Penny Lancaster Reveals Traumatic Childhood Assaults in Memoir

Penny Lancaster has opened up about her experiences with sexual assault in her upcoming memoir, Someone Like Me, set to be released at the end of September 2023. The model and television personality, who is married to singer Sir Rod Stewart, disclosed that she endured a series of traumatic incidents from childhood through her teenage years.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lancaster detailed how these encounters with predatory men profoundly impacted her life. The memoir begins with a disturbing incident from when she was just five years old, where a man attempted to abduct her while she played in her garden. Her father intervened, confronting the man and ensuring he would not forget the lesson taught to him.

Lancaster recounted another horrifying experience at the age of twelve, when she was assaulted in an underpass while walking to school. After managing to escape, she assisted the police in identifying her attacker, only for them to arrest the wrong individual, leaving the real perpetrator free. This incident contributed to a condition known as hyperhidrosis, which causes excessive sweating in moments of anxiety.

At seventeen, while starting her modelling career, Lancaster faced a particularly harrowing assault. She described an incident during a trip to a fundraising event with a male fashion designer, during which she was invited into his home and given a martini. The next thing she remembered was waking up in his bedroom, disoriented and without her underwear. In her words, “I had been drugged. I was lying face down with no underwear on and he was between my legs. I don’t know to this day if I was raped.”

The memoir reflects Lancaster’s journey towards healing, allowing her to confront and dissect her traumatic past. Lancaster explained that writing the book has been therapeutic, enabling her to revisit her younger self and understand her experiences. She stated, “You go back to Penelope as a 12-year-old, the same with the five- and 17-year-olds, and try to remember what she was going through, hold her hand.”

In addition to these revelations, Lancaster also discussed an incident during her appearance on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021, where she was demeaned by former judge Gregg Wallace. Following the incident, her husband, Sir Rod Stewart, publicly criticized Wallace, calling him a “tubby, bald-headed bully.” This social media outburst caught Lancaster by surprise, as she was unaware of her husband’s plans to confront Wallace, whose career was affected by an investigation into past misconduct allegations.

Lancaster’s story is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of trauma and the importance of addressing such experiences. For those seeking support, organizations like Victim Support provide assistance to survivors of rape and sexual abuse, offering helplines and resources for those in need.

By sharing her story, Lancaster hopes to raise awareness about the effects of sexual violence and the need for greater understanding and support for survivors.