An extra on the set of EastEnders was reportedly arrested at Elstree Studios in May for an alleged assault of a woman.
The incident is said to have taken place on Wednesday, 7 May, when a woman complained that a fellow extra, a man in his 50s, had forcibly tried to kiss her, leaving her “very distressed”.
After the complaint was raised, security intervened, which led to a scuffle as the man tried to fight back. He was later removed from the set when police arrived and detained him.
The man was allegedly arrested on suspicion of sexual assault of the woman and of common assault against another person. The extra was reportedly released on bail while investigations continue.
A source told The Sun that the “dramatic” moment had left everyone who witnessed it “quite shaken”. The source added: “The main focus was the woman’s welfare, as she was clearly very distressed. Obviously, filming had to be stopped while the incident was dealt with by production managers and security.
“It got 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.”
It is understood that cameras did not capture the alleged assault, or if the scenes filmed on that day have aired on TV yet. According to The Sun, Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale on the soap, was one of the stars who was filming at the time.
Crew members were said to be grateful towards the show’s bosses for their “professionalism and understanding” in response to the incident and that “everyone involved in the production, including the cast and crew, acted very responsibly in an extremely difficult situation”.
A statement released by Hertfordshire Police said: “We can confirm we did receive a report of an incident that took place in Eldon Avenue, Borehamwood on Wednesday, May 7.
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“The suspect, a man aged in his 50s, was arrested on suspicion of common assault and sexual assault in relation to two victims. He is on police bail whilst enquiries continue.”
EastEnders said in a statement shared on Saturday: “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.”
