still possible to have non-disclosure agreements that are silencing these victims, these are still possible to do. The government has agreed to ban them. It’s not enforced yet but I hope that they will do it sooner than later – they say September, I think they can go earlier.”

She concluded: “We cannot have people being paid off, women’s silence, should not and cannot be bought.”

Reform UK

Matt Goodwin, Reform MP, said: “I think it’s important we acknowledge the bravery and the courage of the women who have spoken up and spoken out about these particular cases. I feel conflicted because this is a politics debating panel but I think if we try and score political points on this issue you sort of further disrespect the victims by doing it.”

Deborah then asked Matt about his endorsement of Robert Kenyon to which Matt said: “This is not about Reform UK this is about a problem that is endemic in our society.” He concluded: “Everybody in this studio and watching at home knows that actually the issue is much broader than one political party.”

Deborah asked Matt: “Do you agree with Nigel Farage that this is how all men banter all the time?” Matt replied: “No I don’t, that’s not my view.”

Labour

Luke Pollard, defence minister, said: “This is a really important moment this week, it’s a watershed moment where someone rich and powerful when a system was designed to protect them was held accountable for their actions. I think there is a temptation and risk here where if we view it as a bad apple… that we will be letting down not just the victims of Russell Brand and so many others but people in every single workplace in the country where any form of power can be used to intimidate, to abuse people.”

BBC Question Time returns next week.