Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Holly Hagan: Geordie Shore star speaks out about being sexually harassed at nightclubs

Hagan reveals she stopped going out and began dressing differently because of how she was treated in public

Ellie Harrison
Friday 20 September 2019 13:46 BST
Comments
Holly Hagan
Holly Hagan (Getty Images)

Geordie Shore star Holly Hagan has spoken out about being subject to sexual harassment during nightclub appearances, describing the experience as “one of the scariest times” of her life.

In the BBC’s Reality Tea podcast, Hagan claimed that people think they have “the god-given right” to touch her inappropriately just because she has appeared on television, leading her to fear going out in public.

“Being in the clubs opened me up to a lot of trolling in person and a lot of sexual harassment,” she said.

“I would go to club appearances and people would think, because I’ve been this person on TV, that they had the god-given right to just turn around and grab my boob or try and put their hand up my skirt.

“It was honestly probably one of the most scariest times of my life.”

Hagan added that she began to dress differently because of the harassment.

“I used to go to the clubs in jeans and long tops because if I wore anything that was actually clubby, I put myself more at risk,” she said. “If my boobs were out, I was more at risk. If I had a skirt on, I was more at risk of someone putting their hand up my skirt.

“I actually started, when I’d get photos with people, I’d keep my bum pressed against the wall so that no-one could slip their hand down [my skirt].”

She added: “I just stopped going out, I stopped going anywhere.”

Hagan was 18 when she joined the MTV reality show in 2011.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in