Genevieve Chenneour, best known for her role as Clara Livingston in Season 3 of Netflix’s Bridgerton, is opening up about a harrowing real-life incident that left her physically and emotionally shaken.
During an emotional interview on This Morning, the 27-year-old actress recounted a terrifying phone theft that occurred on February 8 at a Joe & The Juice café in London’s Kensington neighborhood. What started as a casual outing quickly turned into a fight for safety—and survival.
“I had a sixth sense that something wasn’t right,” Chenneour recalled. “As a woman, you notice when something feels off. I only truly realized what happened once it was all unfolding.”
Security footage captured the moment her instincts kicked in. The video shows her chasing the thief, engaging in a physical confrontation that spilled out of the café and onto the street. The struggle lasted nearly five minutes.
“It just happened. I didn’t think. I just reacted,” she said. “At first, I thought this kind of reaction was normal—but the comments made me realize most people wouldn’t risk it.”
Chenneour credited her on-set fight training and rough-and-tumble childhood with brothers for preparing her for the moment. But nothing could have prepared her for the danger that followed—one of the suspects threatened to stab her multiple times.
“In my mind, it became life or death,” she said. “I remember kicking him just to create distance. I didn’t know if he had a weapon.”
She suffered a concussion and was left deeply shaken. The trauma lingered well after the incident ended.
“I didn’t want to go outside,” Chenneour admitted. “As a woman, we’re already cautious. This pushed me into real fear. I became scared to leave my home.”
One of the attackers, 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares, has since pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on June 17. Boulares previously served time for a separate violent crime involving singer Aled Jones.
However, the second suspect—the man Chenneour says threatened her life—will not face charges due to insufficient evidence.
“The man who threatened to stab me won’t go to court. He’s free,” she wrote in a candid Instagram Story. “But I believe karma will get him.”
Despite the trauma, she expressed gratitude for the café staff who supported her during and after the ordeal.
“They were amazing. I went back to thank them, and they were just so kind.”
Chenneour ended with a message broader than her personal experience.
“London is getting more dangerous, and we cannot accept this as normal,” she said. “I’m not just speaking for myself—I’m speaking for everyone who’s had enough.”
