Hardeep Singh Kohli says sorry to women who he ‘harassed’

The television personality and stand-up comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli has publicly apologised to the women who have accused him of sexual harassment, including one at last year’s Festival Fringe in the Capital.

Hardeep Singh Kohli

The Glaswegian – who is based in London – was dropped by BBC bosses after 16 women came forward alleging sexual and physical violence, harassment and inappropriate acts.

Kohli, 51, said he “apologises unreservedly” and hopes to live a life of “greater understanding”.

He issued the apology ten years after he was suspended over inappropriate behaviour towards a researcher at the BBC.

The Celebrity Big Brother star and TV chef took to Twitter to address the allegations made against him.

Kohli wrote: “I have been reluctant to make a statement regarding the allegations against me.

“This is primarily because I fundamentally believe every person should have the platform and space to say what they feel needs to be said. Any offer of context, explanation or alternative narrative would diminish their words and that is something I did not want to do.

“It is now clear to me that my actions and words made women feel intimidated, undermined and undervalued.

“For this, I apologise unreservedly and can only hope to live a life of greater understanding.”

Kohli was a regular on Question Time, Celebrity 
MasterChef and Newsnight. He was removed from a roving reporter role on The One Show in 2009 after complaints about his conduct but stayed as a regular on BBC Radio 4.

More recently, Kohli was accused by Lulu Popplewell, 29, of seedy behaviour at last year’s Festival Fringe.

The comedian and writer – who portrayed Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson’s daughter in the 2003 hit movie Love Actually when she was 11 years old – accused him of abusing his power and propositioning her for sex.

She alleged that he offered to produce and direct her and could make her a success using his star power and connections, before allegedly making his seedy proposal.

Ms Popplewell accused him of saying it would be best if she visited him to write on the show, staying in his bed in Glasgow and “having a little spoon together”.

She claimed he then said: “Oh I don’t fancy you by the way, just feel we are kindred spirits, but if something DID happen well... let’s see’.”

Kohli also allegedly left unwanted sexual comments in private messages to a primary school teacher.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “Hardeep Singh Kohli is not a BBC employee. There are no plans to use him.”

The news has left his future at the Edinburgh comedy festival in doubt with promoter Gilded Balloon giving him a lifetime ban.

Kohli has also allegedly been disowned by the SNP after he spoke of his aim to represent them as an MSP while on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

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