Loose Women star Charlene White has opened up about a distressing incident in which she was followed by a security guard while shopping, leaving her feeling 'pretty s***' about herself. The 45-year-old ITV news anchor recounted the experience in an article for the i newspaper, describing how she entered a well-known stationary shop to buy a birthday card for her son's friend.
Security guard follows her
Shortly after entering, Charlene realised she was being watched and followed by a security guard. She noted that she was the only black person shopping in the store, highlighting the incident as an example of racial profiling. 'This isn't a story about stalking, though, this is one about racial profiling. The individual in question was a security guard. I looked around and realised that I was the only black person shopping,' she wrote.
Charlene revealed that this was not an isolated incident, but the third time in a week she had experienced similar treatment. However, it was the first time it had affected her so deeply. She expressed frustration that despite societal progress, such discrimination still occurs.
Impact on self-worth
The experience left her feeling worthless, but what irked her most was that she had been having a good day before being forced to feel less valuable than the life she had worked hard to build. She stated, 'It left me feeling pretty s*** about myself, and despite how much progress society had made, it was still happening.'
This incident comes amid a difficult year for Charlene, who recently spoke about her mental health struggles following the death of her father. Despite her grief, the mother of two initially tried to carry on but eventually realised she needed support from her colleagues.
Support from colleagues
Charlene, who made history in 2014 as the first black woman to present ITV's News At Ten, praised her employer for its support. 'I work for an amazing company that has given me time when I've needed it. When I've said, 'This week isn't a good week', they've supported me,' she said.
She emphasised the importance of recognising when one cannot be strong, adding, 'We are strong when we need to be, but we also have to recognise when we're not. There have been times when I've had to step back because I couldn't be strong that week. That's important knowing the difference between being strong and faking it.'
For emotional support, the Samaritans can be reached 24/7 on 116 123, via email at jo@samaritans.org, or through their website.
