Luisa Zissman reveals terrifying moment she and kids were ‘forced to retreat to Dubai basement’ amid missile attack
THE Apprentice star Luisa Zissman was forced to improvise to keep her kids entertained as they took shelter during missile strikes on their adopted home in Dubai.
The podcaster, 38, is one of many celebrities who relocated to UAE and was caught up in the terrifying Iranian missile strikes in Dubai this weekend.
Luisa spoke of how the family had planned to head out to the park when the Iranian missiles started hitting Dubai, so they retreated to the basement to stay safe.
She and two of her daughters, Indigo Esme, nine and Clementine, seven, moved earlier this year to join her millionaire husband Andrew Collins.
Her eldest daughter Dixie, 15, with ex-husband Olivier Zissman, is staying in the UK to finish her schooling.
Luisa described the situation in Dubai as “surreal and scary” and showed how she was keeping her kids distracted, including doing baking and watching.
“Home baked bread rolls. Keeping the kids entertained and indoors,” she captioned a post on Instagram.
“We got itchy feet and went to take them to the park and literally as we went to step foot out the door we heard two massive explosions that shook the house, we retreated and then heard another two. So now movie time in the basement.”
Luisa concluded: “So surreal and scary. I do faith that UAE defence will keep us all safe.”
She also showed fans how she had set up her basement to take shelter, including setting up some sleeping space for friends who were going to stay with them.
“We’ve decided to try and carry on as normal for the moment,” she explained, then showed how she’d stocked up the basement mini fridge with bottles of water though she was, “sure it won’t come to that.”
“Nothing major has happened, everything is relatively fine… when you’re here, it’s not so bad.”
Before retreating to the basement and as the missile strikes began, Luisa had thanked her fans for their concern.
“Lots of messages re Dubai,” she penned on her Instagram stories, alongside a selfie.
She added: “Lots of bangs we are hearing. Stay safe fellow UAE gang.”
Iran launched a barrage of rockets at nations across the Middle East after vowing revenge for the US and Israel’s huge blitz on the regime.
As the United Arab Emirate’s top holiday hot spot, Dubai has become a sought after travel destination for celebrities and influencers.
In more recent times, stars from the United Kingdom have been emigrating there, with many Brit celebs choosing Dubai as the place they want to bring up their families and base their careers.
Famous holidaymakers such as Vicky Pattison and Laura Anderson are currently stuck in Dubai amid the missile strikes.
Vicky was connecting through the city on her way to Australia with her husband Ercan.
But taking to Instagram on Saturday evening, she wrote: “Ercan and I were due to fly to Sydney this evening.
“But like many others, our flight has been cancelled and we are now effectively stuck in Dubai.”