Leona Lewis

[Perdita]

Leona Lewis has thanked fans for their supportive messages after she was assaulted at a book signing in London yesterday.

The singer, who was promoting her autobiography Dreams at a Waterstones store in Piccadilly, was left "shaken" when a man punched her in the face.

"Leona is obviously shocked after yesterday but is OK, she would like us to convey her thanks to you all for your kind messages and your support," a representative said in a statement.

Fans had been queueing outside the venue for over five hours to meet the 24-year-old, but were turned away following the incident.

According to The Sun, a man known only as "Peter" has been arrested and Lewis has told police that she intends to press charges.

The star was taken to London's Harley Street Hospital and checked for concussion but later released without bruising.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/...r-assault.html

[Chris_2k11]

The thing is though how will this have affected her in the long term? it'll have knocked her confidence (she was already shy) and she'll be very wary of doing events like this in the public now incase the same thing happens again.

[Perdita]

Singer Leona Lewis cancelled a visit to Germany today as she recovered from being punched in the head at a book signing for fans.

The 24-year-old had been due to fly out for a day-long promotional trip, but pulled out in the aftermath of the incident.

Former X Factor winner Leona had been signing copies of her autobiography at Waterstone's Piccadilly in London yesterday afternoon, when a man in the queue suddenly lashed out. She was left "shaken".

Police arrested a 29-year-old man at the scene.

Her spokesman said today: "Leona was due to go to Germany today for promo but that has now been cancelled."

He added: "Leona is obviously shocked after yesterday but is OK."

Rehearsals for her first major UK show are due to begin next week and it is understood Leona is planning to press ahead with them. She is due to play the Hackney Empire next month.

Leona was taken to see a doctor as a precaution after being struck, but needed no further treatment.

Witnesses said she had been happily signing for around 90 minutes when a man whose book she autographed suddenly punched her in the side of the head.

Leona said today that the experience was a "horrible shock".

In a statement she said: "Thank you so much for your support, it is truly overwhelming.

"Yesterday was a horrible shock and left me extremely hurt and upset. I'm very sorry to those I wasn't able to meet at the signing.

"Thank you again for all of the lovely messages. Love you all."

Waterstones said it took security at book signings "extremely seriously" and this was the first incident of its kind.

The firm added: "We would like to thank Leona for her professionalism and we are extremely sad that this event was ruined for her, and her fans, many of whom queued from the early hours of the morning to meet her."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21749217/

[sindydoll]

it might make her look better good grief has the girl never been punched before

[Perdita]

Probably not. I have never been punched either. It is not a laughing matter either, imo.

[.:SpIcYsPy:.]

Aww what did the poor girl ever do.. Flippin' idiot!

[Katy]

Bless her, and a fella as well, thats just wrong, men should never hit women, thats what i have always been told by my family. Shes never done anything to him!

Its really confidence breaking when you get floored by someone, and its painful too especially in the side of the head.

[Perdita]

THE bookstore attacker who smashed Leona Lewis in the face is a jealous X Factor REJECT, The Sun can reveal.
Brooding Peter Kowalczyk, 29, was yesterday said to have envied her for winning the ITV1 talent show - after he was turned down for it.

Dad Tomasz said as his son was last night sectioned under the Mental Health Act following Leona's terror at a book-signing: "He wants to be a singer.

"He went along and queued at X Factor. How far he got with it? Nowhere."

Kowalczyk spent five hours in line as Leona, 24, signed her autobiography in London - then allegedly gave the Bleeding Love singer a huge right hook.

She was led away in tears on Wednesday as minders pinned her attacker to the floor at Waterstone's in Piccadilly.

Cops arrested Kowalczyk. He was last night charged with assault and taken to a psychiatric hospital after he was immediately sectioned. Shattered Leona - sporting a massive bruise - was being comforted at her East London home by boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa and dad Joe, who flew back from Los Angeles.

A cop stood guard as plain-clothes colleagues took a statement from the ex-Pizza Hut waitress, who described the attack as a "horrible shock".

Neighbours at the grim block of flats where Kowalczyk lives in Southwark, South East London, described him as a tall, skinny loner.

One said: "His only visitors were his parents." The wannabe pop star's mum Victoria lives with his dad Tomasz in a smart Brixton terrace. They confirmed their only child had a history of health problems, describing him as "very sick"

He suffers from anaemia, which his parents said can affect his state of mind.

The NHS has been treating his psychological problems with weekly music therapy.

Asked if his son had mentioned Leona in the past, his father said: "That name came up along with many others. I can also think of Alesha Dixon."

But he denied his son - who tried to get on X Factor when auditions were held in London - was obsessed with Leona or Strictly Come Dancing's Alesha.

X Factor supremo Simon Cowell was among those who rang Leona after the attack.

A family source revealed after the singer scrapped a promotional trip to Germany: "She is petrified it could happen again. They could have a knife or acid next time. She never really had personal security because she never dreamed anything like this would happen.

"Now she wants a 24-hour security team with plain-clothed guards hidden in the crowd when she goes shopping or out with friends."



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0U4UgVjKA

[Meh]

When it happened I turned around to the wife and said "she's bleeding, love"

[lizann]

Leona Lewis found herself in the middle of a LA gun drama this week when a gang of hooligans ran towards her car as they fled the police during a high-speed chase. The star's security attempted to intervene and help police but Leona's manager Nicole Carson was thrown to the floor during the kafuffle.

"It was absolutely terrifying and Leona is still very shaken by what happened. It could have been so much worse," said a source. Leona had stopped at a Starbucks with her manager to pick up a coffee as she made her way to LAX airport. "Leona was in her parked car when the chase came to crash around her. Two police cars had blocked off this other car. Men jumped out and suddenly these thugs waving guns ran towards Leona," the witness added. The incident comes just a few months after the X Factor winner was assaulted by a fan during a book signing in London.