Legendary actress Susan Hampshire lost her phone and purse in a mugging on the London Underground this week.
The 87-year-old TV star, who has been in Monarch of the Glen, The Grand and The Royal in recent years, was a victim of the violent crime as she travelled on the transport network.
Susan, who has won three Emmy Awards, said: "I was mugged on the Underground the other day. I wish I’d put my money in my bra because I lost my phone and my purse."
The actress, born in London, did not disclose any further details about her ordeal but it mirrors several horrors reported in recent months. Violent crimes on the Tube has increased steadily since 2016, with 2023 being the worst year ever on record, new statistics show.
The number of crimes reported on the Tube between January and December 2023 hit a record 22,562. This was up a huge 52 per cent from the same period in 2022. Incidents have been reported as recently as last month when a man was seen holding a gun on an Elizabeth Line platform at Whitechapel.
Image:
Getty Images)Susan, who was also in classic drama The Forsyte Saga and sitcom Leaving, has had a difficult last decade or so. She cared for her second husband, theatre impresario Sir Eddie Kulukundis until his death in 2021. She had been married to the theatre impresario and philanthropist for 40 years.
She spoke briefly about her violent attack when she attended a Talking Pictures event in the capital this week. Daily Mail reports Susan appears in many films regularly shown on Talking Pictures, an independent archive film and television channel which dedicates itself to the greatest gems from movie history.
Susan's career began in 1947 when, aged just 10, she starred in The Woman in the Hall, directed by legendary Jack Lee. She quickly became a household name, enjoying huge success in the 1960s and 1970s for her work on both films and TV programmes, including several BBC miniseries, such as The Pallisters.