Comedian Paul Whitehouse was mugged on Friday evening (October 16) while out late at night getting medication for his wife, who had experienced a bad reaction to medical treatment. The attack happened at an ATM in Islington, on Essex Road beside the Sainsbury's Local.
Whitehouse, best known for BBC sketch comedy series The Fast Show and for appearing with Bob Mortimer in the BBC series Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, fought back and managed to retrieve his card. The attacker ran off empty-handed.
Wife's Instagram warning
His wife, Dr Mine Conkbayir, posted a picture of Paul smiling on Instagram, describing the incident as "a horrid start to the weekend". She wrote: "Yesterday, I had a bad reaction to some treatment, which has left me feeling rather rotten. So, last night, Paul dashed out to get me some meds. He was mugged on Essex Road (Islington) - at the cashpoint beside the Sainsbury's Local."
She added: "He did fight back and retrieved his card, with the perp scuttling away empty-handed. But that's not the point, is it."
Appeal to stay vigilant
Conkbayir explained that Whitehouse, who has been with her for 20 years and married for five, initially kept quiet but later agreed she could post about the incident "in the hope that it might help folk to be more aware when out and about". She urged: "So, please, everyone - I don't mean to patronise, but please be super vigilant out there."
The comments were filled with support, including from Lorraine Kelly, who wrote "Im so sorry". Another person added: "Oh bless your hearts. This is horrid all round, for you and Paul. People never fail to disappoint and that makes me sad. Hope you're both ok, love to you both".
Dr Conkbayir also replied to a comment that no one "helped" Paul during the attack, and the couple have decided not to report it to the police.
