Shocking moment Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour fights phone thief in Kensington café
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Fox News
18-06-2025
- Fox News
'Bridgerton' star thought she was 'going to be killed' during terrifying robbery that left her traumatized
It's been months since "Bridgerton" actress Genevieve Chenneour fought off a thief who attempted to rob her. Now, the British star is opening up about the terrifying ordeal that left her permanently traumatized. In a new interview with The Times, the 27-year-old — who was in a London cafe when her phone was stolen off the table behind her in February — detailed the moment she instinctively decided to fight her assailant and the lasting impact the incident has had on her since then. As seen in footage obtained by Fox News Digital, 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares grabbed Chenneour's phone while the actress — who was accompanied by her then-boyfriend Carlo Kureishi — was sitting on a stool waiting for her drink order. After quickly realizing what had happened, Chenneour confronted the thief. "It was complete instinct," she told The Times. "I wouldn't advocate for anyone doing something that would put them at risk. "The footage everyone has seen was actually the tamest part," she added. "I got on his back while [Kureishi] was on the floor holding him down. Then he threatened to stab me, and I thought I was going to be killed. I was terrified." Chenneour said she was struck on the head and briefly lost consciousness during the ordeal. WATCH: 'BRIDGERTON' ACTRESS FIGHTS OFF THIEF WHO TRIED TO STEAL HER PHONE IN LONDON CAFE "My doctor later confirmed I had a concussion. I had dizzy spells for weeks afterwards and I was terrified of going out alone," she admitted. "I still am." Boulares had 12 prior convictions, including for threatening to behead the Welsh singer Aled Jones with a 20-inch machete in July 2023, according to The Times. He had served just 14 months of a 24-month sentence for that crime. Boulares pleaded guilty last month when he appeared in Westminster magistrates court. "He needs to go to prison, and he needs psychological care," Chenneour told The Times. "If criminals are not rehabilitated properly they'll likely commit more — maybe worse — crimes." In the months following the incident, Chenneour — who is no longer in a relationship with Kureishi — said she hit "rock bottom." "After the phone incident and the break-up, I just hit rock bottom. Maybe this all has to happen so I can start afresh. It's been a major shock for me — and terrifying — but now I can prioritize my career, myself and my friends." Appearing on "This Morning" on June 12, Chenneour recalled the ordeal as becoming a matter of "life and death" at the time. "It kind of went round the corner, and it turned into a full-on scrap with two people [Boulares and his accomplice]," she said. "And I was threatened with being stabbed, so it became a real matter, in my mind, of life and death. "So, I did things like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him… It was just a life-changing, crazy moment," she added. The star admitted that the scuffle left her afraid to leave her home. "I didn't want to go outside," she said. "I mean, as a woman, we already, I think, have our wits about us around strangers and random men. So, to have this happen to me while dealing with that base level that a lot of women have, just made me quite agoraphobic. Leaving the house was really hard."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘Bridgerton' Actress Says 'He Messed With Wrong Girl' After Fighting Off Attacker Who Stole Her Phone
Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour has described how she fought off a thief attempting to snatch her mobile phone in a central London cafe. The Daily Mail newspaper has published footage of the actress – who plays Miss Clara Livingston in the hit Netflix period drama – sitting with her dog in a cafe in West London, being approached by a man who picked up her phone from next to her on the counter. More from Deadline 'Bridgerton' Season 4: Everything We Know So Far 'Bridgerton' Renewed For Seasons 5 & 6; Season 4 2026 Premiere Confirmed, Sneak Peek Released 'Bridgerton' Star Nicola Coughlan Trashes UK Supreme Court Ruling On Definition Of A Woman Unfortunately for him, he didn't have the information that, prior to her acting career taking off, Chenneour was a former Amateur Boxing Association qualified boxer and former professional athlete who had represented Team GB in international artistic swimming events. The footage of the incident – which took place in February – shows Chenneour realising what had happened and accosting her thief with several blows before she got her phone back. She later recounted the whole incident lasted about five minutes, with her attacker pinned to the floor for most of the time. Chenneour also had the help of another customer in the cafe. The actress said on TikToktold that the thief had 'messed with the wrong girl' and she ITV morning show This Morning: 'I had a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right, as woman you have that kind of intuition. 