Nigella Lawson Commented On Author Salman Rushdie's Scary Attack

On Friday, August 12, The New York Times reported that author Salman Rushdie was attacked shortly after taking the stage at New York's Chautauqua Institution. The suspect is in custody after attacking an interviewer and stabbing Rushdie multiple times. Though he was alive following the attack, the Times reports that the writer was airlifted to a local hospital to undergo surgery; his condition is currently unknown as of this writing.

This wasn't the first time Rushdie has received a threat on his life. When he released his book "The Satanic Verses," Islamic leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini saw it as a direct attack on the country's religion and "called for his execution," which led to Rushdie spending 10 years "under police protection," as well as being banned from visiting his home country of India. The author was notably upset following the banning of his book, per The Guardian. "This is no way, Mr. Gandhi, for a free society to behave," he wrote to Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. "What sort of India do you wish to govern? Is it to be an open or a repressive society?" Rushdie's assailant's motive is currently unknown.

Cookbook writer and TV personality Nigella Lawson posted a statement on Twitter following the news of Salman Rushdie's attack on Friday afternoon. "Such shocking news of Salman Rushdie having been stabbed," she wrote. "This is horrific. [I] am distraught. Please, please let him be ok." Several comments rolled in expressing disbelief. "I've been to Chautauqua Institute...that is absolutely the last place I'd expect something like this to happen," one read. Another Twitter user wrote, "I'm really sorry, it's horrendous for his readers and even more so for his family and friends."

Lawson and Rushdie have been friends for many years, according to the Daily Mail. In fact, the "Cook Eat Repeat" author's kitchen was once stormed by M15 after she had invited Rushdie over for dinner. "Special Branch, who were protecting him, had to go and sit in my bedroom and wait there. When I was cooking, something went wrong with my oven and it kind of blew up," she said. "They all then stormed into the kitchen in an instant, so that probably is one of the worst blunders."

Here's hoping that Rushdie is able to make a full recovery.