Countdown star Rachel Riley whose lawyer is preparing to take legal action after she received 'horrendous abuse' online
Rachel Riley and Tracey Ann Oberman threaten legal action against up to 70 ‘mainly Labour supporters’ for harassment and defamation on Twitter
Countdown co-presenter Rachel Riley and former EastEnders actor Tracy Ann Oberman have threatened legal action against Twitter users who are alleged to have targeted and harassed them online.
Riley has said she suffered ‘horrendous abuse’ and has repeatedly clashed with Labour supporters, particularly over Jeremy Corbyn‘s handling of anti-Semitism allegations within party ranks.
Her lawyer on Thursday said he was preparing to take potential action against up to 70 people for alleged libel or harassment of Riley and Oberman.
Riley said: ‘I have been advised by my solicitor that it would be inappropriate to make any comment.
‘He is instructed to take such action as necessary in response to the horrendous abuse, libel and harassment that I have been subjected to.’
Lawyer Mark Lewis said he was contacting ‘between 60 and 70 people’ who are ‘almost exclusively Labour supporters’.
He said: ‘I have been instructed by Rachel Riley and Tracy Ann Oberman to take action to enforce libel and harassment laws against people who have libelled and/or harassed them.’
Both have been left ‘quite clearly distressed’ by the comments, he added.
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Rachel Riley’s lawyer said he was looking into suing up to 70 people for alleged libel or harassment of the Countdown presenter and former EastEnders actor Tracy Ann Oberman (pictured)
Mr Corbyn this week reiterated that fighting anti-Semitism was an ‘absolute priority’, adding: ‘We are utterly determined to root out anti-Semitism from Party and our society.’
Countdown star Riley was given extra protection on the programme in January after her criticism Corbyn over his response to anti-Semitism resulted in her being threatened by his supporters.