TV presenter Gail Porter, 55, has been left with a painful black eye and split lip after being knocked down a flight of stairs at a London Tube station. The incident occurred last week when a fellow passenger pushed her as she descended the steps, causing her to fall.
Porter revealed the accident on Instagram after facing criticism from online trolls who commented on her appearance. 'To all you wonderful keyboard warriors that said I’m looking old, and saying something was wrong with my face…' she wrote. 'I went to @trainspottingthemusical to support my friends that created this. Last week.. I was knocked over while going down the stairs at a London Tube Station. My scars are superficial, and it’s not a problem. It was an accident, and it won’t stop me being me.'
Red carpet appearance
Porter had attended the opening night of Trainspotting The Musical on Wednesday, where red carpet photos showed her with a visible split lip and a cap pulled low to conceal the black eye. The sudden interest in her appearance prompted the trolling she experienced.
Closing her statement, Porter reminded followers: 'Please… from the bottom of my heart.. don’t ever be disrespectful to anyone for how they look or how they are. Kindness is so invaluable x.' She later posted another selfie, adding: 'I’m a wee Scottish Warrior. Just always look out for each other. Simple x And good concealer!!!'
History with alopecia
Porter, who was diagnosed with alopecia in 2005, has spent much of her career advocating against criticism of looks. The condition causes hair loss or baldness, and she refused to wear wigs to raise awareness. Speaking to Metro, she explained that work dried up after losing her hair, forcing her to sleep on benches. She found TV shows only wanted to book her to discuss 'being bald,' which coincided with her divorce from Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave.
In August 2023, on the BBC Access All Podcast, Porter said: 'It was so quick. I had long blonde hair, and then four weeks later I was completely bald. People didn’t want to go near me for television or anything because I looked different.' More recently, she has occasionally worn wigs, including a mid-length blonde style in 2024.
