The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Toksvig ‘groped by star’ in 80s
TV and radio presenter Sandi Toksvig has toldhowshe was groped on air by a “famous individual” 30 years ago.
Ms Toksvig, who declined to name the celebrity, said when she informed other staff what had happened they thought it was funny.
Questions have been raised about the culture at the corporation in the 1980s after allegations emerged about the late Sir Jimmy Savile’s conduct.
Former Radio 1DJ Liz Kershaw described last week how she was routinely groped by a colleague.
Ms Toksvig, who starred in children’s shows such as ITV’s Number 73 during the 1980s and is now a regular on Radio 4, said the claims about abusive behaviour came as no surprise.
“In the
Eighties, which is when I started in radio and television, things were very different.
“Not to name any names, but I was once very unpleasantly groped while I was broadcasting by a famous individual who shall remain nameless.
“When I told the staff afterwards what had happened everybody thought it was amusing.
“There was a sort of ‘shrugged shoulder’ approach to the whole thing.”
She added that allegations of inappropriate behaviour “did not surprise me at all and I had heard those stories when I was working at the BBC”.