EastEnders actor arrested over sex assault allegation

EastEnders actor Joshua Pascoe has been arrested by police over a sex assault allegation.

The Sun newspaper reports that the actor, who plays troubled teenager Ben Mitchell in the BBC One soap, was arrested earlier this week and subsequently bailed in connection with an alleged sexual assault. The 16-year-old will return to a North London police station on 31st July.

The actor is currently at the centre of a big storyline for the soap as the killer of Heather Trott. Pascoe is the fourth actor to play Ben after replacing Charlie Jones in 2010. It is just another in a list of recent incidents concerning young cast in the BBC ‘flagship’ saga.

EastEnders is produced at the BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood, North London. It is believed the allegations leading to the arrest are not connected with the studios or any events on BBC grounds. The beeb have not made any comment on the situation with Pascoe as yet, nor have they addressed the future of the character while the investigation is on-going however it is likely that the actor will not be performing as Ben in any new scenes for the foreseeable future.

In 2010 the BBC announced Pascoe in the role of Ben, noting at the time: ‘Walford will soon welcome new young actor Joshua Pascoe playing Ben Mitchell when he returns to the Square later this year. Ben’s return is set to stir up old animosity between the Beale and Mitchell clan as he tries to readjust to life on the outside having spent 6 months in a juvenile detention centre. Ben finds himself once again caught in the middle  between  his brother, Ian  and his dad, Phil with Jane and Shirley coming together to try to help Ben.’

“I was so excited when I got the call to say I’d got the part of Ben Mitchell. I never thought I’d get onto a show as big as EastEnders. I’ve always watched the programme and it will be great to work with fantastic actors such as Steve McFadden and Linda Henry. I’m really looking forward to this fantastic opportunity and making the role of Ben my own.” – Joshua Pascoe speaking in 2010