Jen’s on her bike from Call The Midwife
Arts adviser denies introducing student to abuser & urging her to flirt with him
POPULAR Jennifer Kirby
JENNIFER Kirby has quit Call The Midwife after four years playing cockney nurse Valerie Dyer.
The 31-year-old star announced her decision to leave the hit BBC1 drama yesterday. And last night it emerged she will not appear in the Christmas special, currently filming.
In a statement shared on social media, Kirby said: “After four joyful years spent with Call The Midwife I have decided to say goodbye to Nonnatus, Val, the wonderful cast, crew and production team.
“The programme is truly a national treasure. It will always be a huge honour to have been a part of something so wonderful.”
Executive producer Pippa Harris said working with her was “a delight.”
A FORMER aide to Prince Charles has denied claims by a victim of Jeffrey Epstein that she introduced her to the billionaire paedophile.
Former Prince’s Foundation vice-chair Eileen Guggenheim, now dean of the New York Academy of Arts, is claimed by a former student to have introduced her to Epstein, who later abused her.
Lawyers for Guggenheim have vehemently denied the accusations.
Maria Farmer, 50, alleges she flew to his New Mexico ranch in 1995 for a study trip where she was encouraged to flirt with him as he was a big NYAA donor.
She claims she and her younger sister, Annie, were later abused by him and his alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.
A report by the NYAA insists Guggenheim, 69, played “no role” in introducing the Farmers to Epstein, concluding there was “no evidence to credibly support” her claims.
Another student who went to Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe in 1995 said the young women were pressured to play games that involved “sexual objects” with Epstein and Maxwell. Guggenheim denied being present.
Three ex-students confirmed the
Eileen Guggenheim & Bill Clinton meeting, one calling it the “weirdest that she recalled her brief visit. She does dinner party I’ve ever been to”. Guggenheim not recall being inside any building on had denied ever being in the ranch. the property, anything out of the
When Farmer, Ursula Ruedenberg, ordinary occurring, nor any of the and one other went public with their students reporting an incident to her. claims, Guggenheim said she saw the “Ms Farmer has said she found her property under construction but visit unsettling, which she has “did not visit any home there attributed to the presence of or have a meal there”. Epstein and Maxwell.
Her lawyers said: “Ms Notwithstanding her explanations Farmer’s claims with regard long after the event, to the ranch are inconsistent in the context of how events and have changed over time. transpired, she subsequently
“Ms Guggenheim’s visit was accepted a job with Epstein.” very brief; she took a tour of FOUNDATION Prince Guggenheim said: “Had the grounds with the former any student expressed to me students and left shortly thereafter. That their personal discomfort over actions explains her initial failure to recollect by Mr Epstein I would have immediately having ever travelled to the ranch. addressed the situation and offered my
“It was only after seeing a photograph support. At that time neither I nor which depicted Ms Guggenheim, Ms anyone at the NYAA had any knowledge Farmer, and three former students of Mr Epstein’s predatory behaviour.” during the daylight... on the grounds, Farmer claims Guggenheim “asked me
VICTIM Maria Farmer told of visit to the Zorro Ranch
MARIA FARMER CLAIMS AGAINST GUGGENHEIM
Epstein and his alleged madam Maxwell to sit on his lap and flirt with him... ‘Do it for the academy, Maria’.”
Guggenheim’s lawyers said: “The allegation Ms Guggenheim encouraged Ms Farmer to flirt and sit on Epstein’s knee is categorically denied and completely baseless. It is denied Ms Guggenheim had at the material time any knowledge of Ms Farmer meeting Epstein.”
In a report commissioned by the NYAA, lawyer Jim Walden – who was previously the Academy and Guggenheim’s personal lawyer – found there was no evidence linking Guggenheim to any of Epstein’s abuse. The report said: “It is difficult to give any credence to Farmer’s claim that Guggenheim was in any way responsible for Annie Farmer’s meeting of Epstein or her sexual abuse by Epstein and Maxwell.”
Several NYAA board members quit over the response. An open letter signed by nearly 100 students and alumni last month slammed its “victim-blaming rhetoric” and a “focus on discrediting Farmer’s testimony rather than delving into Epstein’s involvement with the NYAA board, financial ties to the school or his relationship to Guggenheim”.
The Academy’s executive committee apologised to Farmer and vowed to give £22,650 to a charity for victims of sexual assault. The board said: “Some conclusions in the report blamed Ms Farmer, and we regret they were included.”
She asked me to flirt with him... ‘Do it for the Academy, Maria’