EastEnders and James Bond star Colin Salmon is regularly stalked and fears fanatics turning up at his £1.2million home, a court heard.
The actor, 64, attempted not to have his address given in open court ahead of a hearing in which he was spared a driving ban after being caught speeding at 24mph.
Before the hearing at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court in south-west London, Salmon’s lawyer, Sasha Laurel Jagroo, claimed he is the victim of stalkers.
She told how the movie star had been stalked before and that his family and home would be at risk if his address was published.
But magistrates dismissed the application after Salmon’s legal counsel failed to identify a specific case of stalking and was told to call the police if fans were ‘overstepping the mark’.
Ms Jagroo had told magistrates: ‘My application is there is no public interest and in fact it will be distressing to Mr Salmon and his family if his house number and address is revealed in open court.
‘Mr Salmon is regularly stalked. He is in EastEnders and he has been stalked before and his family and home is at great risk if his address is published.
‘He has had unwanted attention, been followed and pursued for interviews, particularly when he was appearing in the James Bond movies.’
EastEnders and James Bond star Colin Salmon says he is regularly stalked and fears fanatics turning up at his £1.2million home
Salmon asked for his address not to be read in court ahead of a hearing in which he was spared a driving ban after he told of caring for his ill wife Fiona Hawthorne and their daughter Sasha – the couple are seen at the Chain Of Hope Gala Ball in London in November 2018
Salmon is pictured her alongside Dame Judi Dench in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day
Following objections by the Daily Mail, reminding the bench of the importance of open justice and defendants fully identifying themselves in court, the application was dismissed.
Bench Chairman Mark Stollery announced: ‘The overriding principal is the public administration of justice. We have not heard anything that persuades us that revealing your address frustrates the administration of justice.
‘We have heard of the attention you must get from fans, the press, but that does not meet the threshold in our view.
‘If stalkers are overstepping the mark and go to your house it would be down to you to call the police.’
Magistrates lallowed Salmon to keep his driving licence despite multiple motoring offences, after explaining the family reasons he needed to remain on the road.
The actor wept while outlining detailing the serious health conditions of his artist wife Fiona Hawthorne and their daughter Sasha.
And magistrates ruled the star, born in Bethnal Green in east London, needed to continue driving them to medical appointments and honour his charitable commitments.
Father-of-four Salmon, who appeared in three 007 movies as MI6 Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson, pleaded guilty to driving his twenty-two year-old silver 1.3-litre Suzuki Wagon in excess of the 20mph limit in Old Oak Road, Acton, on March 31.
The court heard a speed camera captured him travelling at 24mph at 7.17am, not far from the £1.2million family home in nearby Shepherd’s Bush.
Salmon’s character in EastEnders since joining the soap in 2023 is ex-boxer George Knight, patriarch of the Knight family and co-owner of the Queen Vic pub
Salmon featured in three James Bond films with Pierce Brosnan in the starring role as 007, including 1999’s The World Is Not Enough (pictured)
He already had nine points for speeding on April 30 2023, jumping a red light on February 27 this year and driving without due care and attention on April 15.
Salmon has now been fined £666, with £130 costs, ordered to pay a £266 victim surcharge and received three more penalty points which usually trigger an automatic six-month disqualification.
Mr Stollery told him: ‘We note you are the main breadwinner and carer for your family and within the family, members have life-limiting conditions, including your wife and children, who all have varying medical conditions.’
Ruling Salmon and his family would suffer ‘exceptional hardship’ if he was disqualified, the magistrate added: ‘They rely on you abnormally compared to most families and we also note your charitable work and that takes up time and travel.’
Earlier, the Hollywood actor turned soap star, who appeared in Bond movies Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and ‘Die Another Day, told the court why he should keep his licence.
Salmon previously opened up about Fiona’s serious health condition earlier this year on Good Morning Britain, detailing her diagnosis with interstitial lung disease which left her dependent on an oxygen tank.
The main reason he abandoned his international acting career to take a £15,000-per-month role on BBC soap EastEnders was to ensure he was close to home in the event of any sudden emergencies.
He told the magistrates: ‘My wife fell ill while I was working in America, so I needed to stay home and in 2022 the opportunity came to join the cast of EastEnders and stay in London.
‘They don’t offer cars. You have got to get yourself to and from work – it is part of our contract that we are self-sufficient in relation to that.’
Salmon’s character in EastEnders is ex-boxer George Knight, patriarch of the Knight family and formerly co-owner of the Queen Vic pub.
