Trouble plagued EastEnders star Dean Gaffney found himself in hot water again the other night when he was attacked in a nightclub by a fellow reveller. The 5ft 5in actor was repeatedly punched in the stomach by a 17 stone thug during a night out at London’s trendy Chinawhite nightspot.
Stars including actor Max Beasley looked on in horror as Dean, who earns £100,000 a year for his role as Robbie Jackson in the hit soap, was attacked apparently after an altercation over a girl. A bouncer rushed over to help and the attacker was thrown out of the club.
The actor, who had earlier attended the premier of Goodbye Charlie Bright starring his friend and former EastEnders actor Paul Nicholls, was back at work the following day but is said to be considering whether or not to press charges.
It is not the first time the father of two has been attacked during a night out. He and a friend were set upon by a group of drunken youths as they left an Essex nightclub in 1998.
In recent months he has also fallen foul of BBC bosses who came down hard on him following a string of stories about his womanising following the break-up of his long term relationship with Sara Burge – the mother of his twin daughters. Unauthorised personal appearances have also led to him being banned from the top soap for two months, something which will be a blow to his pocket, as the EastEnders cast are paid per episode.
Meanwhile, one of Dean’s former colleagues, Sid Owen, is following in the footsteps of another ex-EastEnders star, Martine McCutcheon, in setting his sights on a West End musical success. Like Martine, who is currently starring in the National Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady, Sid is to take to the stage in an adaptation of Billy Liar in the Autumn.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
