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Who is Anna Richardson? TV host says she had to go on welfare after accusing Arnold Schwarzenegger

Anna Richardson was shunned from her job for two years because she sued Arnold Schwarzenegger
PUBLISHED SEP 22, 2023
Anna Richardson was unemployed for two years following her allegations against Arnold Schwarzenegger (Anna Richardson official website, Getty Images)
Anna Richardson was unemployed for two years following her allegations against Arnold Schwarzenegger (Anna Richardson official website, Getty Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Award-winning writer and TV presenter Anna Richardson has been an iconic figure in British television for more than 20 years.

Richardson apparently disclosed that she lost her job for two years as a consequence of her defamation lawsuit against Arnold Schwarzenegger after she accused him of groping her.

Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger was spotted at an Oktoberfest event in Munich, Germany, on September 21.

The 'Terminator' actor, 76, was accompanied by his 48-year-old girlfriend Heather Milligan and was spotted in the Marstall Tent.

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends an event marking the completion of a 4-acre solar rooftop constructed atop AltaSea's research and development facility at the Port of Los Angeles, in the San Pedro neighborhood, on April 21, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. The installation will supply enough energy to power AltaSea’s 35-acre campus, the country’s biggest 'blue economy' tech hub, which is focused on clean oceans, climate resiliency, and clean energy.
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends an event marking the completion of a 4-acre solar rooftop constructed atop AltaSea's research and development facility at the Port of Los Angeles, in the San Pedro neighborhood, on April 21, 2023, in Los Angeles, California (Getty Images)

Richardson recently addressed the backlash she received from her professional appearance on Simply Be's 'Shaping Success' YouTube series.

The 'Naked Attraction' host, 52, claimed that Schwarzenegger, 76, groped her breast during their ITV series 'Big Screen' interview in 2000, while he was promoting his new movie, 'The Sixth Day.'

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2003, Richardson made the allegations while Schwarzenegger was vying for governor of California.

Several other women also came forward to accuse the actor of sexual misconduct, as per Daily Mail.



 

Anna Richardson's television career

The British TV host began her career in television as a journalist on Channel 4's most popular breakfast program, the 'Big Breakfast,' as per her official website.

She was chosen to front the cult series 'Love Bites' for ITV, over some of the most famous stars in British television because of her candid, down-to-earth personality.

The show went on to get recognition in the UK and the US with Richardson being nominated for an RTS Award at the age of 26.

She eventually began appearing on television, hosting a number of shows for the BBC and ITV, including ITV's premier entertainment show 'Big Screen,' where she met and spoke with many of Hollywood's top stars.

After a short while, Richardson returned to producing TV programs, creating, writing, and producing some of the most popular shows of the decade for major networks like the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel Five.

Anna Richardson is a mental health warrior

In her own words, "After finally resolving the anxiety issues that I suffered from for years, I decided to train as a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, so that I could bring my knowledge to the wider world and help people in the way that I myself had been helped."

"I believe passionately that everyone deserves immediate access to the support they need to improve their mental health. That's why I co-founded Mindbox, which offers affordable online access to the help you need, when you need it the most."

Richardson is one of the co-founders of Mindbox, a round-the-clock online treatment facility that focuses on assisting people with stress and anxiety.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Anna Richardson 💙 (@annarichardso)


 

Anna Richardson sued Arnold Schwarzenegger

Richardson originally made the allegations in an October 2, 2003, Los Angeles Times article that quoted six women who claimed the actor had previously touched them while Schwarzenegger was running for governor of California.

She told the newspaper at the time that although the actor had previously been "a perfect gentleman," the interview at the London's Dorchester Hotel "was quite different."

Richardson claimed, "He kept looking at my breasts, kept asking if I worked out. I went to shake his hand and he grabbed me onto his knee and he said, "Before you go, I want to know if your breasts are real."'

The TV presenter continued: "At that point, he circled my left nipple with his finger and he said, "Yes they are real."'


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Anna Richardson 💙 (@annarichardso)


 

Richardson, who was 29 at the time, claimed that she searched the room for support but nobody offered to help. She further claims that Schwarzenegger's team attempted to damage her reputation by implying that she was the one who caused his actions.

Multiple allegations and Arnold Schwarzenegger's response to them

Six women, including Richardson, also accused Schwarzenegger of illicit conduct. Two of those women permitted the Los Angeles Times to publicly identify them, giving the claims more weight and drawing attention to the problem.

The response from the Hollywood star was mostly disparaging. Schwarzenegger declined to hire an investigator to look into the allegations, calling them "old news," and instead dismissed them.

He apologized for having "behaved badly sometimes" and for doing certain acts that "were not right, which I thought were playful" in response to claims made by multiple women that the Hollywood star had touched them.

Sources claimed that Richardson considered suing him during this time because of his denial of her claims.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger (@schwarzenegger)


 

Anna Richardson lost her job for two years as the lawsuit consequence

Following the allegations, Richardson encountered serious personal and professional difficulties. She was jobless for almost two years, ended up in debt, and was forced to rely on benefits.

These accusations were brought to light again in 2003 after her comments to the Los Angeles Times, particularly when Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California.

The libel case was resolved out of court with Schwarzenegger and Richardson's attorneys said, "The parties are content to put this matter behind them and are pleased that this legal dispute has now been settled."

Richardson was able to return to the television business by working as a producer in the background before starting up again as a presenter.

She has hosted a number of Channel 4 programs, including 'Secret Eaters,' 'Supersize vs Superskinny,' and 'The Sex Education Show.'

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