Coronation Street star Simon Gregson was quizzed in the back of a police van close to Aintree Racecourse on Grand National day.
The actor, who is best known for playing Steve McDonald on the ITV cobbles, was spoken to by officers after sampling the hospitality package with various other celebrities at Ladies Day on Friday (April 8), reports the Sunday Mirror.
The 47-year-old had been pictured drinking Guinness in one of the racecourse’s luxury suites earlier that day, and rubbing shoulders with Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall and her former rugby player hubby Mike at the races.
Other snaps showed Simon hanging out with former football star Dion Dublin, comedian Jason Manford and Olympian Kelly Sotherton.
What followed was police confirming they were investigating reports of an “altercation” between two men at a Toby Carvery pub – The Rocking Horse – on Friday night.
(Image: mirrorpix.com)
Speaking to The Mirror, a source said: “There was a bust-up and bouncers kicked him out – they pinned him to the ground before the police arrived. He was taken to the police van and spoken to for some time. It was all very messy.”
A police spokesperson added: “We can confirm Merseyside Police were in attendance at the Rocking Horse pub on Grand National Avenue, Aintree.
(Image: ITV)
“At around 9.20pm we received a report two men were involved in an altercation inside the pub. No injuries were reported and the victim declined to make a formal complaint to police. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Just days before, the actor was reportedly asked to leave a club at his on-screen daughter Alexandra Mardell’s leaving party for Corrie after he allegedly whipped his shirt off and began dancing on furniture while verbally abusing the staff.
Simon has been open about his struggles with alcohol and drugs in the past, admitting he went “completely wild” when he was younger and dealing with being catapulted to fame on the cobbles.
He admitted to The Mirror in 2014: “The cocaine use came hand in hand with the alcohol abuse. I started smoking marijuana first.
“Reality wasn’t too great so this alternative reality with the use of substances was a better place to be. It was an experimentation at first and I could afford it.”
The I’m A Celeb star subsequently decided to carry on drinking in 2020 – despite admitting to fans online that he had “made a fool” of himself and considered the “health implications of such debauchery”.
In 2020 he even defended Dominic Cummings’ trip to Barnard Castle to ‘test his eyesight’ in an expletive-filled rant – before admitting he had been drunk at the time.
He wrote: “This discussion gives me the s**ts. Family first ALWAYS. Regardless,’ he wrote.
“People have crawled through s**t , gun fire, climbing over dead friends to be with. Put your bullst away dick Ed’s [heads] coz you’d do the same. Plus back off press 2 Mtrs k**b sucks.”
He later distanced himself from the comments by explaining: “Well sober me has no idea what drunk me was going on about. Time to maybe step away from the phone.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
