EastEnders star suspended following caution
Wednesday, 28 Mar 2007 17:00
Gus will be off our screens for a while
EastEnders actor Mohammed George, who plays Gus Smith in the show, has been suspended with immediate effect following a police caution.
George was arrested on suspicion of common assault earlier this year after a fracas with his girlfriend, Emma Archibald.
Now, following the caution, bosses of the BBC One show have moved to suspend the actor for two months.
A popular figure with viewers, the 24-year-old has fashioned an increasingly high-profile role since his introduction to the square in 2002.
The actor has since apologised to his girlfriend and cooperated with police, but executive producer Diederick Santer said George would be written out of the show in the short-term.
In a statement, the actor said he wished to apologise to both viewers and the BBC for bringing the show into disrepute.
EastEnders has a long history of run-ins with its stars, with actor Leslie Grantham among the most famous casualties after he was splashed over the newspapers exposing himself on the internet in 2004.
An undercover reporter heard him deride other cast members and also recount various fantasies using a webcam and a few months later he left the show.