'I don't know if I would advise anybody else to do it. 'I think I have very quick reactions, thanks to having three brothers growing up and I'm an aviated carded boxer. I think it just was an instinct, I also do a lot of fight training for work and acting… 'I thought that was a normal reaction and I read all the comments [online] and realised, actually, a lot of people would just let them take the phone.' 'It kind of went round the corner and it turned into a full-on scrap with two people [Boulares and his accomplice]. 'And I was threatened with being stabbed so it became a real matter, in my mind, of life and death. 'So, I did things like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him… It was just a life-changing, crazy moment.' The thief – who has been named as Zacariah Boulares – previously attacked TV host Aled Jones for his Rolex watch in 2023, and was given a youth detention, serving 14 months. He has since turned 18, hence he is now able to be named. A police officer appearing alongside Chenneour on the TV show stressed that everyone should be aware of potential thieves in the city's popular spots, with mobile phone theft on the rise. Former Chief Superintendent Parm Sandu said: 'Genevieve was very brave and I commend her for that but I would not recommend anybody, anybody fights back. It just isn't worth it. You don't know what these people are carrying.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
'Bridgerton''s Genevieve Chenneour Breaks Her Silence on 'Life-Changing' London Robbery, Recalls 'Battle' of 'Life and Death'
Genevieve Chenneour has spoken out four months after she was the victim of an attempted robbery in a London coffee shop On ITV's This Morning, the 27-year-old actress revealed she was "threatened with being stabbed, so it became a real battle of, in my mind, life and death" The suspect was later identified as 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares, who is currently facing theft and assault chargesBridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour is speaking out months after her phone was stolen and her life was threatened in a London coffee shop. Chenneour was in a Joe & the Juice in London in February when her phone was stolen off the table behind her and she pursued the robber to get it back, according to footage obtained by BBC. The 27-year-old actress, who played Clara Livingston in season 3 of the hit Netflix series, said that the altercation became a matter of "life and death" in her mind during a June 12 interview on ITV's This Morning. On the morning show, Chenneour said she was "shocked" when she first saw the surveillance camera footage from inside the cafe of the attack. "I didn't even remember my reaction and I thought it was way longer than it actually was. That moment before anything happened, I thought it was about 20 seconds, but it was milliseconds," she recalled. She said that had 'a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right" in the moments before the suspect — who was identified as 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares and is expected to be sentenced over theft and assault charges at Isleworth Crown Court on June 17, per the BBC — attempted the robbery. "As a woman you have that kind of intuition, and I could feel people moving around me in a different way, but I only became aware of it once the incident had happened, in hindsight," she said of her quick reaction to the theft. "But I did feel — they were going back and forth trying to find a target,' she added. In the surveillance footage, Chenneour reacted quickly to Boulares' theft, spinning around and trying to get the phone back from him while another customer helped her. She said on This Morning that there was "about five minutes" of an altercation that followed "and it turned into a full-on scrap with two people." "I was threatened with being stabbed, so it became a real battle of, in my mind, life and death. So I did things, like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him," she recalled. "It was just a life-changing, crazy moment.' Given the incident happened in February, she said it has lasting consequences for her, as it "made me quite agoraphobic." "Leaving the house was quite hard," she admitted. When asked what made her instantly react and fight back after she noticed her phone was taken, the actress said she has "very quick reactions thanks to having three brothers growing up," and also revealed that she's trained in boxing, which helped too. "I don't know what came over me. I thought that was a normal reaction," she said. "And then I read all the comments and realized, actually, a lot of people would just let them take the phone." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Still, she said, "I don't know if I would advise anybody else to do it." Read the original article on People
