TV is full of people like Weinstein, says Gabby
HOLLYWOOD is reeling following the exposure of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein as a sex predator .
And now BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan warns that such horrific abuse is not just confined to the glamorous film industry of La La Land, but is prevalent in all walks of life, including British broadcasting.
‘I think it’s important that these issue are raised because it happens in all kinds of areas. It happens in TV, offices, businesses, everywhere,’ says Logan, daughter of former Wales football manager Terry Yorath. ‘It’s not just the preserve of Hollywood.’
The 44-year-old, who is married to former Scottish rugby player Kenny Logan, with whom she has 12-yearold twins, Lois and Reuben, makes it clear she has neither experienced nor witnessed abuse first hand.
‘It’s great that enough people have spoken about Harvey [Weinstein] because it just can’t go on,’ she adds. ‘People want to feel that they can achieve on their merits.’
After growing up in Leeds, Gabby kicked off her broadcasting career as a presenter at Metro Radio in Newcastle. She later moved to Sky Sports and then ITV, followed by the BBC, where she has become a household name presenting such shows as Match Of The Day — where she WHEN will Harvey Weinstein’s highly paid British spin doctors reveal what they knew of the bullying Hollywood mogul’s sexual harassment of women?
Matthew Freud was Weinstein’s PR man at the time of some of the producer’s worst excesses.
Indeed, Freud had to handle the fall- out from Weinstein’s break-up with his first wife, Eve Chilton, with whom he has three daughters.
The mogul took up with British former model Georgina Chapman soon afterwards and she went on to become his second wife.
Freud would organise lavish London parties, where the great and good would be invited to fawn over deputises for Gary Lineker — and Sports Personality Of The Year.
‘It can happen to anyone — whether they’re a man or a woman,’ she adds, speaking to me at the launch of Tag Heuer’s limited-edition Muhammad Ali watches at Marylebone boxing gym BXR.
Sympathising with victims who struggle to speak out against their abusers, she adds: ‘Sometimes it almost feels like there’s that fear of: how do you come out?
‘When you feel you don’t have a voice it’s very hard, so it helps when others come out to tell their stories.’
... As pervert’s PR pals keep heads down
Weinstein, while glamorous young socialites were introduced to the creepy American.
Yesterday, Freud declined to comment, pointing out that he had not handled Weinstein’s affairs for ten years.
Since then, the mogul has been represented by the unctuous Max Dundas, who is also keeping shtum.