The star of Channel 4 property show A Place In The Sun has had emails hacked, pictures stolen, her address posted online and abusive messages from trolls and racists. The mother-of-one, 40, was also invited to an “ITV audition”, which TV bosses told her was a fake. She has now stepped up security at her south-west London home in the wake of the scares.
Sara said: “Last year I had someone pretending to be Russell Brand. I had booked to see Russell Brand and then I had an invite to go and meet him.
“I realised it was not real because I started to get emails saying, ‘Reply to me now’, so I did some research. It was a strange guy and I reported it to the police.”
Officers looked into the case, but Sara is unsure whether the culprit received anything other than a caution.
Sara was then contacted by someone claiming to be from ITV and inviting her to an audition. She contacted the channel and “they said, ‘For God’s sake do not go to the audition’.”
She added: “ITV reported it to the police as he contacted other presenters.
“I think it’s due to mental health problems or maybe they are lonely and feel a connection with you because you’re on TV. I would get calls where they would be breathing down the phone. I would make sure the alarms would be on – now I have got security cameras.” Lebanese-born Sara was also sent racist abuse after visiting a refugee camp in the country.
Sara’s upcoming online series Lifehackers will see her and her former Coast V Country co-host Kerr Drummond interview guests every week, “getting their top tips for life”.
Watch Lifehackers on acast, iTunes and Spotify.
