Bonnie Blue reportedly punched in the face at a Sheffield nightclub

Bonnie Blue’s UK tour descended into disorder in Sheffield after she was allegedly punched at a nightclub and became embroiled in a heated exchange with a critic who accused her of harming feminism.

Blue, whose real name is Tia Billinger, had been appearing at Onyx Nightclub in the early hours of Friday, September 19, as part of a series of freshers’ week events billed as “the wildest nights” for university students. The Derbyshire-born 22-year-old arrived at the venue at around 1 a.m., but within 40 minutes tensions reportedly escalated.

As per Wales Online, according to eyewitnesses, a woman standing in the crowd suddenly struck Blue in the face. “They turned to Bonnie, turned back to their friend, and then punched Bonnie square in the jaw,” one attendee told reporters. Video filmed inside and outside the club appeared to show security intervening, while South Yorkshire Police confirmed officers were called to the scene.

“At 1.22am today, we were called to reports of a disturbance at Onyx nightclub,” a police spokesperson said in a statement. “It is reported that a woman was assaulted at the nightclub, suffering no injuries. A woman was detained at the scene and later released. The incident has been filed pending further information coming to light.”

A post shared on TikTok also captured a confrontation between Blue and a woman with pink hair, who told her, “Do you know how many years you’ve set back feminism?” Blue replied, “I haven’t,” before calling on security to remove her, saying, “Get this fat f***er out of here.”

The exchange quickly spread online, with supporters of the attendee praising her for “standing up for herself,” while others questioned the feminist argument. One commenter wrote: “Please can someone explain to me how she has set feminism back? So many people are passionate about this and I don’t understand.”

Blue has previously defended herself against similar criticism, telling Newsweek earlier this year that she considers herself a feminist: “A lot of people say I actually bring women back 100 years, but I’m a clear example of a lady that’s taken full control of the body. This is, to a certain degree, what feminism has asked for.”

Despite its provocative branding, organisers of the tour have stressed that the events are music-focused. Promotional material on ticket site Skiddle stated: “No sexual behaviour is permitted inside the venue – respect others and enjoy the party the right way.”

It remains unclear whether Blue required medical treatment after the alleged assault. Her representatives have not commented publicly on the incident.