Emily Atack ‘filled with hope’ after receiving support over BBC documentary about sexual harassment-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Emily Atack has spoken out after being inundated with support over after announcing her new BBC documentary, Asking For It?, and has said the response has left her ‘filled with hope’.

The Inbetweeners star, who has previously spoken about how she was forced to call the police after receiving rape threats, fronts the feature-length film and has spoken about the personal documentary ahead of it airing.

She explores how ‘something so grotesque, aggressive, malicious and violent’ as sexual harassment has evolved and how it could be tackled through education while calling on the government to make catcalling a ‘public health issue’.

The 33-year-old actress has since been inundated with supportive messages, many of which highlight her courage for speaking out about such a sensitive subject.

Responding to the reaction, Atack wrote on Twitter: ‘I want to thank every single person who has sent me a lovely message today.

‘It’s an incredibly nerve wracking and emotional topic for me to talk about, so I really appreciate your sensitivity and support.

The star will be presenting a new documentary about sexual harrasment (Picture: PA)

‘It fills me with hope’.

This comes after Atack told The Times that the online trolling and sexual abuse she faces, especially over lockdown, left her feeling like she’s ‘being sexually assaulted hundreds of times a day’.

She elsewhere told Radio Times that she’s ‘terrified’, saying: ‘The second I hear a bump in the night I go, “Oh, that’s it. I’m about to be raped and killed”. I’m scared of being physically alone a lot of the time.’

Emily played Charlotte Church in The Inbetweeners (Picture: PA)

Since speaking out, Atack has been showered with support, with one person writing: ‘Their behaviour is not ok. Well done for speaking out. Something needs to be done about this. Horrifying statistics of how many young girls online receive these awful messages from men. Hopefully you speaking out will encourage others to do the same. Take care’.

Another penned: ‘Well done for speaking out, Emily. No one should ever have to deal with what you’ve had to put up with. Stay strong lovely lady’.

‘So good that you’ve spoken out about this. You can certainly be proud of yourself for bringing this to people’s attention,’ someone else wrote.

Atack talks about how catcalling and street harassment can turn into something ‘way more sinister’ (Picture: PA/BBC)

In the documentary, Atack talks about how catcalling and street harassment can turn into something ‘way more sinister’.

She said: ‘I think bringing things in like making catcalling a public health issue are important.

‘People can tut and roll their eyes when they hear things like that, but I can now understand the importance of that kind of thing.’

More: Trending

The I’m A Celebrity star who has 1.8 million followers on Instagram, previously spoke to The Sun on Sunday in April and said she is subjected to ‘relentless and disgusting’ rape threats online that have led her to call the police and ‘question her entire existence at times’.

At the time Atack said she has had to move home four times in the wake of targeted abuse, telling the newspaper: ‘They knew where I lived, said what they were going to do to me, even my family. I got the police involved.’

Emily Atack: Asking For It? airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on January 31.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : Emily Atack urges government to make ‘damaging’ catcalling a ‘public health issue’

MORE : Emily Atack and Joey Essex see out final Celebrity Juice episode with a bang with sneaky kiss: ‘The camera never lies’

Entertainment – MetroRead More