- TV gardening expert says incident happened at Blenheim Palace Triathlon
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BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Arit Anderson has revealed she was subjected to shocking racial abuse ahead of a charity triathlon at Blenheim Palace last month.
The 54-year-old, who presented BBC coverage at Chelsea Flower Show last month and is a regular on BBC One show Garden Rescue, said she was shocked at the abuse hurled at her by a man riding past on his bike during the event.
Posting a photo of herself on her Instagram account, with the two friends who joined her in raising money for Parkinson’s UK, she told her 30,000 followers, that ‘a few hours before I was told by a man on his bike as he rode by to “Get out of here s****”‘
She added: ‘To say that two women in their fifties and one who is 70 were shocked was an understatement.’
The BBC Gardeners’ World presenter said she was shocked to be the target of a racist slur while waiting to compete in the Blenheim Palace Triathlon with friends last month
Anderson posted reflecting on the racist abuse she’d endured while trying to raise money for Parkinson’s UK
Anderson revealed that her friend, who has Pakistani heritage, ‘instantly burst into tears’ after it reminded her of similar racism she had also once suffered.
The celebrity gardener wrote: ‘And for me in those few seconds I was not a daughter, a sister, a friend, partner, step mother, garden designer, healing therapist and much more…I was nothing, nobody just worthless.’
The TV star said she’d chosen to share the story because ‘the incident was to remind me that whilst most people are decent, the veil of “likes” and editing is not the real world.’
The TV gardener pictured at Chelsea Flower Show last month, alongside Mary Berry (centre)
She urged her followers ‘not to think of me as a victim as people have worse experiences of abuse than what I experienced. It’s not just race it’s “being different” to what someone else sees as right or normal. And that we see everywhere. And that in my eyes is not right.
‘Luckily my mum embraced difference and always told me the world would be a boring place if we were all the same.’
The gardening expert’s followers responded with shock, and offered messages of support.
Anderson said the racist man’s comments rendered her feeling ‘just worthless’
Fellow TV presenter Nicki Chapman posted: ‘Well done on your brilliant achievement but also on sharing this… it reminds us all we have plenty more to do – tolerance, love, understanding and community. Love you @aritanderson.’
Another added: ‘There are no words. I’m beyond speechless.’
One person wrote: ‘The fact that you had to process this and then go on to move mountains for this amazing charity it humbling.’
Elsewhere, a commenter added: ‘What a hideous experience, what a sad man. We can’t let this language go unchallenged and becomes commonplace. It’s for all of us to challenge this behaviour.’