It has been claimed a ‘ring of steel’ formed around the cast of EastEnders at the National Television Awards on Wednesday because of a stalker.
Several soap stars including Jessie Wallace, Adam Woodyatt and Jacqueline Jossa attended the ceremony at 02 London.
But according to The sunThe group was harassed by an overzealous fan who was feared to be attending the ceremony.
Extra security was reportedly brought in to protect the stars while photographs of the stalker were distributed among staff so they knew who to look out for.
A source said: ‘Having so many celebrities in one place meant the O2 was already incredibly well-guarded, but the threat to the EastEnders cast meant extra measures were put in place.
It has been claimed that a stalker surrounded the cast of EastEnders at the National Television Awards on Wednesday (Jacqueline Jossa pictured)
The cast have been harassed by an overzealous fan who was feared to be attending the ceremony (Jessie Wallace pictured)
‘A picture of the alleged stalker was sent to staff so they knew who to look for.’
The stalker is said to have spammed EastEnders stars online to let them know they had secured a ticket to the NTAs and were looking forward to meeting the cast.
The cast were also reportedly holed up at the nearby Enderby House pub, where they all met up for a drink before the awards show.
The source added: “Bosses have to draw the line at some point and when the harasser made clear his plans to attend the event, something had to be done.”
Safety measures are already in place at NTAs where fans can purchase tickets to attend the red carpet.
MailOnline has contacted an EastEnders representative for comment.
Despite being nominated for multiple awards, the BBC show failed to pick up a single prize, with viewers claiming it had been “robbed”.
The show was competing for Best Drama Series, an award that controversially went to ITV’s Emmerdale.
Extra security was reportedly brought in to protect the stars while photos of the stalker were distributed among crew members so they knew who to look out for (Adam Woodyatt pictured).
The stalker is said to have spammed EastEnders stars online to let them know they had secured a ticket to the NTAs and were looking forward to meeting the cast (Bobby Brazier pictured).
The source added: “Bosses have to draw the line at some point and when the harasser made clear his plans to attend the event, something had to be done.”
Actress Angela Wynter was also in the running for Best Drama Series Performance by an Individual for her portrayal of Yolande Trueman, alongside co-star Diane Parish, who plays Denise Fox.
But both missed out – Coronation Street’s Peter Ash took home the award for his portrayal of Paul Foreman, following his character’s emotional journey with motor neurone disease (MND).
Ant and Dec were awarded Best Presenter for a record 23rd time as they led the night’s big winners.
While Ant and Dec continued their record-breaking winning streak, it was Mr Bates Vs The Post Office who were the big winners of the night, taking home three awards.
Toby Jones received the award for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series for his critically acclaimed performance in the series.
The cast were also reportedly sheltered at the nearby Enderby House pub, where they all met up for a drink before the awards show.
EastEnders failed to take home the award for best drama series that night, which was won by Emmerdale.
Despite being nominated for multiple awards, the BBC show failed to pick up a single prize, with viewers claiming it had been “robbed” (The Six pictured L-R; Stacey Slater, Suki Kaur Panesar, Linda Carter, Sharon Watts, Denise Fox and Kathy Beale)
In his speech, the actor congratulated real-life Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates after he married his long-term partner Susanne on Richard Branson’s private island at the weekend.
Despite a year plagued by scandals and controversies, Strictly Come Dancing took home the award for best talent show.
Amid fears for the show’s future following abuse allegations levelled at professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, the BBC show beat Britain’s Got Talent, The Great British Bake Off, Masterchef and The Voice to take home one of the night’s top prizes.
The NTAs are voted for by the public, and Strictly’s win is a clear sign that viewers continue to support the show as it prepares to return for its 20th series on Saturday night.
