EastEnders' Steve McFadden pleads guilty to speeding on moped

EastEnders star Steve McFadden has been fined £584 and given five points for speeding.

The 63-year-old actor — who plays Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap — pled guilty to driving his moped at 35 miles per hour in a 20mph zone on 7 October last year.

He was found guilty at a Single Justice Procedure at Bromley Magistrates' Court and was fined £440, as well as being ordered to pay £100 in costs and £44 in victim services surcharge.

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McFadden, who did not attend the hearing, also had five points added to his driving licence.

The soap star was caught by a police speed gun while riding his blue Piaggio Vespa scooter near his home in north London.

PC Jonathan Steinhof said in a statement that he stopped McFadden just after midday on a residential street after witnessing him cut through traffic.

He said: “I was stationary when I saw a blue Piaggio Vespa travelling along.

“The vehicle was overtaking other vehicles that appeared to be doing the speed limit.

“There is a video evidence relating to this incident.”

McFadden was given an 18-month driving ban in 1996 for drink-driving.

He was stopped at the wheel of his Rolls-Royce and tests showed he had 80mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The limit is 35mcg.

The actor has played Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap since 1990.

In Albert Square McFadden's character Phil recently found a body in the abandoned Argee Bhajee, and viewers were already aware that it belongs to Tina.

Evil Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) strangled her to death in December 2020 after she found out that he had abused and killed first wife Chantelle (Jessica Plummer).

EastEnders has changed its schedule this year, dodging a clash with ITV rival Coronation Street.

The BBC soap will now air four nights a week, Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm, putting it head-to-head with ITV's other soap opera Emmerdale, which is moving to a primetime slot of 7.30pm.

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ITV recently announced Corrie is being extended to three hour-long episodes airing at 8pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while Emmerdale is moving from 7pm to 7.30pm five nights a week.

EastEnders has suffered flagging ratings over the past two years. Head of Drama Piers Wenger blamed the coronavirus pandemic.

Watch: The latest soap news from Albert Square