Presidents Club hostess job made model ‘feel like a prostitute’
EX-Page Three girl Suzi Walker told how she worked as a hostess at the Presidents Club dinner for six years — and says it was always a “meat market”.
The former Wag, 46, said she felt like a “prostitute” at the now-infamous event, where being groped by rich and powerful men “came with the job”.
She spoke out as Theresa May said she was appalled at the reports of some guests’ behaviour at the charity gala, which was attended by children’s minister Nadhim Zahawi.
The PM also vowed to eradicate sexism from the workplace as the fall-out from the event at London’s Dorchester hotel continued to spread.
More charities are refusing to accept cash it raised while MPs called for a police investigation into assault and harassment allegations.
One hostess at last week’s bash told how she saw suspected prostitutes brought in for after-parties. It follows reports by others who said they were routinely mauled by leering guests and asked to take off their undies.
The claims came as no surprise to mum of two Suzi, who said working at the men-only ball for six years in the 1990s used to make her cry.
Suzi, who was married to former Spurs goalkeeper Ian Walker for 12 years, recalled: “There would be loads of men getting really touchy-feely, grabbing bottoms and trying to coax girls back to their place or Annabel’s private club in Mayfair.
“The men thought us girls were garbage, just something to entertain them. They thought they had a right to you and your body. We just had to accept it.”
Suzi, who started working at the event aged 19, went on: “I know that a lot of the girls would do sexual favours if they were paid extra.
“There were a few agencies who would provide girls and some were definitely escorts or prostitutes.
“I thought I was just there to be a glamorous, polite hostess, but I soon realised I was there to attract and entertain the guests. It made me feel like a prostitute to be honest.”
Suzi, from Leatherhead, Surrey, continued working there because she needed the cash. But she stopped after her dad, big band leader Johnny Howard, came along one year and was horrified.
She said: “My dad was shocked, it was all so wrong. He didn’t want me exposed to an environment like that.
Gino and Jimmy on guest list
By Ben Leo
STARS invited to the scandal-hit bash included TV celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo and comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.
Also on the guest list were retail tycoons Theo Paphitis, formerly of TV show Dragons’ Den, and Sir Philip Green.
Other top invitees were socialite Tamara Ecclestone’s husband Jay Rutland and Peter Jones, an investor and panellist on Dragons’ Den since it began in 2005.
It is not clear whether any of the six took up their invitation.
“I did it for so many years and I used to just dread it. I used to get so upset and cry afterwards.”
The ball’s organiser, top Tory donor David Meller, was forced to close the Presidents Club in the wake of this week’s revelations.
But Suzi said: “I’m surprised it’s taken this long. And there hasn’t been more harassment claims come out into the open. It’s just a shame charities are going to miss out.”
Suzi, whose 19-year-old daughter Sophie is also a model, said sexual harassment used to be the norm.
She recalled: “I remember quite a famous sports pundit, who I won’t name, put his hands up my skirt after a night out in London. But that kind of thing wasn’t a big deal then.
"Times are changing now thankfully.”
Speaking from Davos, Switzerland, Mrs May said she was “frankly appalled” at the revelations.
She added: “I thought that sort of attitude of objectifying women was something that was in the past that we had managed to overcome. But sadly what that event showed is there is still a lot more work for us to do.”
Surgeons anger at cosmetic ops sale
By Lauren Probert and Shaun Wooller
A PRESIDENTS Club auction lot of plastic surgery was unethical and irresponsible, doctors have said.
Offering the course of treatment “to spice up your life” brought the profession into disrepute, said the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
It “blatantly disregarded” medical guidelines and could “pressure potentially vulnerable people into risky, irreversible treatment”, the association added.
All decisions on surgery needed to be carefully considered because no operation was risk-free, it said.
“Any patient making irreversible decisions in circumstances of hype, excitement and emotion, are putting themselves at very great risk,” the association warned.
The surgery was reportedly offered by a Harley Street clinic and was bought for £25,000.
She vowed to “continue to work to a point where women are genuinely accepted and respected as equals”.
Tory minister Nadhim Zahaw, who said he left the party early as he felt “uncomfortable”, was hauled before Chief Whip Julian Smith for a dressing-down.
Some MPs called for him to be sacked but Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he was a “decent and honourable guy”.
One hostess at the bash also told how suspected prostitutes were brought in as guests got drunker.
Boss: End gag farce
A UNION chief wants a crackdown on the “sickening misuse” of gagging orders in the wake of the scandal.
Frances O’Grady, of the TUC, also said hostesses who signed non-disclosure agreements could still make a sexual harassment claim.
She said: “It’s a sickening misuse of NDAs to silence and intimidate. The government must act.
“This kind of NDA does not stop women making a claim against the employer.
“They have a right to seek justice under workplace equality laws.”
She said: “There was a lot of groping, a lot of girls sitting on laps, men beckoning girls over to their tables to talk to them. It just didn’t seem right.”
Other women then arrived later who behaved even more provocatively, she said, with some seen getting into lifts to rooms with guests.
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Charities say no to donations
MORE charities have handed back donations from the shamed Presidents Club.
Child Bereavement UK, which received £27,500 over three years, yesterday said it is returning all the cash.
Evelina London Children’s Hospital said it will not accept the £400,000 raised at the gala for naming rights to its high dependency unit.
The NSPCC, which was handed £25,000 in 2015, said it will refuse any money from this year’s event. The British Olympic Association, which got £10,000 in 2016, said it would not accept any more donations.
Children’s Trust UK has previously received more than £50,000. Chief executive Dalton Leong said: “We are not accepting any further donations.”
Great Ormond Street Hospital has already said it will return £530,000 from previous fundraising galas.
Lib Dem leader Vince Cable and deputy Jo Swinson wrote to Met boss Cressida Dick calling for a police investigation. They said: “Offences of harassment and pimping appear to have taken place.”
Labour MP Yvette Cooper said: “Laws exist to prevent this kind of harassment and misogynistic abuse.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “We have no knowledge of any offences reported.”