Fans who are used to seeing Holly Willoughby present This Morning may have been surprised to see the TV star front a new government campaign this week. The Ministry of Justice have announced a new law making upskirting illegal. The department shared a video on Twitter showing non-celebrities and Holly, Dermot O'Leary and Laura Whitmore marking the law change. "No one has the right to take pictures under your clothes, without your consent," the caption read.
Holly, 38, kicks off the video, saying: "Wherever you are…" The continuing message is: "… At a festival, in a club, at work, on the go, out with friends – upskirting is illegal." A policewoman adds at the end: "And you can report it to us."
Holly has been campaigning against upskirting
Holly has previously spoken about her experience of upskirting. After attending the BRIT Awards in 2018, she shared a photo collage on Instagram of herself, Louise Redknapp, Rita Ora and Laura Whitmore stepping out of taxis. Holly wrote: "At the beginning of the night we held white roses and walked down a red carpet full of the hope and pride that comes with the #timesup campaign… at the end of the night, cameras were held low to get a photo up our skirts… time's apparently up on #timesup."
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Gina Martin, who pushed to make upskirting illegal, was also invited onto This Morning to talk about the campaign. Holly praised the activist while condemning photographers and saying: "They go really low, and then it's, 'grapples with her assets', and it's like, well that's not what was happening. I was trying to hide my modesty and protect myself. Well done you for being brave enough and making a stand. I'm right behind you, I hope that it makes a change, finally."
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Upskirting was made a specific criminal offence this week. Starting from April, police will be able to charge people with the offence and those convicted could face up to two years in prison. In the most serious of cases, offenders will be made to sign the Sex Offenders Register.
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