Presenter says she was attacked by a masked man while walking to her car after work

Television presenter Kirsty Gallacher has said she was assaulted by a masked man while walking alone in central London on Tuesday evening.

The 49-year-old former Sky Sports and GB News host described the attack as “random” and “shocking”, saying the man kicked her “like a football” before fleeing the scene.

In a video posted to Instagram, Gallacher said the assault took place at around 7 p.m. as she walked from work to her car along a well-lit street. She said she often made the same journey in the evenings and had always considered the route to be safe.

“Last night I was physically assaulted in the streets of central London walking from work to my car – the walk I do most nights,” she said. “The streets are well lit. There were people around. I noticed this guy, all in black, covered up, just walking at me. I moved out of the way, and he brushed past me. He turned around and kicked me like he was kicking a football.”

Gallacher said she was left bruised and shaken but did not require hospital treatment. She said the attacker ran off immediately after the incident.

“I can’t quite believe what happened,” she said. “I was not being provocative in any way. Someone decided to just give me a good kicking in the street, and I really wanted to share it with you, because this is happening all the time.”

She said several bystanders, including “some lovely girls”, came to her aid, though a nearby security guard “was absolutely useless”.

Gallacher, who is known for her decade-long career as a sports broadcaster and presenter, said she was speaking out to raise awareness of what she described as growing street violence in the capital.

“It’s really sad that that is what’s going on on the streets of London, and that is very real,” she said. “You always think, ‘It’s not going to happen to me’. I thought I was very vigilant. I don’t have my phone in my hand, I carry a cross-body bag, and I’m careful of where I walk. I couldn’t have done more to protect myself, and still that happened.”

She urged others to “be careful and vigilant and look after yourselves and those around you”.

The Metropolitan Police have not yet commented on the incident, though it is understood a report has been made. No arrests have been confirmed.

Gallacher, the daughter of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher, began her television career with Sky Sports News in the late 1990s and later presented programmes including Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and The Games. She joined GB News as a co-host when the channel launched in 2021 but left the network two years later.

The presenter’s comments come amid growing public concern about unprovoked attacks in London. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics show violent and antisocial incidents in the capital have risen sharply in the past year, though overall serious crime rates remain below their pre-pandemic levels.

Gallacher said she hoped her experience would encourage others to report assaults and raise awareness of the dangers faced by people walking alone at night.

“It’s not good, and it’s not alright,” she said. “This is happening all the time. Please be aware of what’s going on.”