TNT Sports presenter Orla Chennaoui has shared the shocking news that she was mugged in London earlier this month, just hours after hosting a prestigious university event with Hillary Clinton.
The 47-year-old cycling host, who played a central role in Discovery's coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, opened up about her turbulent week on social media.
Chennaoui had returned to Queen's University Belfast to host an anniversary dinner featuring the former US Secretary of State before the frightening incident unfolded.
She shared the distressing story with her 135,000 Instagram followers, revealing how quickly her week took a dramatic turn.
TNT Sports presenter Orla Chennaoui detailed the incident on social media
|The mugging happened the morning after the Clinton event as Chennaoui made her way to the station.
"Total cliché, hooded gent on a bike snatched it out of my hand," she told her followers.
The incident caused immediate panic for her loved ones, who heard her screaming before the line suddenly went dead and found themselves unable to reach her.
Despite the frightening ordeal, Chennaoui remained philosophical about the attack.
"But in the end could have been much worse, only a stolen, no bodily damage," she said, acknowledging that while losing her phone was distressing, she escaped without physical harm.
TNT Sports presenter Orla Chennaoui had met Hilary Clinton at an event hours before
|The Queen's University Belfast event proved to be a highlight before the week took its darker turn.
Clinton, who became chancellor of the university in 2020, used the occasion to announce an £8million bursaries fund designed to help more students access higher education.
For Chennaoui, the opportunity to host such a significant evening left her feeling "completely overwhelmed" by the honour.
The former First Lady and presidential candidate, now 78, has maintained strong ties with the Belfast institution since taking on the ceremonial role five years ago.
It was a career high that made the following day's events all the more jarring.
The week's misfortune didn't end there, however.
While doing crafts with her daughter, Chennaoui suffered a nasty cut that turned out to be far more serious than it first appeared.
"When I cut my finger while crafting with my daughter last week, turns out I'd slice to the bone and severed a tendon," she explained.
The surgeon wasted no time, deciding to operate immediately and skipping their lunch break to perform the emergency procedure.
"So in the same week that I was mugged, I was left with one inoperable hand," she reflected.
Despite everything, Chennaoui kept her spirits up: "Sometimes good stuff happens, sometimes bad, the universe isn't out to get you, it just is what it is."