In 2023, the UK government announced that the sharing of intimate images without consent would carry a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment. And it was largely down to the impact of Georgia Harrison’s 2022 trial against her ex Stephen Bear who, without her permission, posted a private video of them having sex. Bear, 35, was sentenced to 21 months in March 2023, but was released from prison in January 2024 after spending 10-and-a-half months in custody.
Now, former Love Island star Georgia is fronting an ITV show delving into the issues of image-based sexual abuse and deep fakes. Although she still struggles with her past experiences, Georgia, she exclusively tells OK!, is healing – but it’s been a long journey. At one point, she tells us, she was a “total mess”, she moved back into her mum’s and didn’t work for two years (“brands didn’t want to touch me”). Finally, the 30-year-old is in a good place, as she opens up exclusively about her boyfriend of eight months, City worker Jack Stacey, 32, who is her “best friend” and No1 fan....
Hi, Georgia! We hear you’re all loved-up...
Yes, I’m so happy! I met my boyfriend Jack last July. He works in the City and has absolutely no connection to the showbiz world. He takes it all with a pinch of salt – he’s not interested in fame, but he supports me. It doesn’t scare him. How would you describe your relationship? He’s my best friend. I’ve been through a lot but it all led to me meeting him. We don’t live together yet, but we’re talking about it. He’s my biggest supporter. I’ve never felt so safe. I’m sure he’s The One. This is it, now. I definitely want a family with Jack in the future.
How did you two meet?
On a dating app! I decided to set up lots of dates and go for it. He was the first person I met, in a pub in Hackney, and ended up being the last. We hit it off so much, I cancelled the rest.
You’ve launched a new docuseries Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit...
I’m so proud of it. Jack’s been so supportive, he’s so proud. At the start of our relationship, it took a while for me to trust him – that he wasn’t going to disappear and break my heart. I eventually let my walls down and allowed myself to sink into what’s become a beautiful relationship.
Did you ever imagine being an activist?
It was never my intention to become the poster girl for image abuse online. As a young girl I knew I wanted to help others, but maybe speaking about spirituality on Instagram! These things seem to come knocking on my door, but I’ll always do everything I can to help bring about change. Were there emotional moments during filming? The Labour Party conference, it felt like there was a real change in the way people are looking at deepfake pornography. Working with MP Jess Phillips, herself a victim of deepfake porn, felt like, “Wow, this is gaining momentum.”
Was it hard, seeing how widespread your video still is?
I still get messages about it, people send me clips. I could be at work, or having a roast with my nan, and have to act like it never happened – otherwise it affects me too much. Seeing in black and white just how many sites the video is still available on was tough. But that’s the reality.
What shocked you most while making the docuseries?
How much money the people behind these companies are making – and how unregulated they are. Some ‘nudify’ sites have 100 million users a month. That horrified me. Is this our society? Why should someone be driving around in a Ferrari because they’ve made technology that unclothes women without permission?
It sounds like it was quite a rollercoaster....
It was a whirlwind of emotions. I generally keep my own experiences in the back of my mind, so I was forced to face them. But I had such empowering moments, that energy inside of me that we’re onto something – people are listening. It was tough, but the reasons for doing it were worth it all.
Do you still get women messaging you about their experiences?
A few times a day. And not just image abuse – rape, domestic abuse... I always do my best to help but it takes a toll, so sometimes I won’t read DMs for days. When I do tackle them, it’s going to be a tough few hours. For a lot of women too... Exactly. It’s time to rip off the Band-Aid and attack this. I want to settle down and have kids. I want to do what I can to remove my video online and make it impossible for other women to have similar videos out there forever. If I don’t change things, I can say I tried.
You’ve said that your experience “almost broke you”...
It scares me to remember the person I was. I feel so sorry for that girl. I was a complete mess for at least six months. I’d go through stages of being OK, then have breakdowns in public, lock myself in my hotel room, sometimes for days, just crying and eating crap – reading through vicious comments. I was grieving a past version of myself. I didn’t return to the UK for almost six months, I couldn’t face it. It was a healing period.
