EastEnders actor arrested on set over ‘indecent assault’

EastEnders actor arrested on set on suspicion of assault and sexual assault

The alleged incident took place in Hertfordshire on the set of the BBC soap at Elstree, per the Sun.

Hertfordshire Police have since confirmed a man in his 50s was arrested after the report in Eldon Avenue, Borehamwood, on 7 May.

According to the police report, the man is accused of sexual assault and common assault against two victims.

It is believed the unnamed man tried to forcibly kiss another female cast member without her consent, to which the woman complained, resulting in the cameras stopping rolling.

Security had to intervene shortly after, causing the man to fight back. He was later removed from the set and detained by the Hertfordshire police.

The exact role the man played on the show is yet unknown.

A source told the Sun: "In all the years of filming EastEnders, nothing this dramatic has happened—with police turning up at the studios.

"Everyone was quite shaken up by it all. No one could quite believe what was happening.

"The main focus was the woman’s welfare, as she was clearly very distressed."

They went on to say that the situation started to get "very heated when the man squared up to the security staff as they tried to calm things."

"Eventually, he was questioned and taken away by police."

The insider explained how helpful everyone was and that the situation was handled very professionally: "Everyone involved in the production, including the cast and crew, acted very responsibly in an extremely difficult situation."

EastEnders has since released a statement, addressing the situation: "While we would never comment on individuals, EastEnders has on-site security and well-established procedures in place to safeguard the safety and welfare of everyone who works on the show," per Sky News.

It is believed the man was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and common assault against two separate people. The claim of common assault is thought to refer to his altercation with security shortly after he tried to forcibly kiss the female cast member.

While the investigation is still taking place, the individual remains on bail.