Ring of steel thrown around EastEnders cast at NTAs after ‘concerning’ behaviour by a fan
And an iconic TV duo are at loggerheads over a potential reboot of their nineties hit
IT was a glittering night to celebrate the best of the small screen, but for one show, a dark shadow hung over the National Television Awards.
The EastEnders cast arrived at the ceremony on Wednesday having been plagued by a stalker, I can reveal.
A ring of steel was thrown around stars including Jessie Wallace, Adam Woodyatt and Jacqueline Jossa as they attended the annual events amid concerns for their safety.
Extra security was brought in and pictures of the suspect were distributed among the beefed-up detail to help keep the soap stars safe.
An NTA source said: “Having that many A-listers in one place meant the O2 was already incredibly well guarded but the threat to the EastEnders cast meant additional measures were put in place.
“An image of the suspected stalker was sent among staff so they knew who to look out for.”
The stalker, thought to be an overzealous fan, had spammed the BBC One soap’s stars online making it known that they had a ticket to the event and hoped to meet their idols.
We are not revealing more details about the encounters, but it was enough to raise concern for the Albert Square favourites.
They were also protected at the cast’s pre-drinks at nearby pub Enderby House, where they gathered before arriving at the ceremony en masse.
‘Draw the line’
My insider said: “EastEnders cast tread the line between being instantly recognisable household names and also living fairly normal lives.
“They get the Tube and train to work, do their own supermarket shops and can mostly go about their business with just the odd fan encounter or selfie request. But bosses have to draw the line somewhere and when the stalker made their plans clear to attend the event, something had to be done.”
Viewers are able to buy tickets to attend the NTA red carpet, which means careful safeguards are already in place.
Our soaps are watched by some 10million people every day — but it takes just one.
A big thank you to all awards staff who kept everybody safe –– and congratulations to all the winners.
Mark’s ciao for chow
THEY may be the hottest pair on TV but Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan are just like you and me.
As soon as they could, the duo ditched the glam to head home for a Chinese, sharing a snap of their noodles in bed with their dog Pip.
Michelle was beaten to the Drama Performance gong by Mr Bates Vs The Post Office’s Toby Jones.
So comfort food was a good call.
Say cheese, Celebrities
IT was a rare night out for telly’s daytime stars, who have to be up at the crack of dawn – and they definitely let their hair down.
This Morning’s gang were even reunited with former colleague Holly Willoughby.
Pictured here having a big group hug are Rochelle Humes, Holly, Davina McCall, TV Vet Dr Scott Miller and Alison Hammond.
They were joined by head of ITV Daytime Emma Gormley, Irish TV host Craig Doyle and Dermot O’Leary.
You’re Davin a laugh
DAVINA McCALL and Hannah Waddingham were loving it as they celebrated Davina’s big win with the Special Recognition Award, presented by Hannah.
The celebrity friends heaped praise on each other and cuddled up in front of the cameras.
Hannah gushed: “It was a total no-brainer to present it to Davina. This woman is a trailblazer and we’ve all followed her journey.
“She should have won Best Presenter 15million times.”
A surprised and over-the-moon Davina said: “It’s meant so much to get this award from Hannah. We were messaging yesterday and she didn’t say anything. Isn’t that mad?
“It means the world to me.”
What the Ek
MY deputy Flic grabbed a selfie with reality star Ekin-Su Culculoglu at the after-party.
But she wasn’t the only one cosying up to her.
Ekin sparked romance rumours with another Love Island alumni Joe Garratt, with the pair glued at the hip all night.
A partygoer said: “Ekin and Joe were inseparable all night, chatting and dancing together.”
Ekin-Su and Joe have been friends for years after hosting a podcast together.
She could do far worse – Joe is a top lad.
