Hostesses working at a “men’s only” charity dinner in the UK have said that they were “groped, sexually harassed, and propositioned.”
The Presidents Club event, held in the Dorchester Hotel in London, raises money for children’s charities.
The fundraiser is a “men’s only event” where hostesses are allegedly told to wear “skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels.”
An undercover investigation carried out by journalists at the Financial Times detailed that the women hired to work at the event were subjected to groping, harassment, and propositions throughout the night.
Madison Marriage, one of the women who went undercover, told BBC Newsnight there were “hands up skirts, hands on bums but also hands on hips, hands on stomachs, arms going round your waist unexpectedly.”
She said:
“The worst I was told by one of the hostesses was a man taking his penis out during the course of the dinner.
“The other one was another man telling a hostess to down her glass of champagne, rip off her knickers and dance on the table.
“I can’t believe that it still goes on in 2018, I think it’s quite shocking.”
David Walliams, who was hosting the event, has said that he is “appalled” by the allegations and that he did not witness the alleged behaviour occurring.
He also said that he attended “in a professional capacity and not as a guest.”
1) Last Thursday night I hosted the Presidents Club annual charity fundraiser. I agreed to host as it is one of the biggest charity fund raising events of the year. I was there in a strictly professional capacity and not as a guest.
— David Walliams HQ (@davidwalliams) January 24, 2018
2) I left immediately after I had finished my presenting on stage at 11.30pm. I did not witness any of the kind of behaviour that allegedly occurred and am absolutely appalled by the reports.
— David Walliams HQ (@davidwalliams) January 24, 2018
The Presidents Club have since announced that they will not be hosting “any further fundraising events.”
“Remaining funds will be distributed in an effective manner to children’s charities and it will then be closed.”
Businessman David Meller, who attended the event last Thursday, has since stepped down from his role on the Department of Education board.
Great Ormond Street Hospital and Evelina London Children’s Hospital have also said that they will be refunding any donations made by the Presidents Club.
BBC reports that the event has raised more than £20 million for the two charities over the years.
