Caprice Bourret has revealed she no longer feels safe in London, saying a surge in antisemitism has left her fearing for her family’s safety.
The Jewish former model and businesswoman, 53, has called the capital home for over 30 years but says the current climate has shaken her sense of security.
“It’s such a terrible time to be Jewish because of the hate we can and do receive,” she told MailOnline. “I don’t recognise this country anymore. Nobody should feel afraid or intimidated because of their religion. The whole concept is bizarre to me, but it’s happening right now.”
Bourret, who rose to fame in the 1990s as a lingerie model and fronted major campaigns for brands including Diet Coke and Pizza Hut, lives in West London with her husband, American financier Ty Comfort, and their 11-year-old sons, Jax and Jett.
She says recent events have forced her to make difficult choices to protect her children.
“I had to take the mezuzah down from my door,” she said, referring to the small decorative case containing Torah verses traditionally displayed on the doorposts of Jewish homes. “I was afraid for the safety of my children.”
Her fears echo growing concern across the UK Jewish community. According to the Community Security Trust (CST), the UK has seen record levels of antisemitic incidents in the past year, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023.
The CST recorded over 4,000 antisemitic incidents in 2023 — the highest number since records began — including verbal abuse, vandalism, and threats targeting visibly Jewish individuals, schools, and places of worship.
Despite the distressing climate, Bourret says the experience has brought her closer to her faith. “It’s made me closer to Judaism,” she said, “and the community a lot closer.”
Bourret is not alone in her concerns. Earlier this year, actress Dame Maureen Lipman warned that Jewish voices are increasingly being “frozen out” of British cultural life.
Speaking alongside other Jewish artists, she highlighted how performers have been excluded from festivals and events unless they publicly condemn the Israeli government — an expectation not placed on other faith or ethnic groups.
Lipman called this trend “institutional antisemitism hiding behind progressive values.”
