Scottish television presenter Gail Porter has shared a series of heartbreaking setbacks with her followers, revealing she will be spending Christmas alone and was left devastated after a charity withdrew a promised ticket to see her favourite band, Radiohead.
A Double Disappointment
The 54-year-old star took to social media to explain the difficult situation, posting a selfie with a cap pulled over her face. She detailed how a charity she works for had offered her a ticket as a 'thank you', only to later message her to say, "oh sorry… you can’t have the ticket now. Our bad!"
Porter, putting on a brave face, wrote: "Oh well. Lucky I don’t cry too easily." Her followers quickly deduced the band in question was Radiohead from the clues in her post.
Christmas Plans Fall Through
In a further blow, the former pin-up shared another post where she revealed her Christmas plans had also collapsed. She explained that a friend, after learning she had nothing planned for the holiday, suggested she do charity work instead of inviting her over.
"Has she any idea what I dedicate half my life to?" Porter asked, expressing her hurt. She added poignantly, "Just a hug is all I really need!"
This was compounded by another letdown, where a job she did for free resulted in a promised donation to a charity of her choice that has still not materialised.
Fans Rally with Support
Followers of the star flooded the comments with messages of support and sympathy. One person wrote, "It sounds like you’re being taken for granted, Gail. You need to take care of yourself too," while another said, "So sad for you Gail you just head home and put a cd on." A third supporter simply called the situation "terrible".
A History of Resilience
This is not the first time Gail Porter has shown immense strength in the face of adversity. She has been open about her struggles with alopecia since her hair began falling out in 2005, a condition she believes led to a decline in her presenting work as she refused to wear a wig.
Her personal life also faced turmoil around that time with her divorce from Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave after three years of marriage.
In a particularly dark period, Porter was forced into homelessness in 2014 due to a lack of work and severe financial difficulties. After being declared bankrupt and living on just £200 a month, she slept rough on park benches in Hampstead Heath, feeling too ashamed to ask for help.
She eventually turned to friends, sofa-surfing until her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother the following summer. The fee from the show allowed her to put down a deposit on her flat in London, providing her with a stable home.
