Comedian and podcaster Deborah Frances-White has described what she says was an assault by a "famous man" at a showbiz Christmas party during BBC Question Time this week.
Fiona Bruce chaired the hour of discussion from Exeter, which featured politicians, commentators and members of the public. The panel included Defence Minister Luke Pollard, Conservative shadow AI minister Ben Spencer, Liberal Democrat Layla Moran, Matt Goodwin from Reform UK, and Frances-White.
Panel discusses safeguarding women
The opening discussion focused on safeguarding women and girls from men in positions of power, following the Russell Brand rape conviction and allegations emerging about David Walliams this week.
Frances-White, best known as the creator and host of the comedy podcast The Guilty Feminist, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and is recorded live globally, recounted her interaction with a "famous man". She did not identify the man or offer details about the party where the assault occurred.
Frances-White's account
Frances-White 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."
Wider issue and call to action
Frances-White said the man "came around again and put his tongue in my mouth, he never said a single word to me." She told another partygoer about his behaviour and reflected: "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."
When Fiona Bruce asked whether she felt the problem extended beyond the entertainment industry, Frances-White responded: "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."
BBC Question Time returns next week from Worthing.
