EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth’s ex shot in stomach after confronting gangsters who threatened to burn down her house
THE ex-fiancé of EastEnder Gillian Taylforth has been shot in the stomach as he confronted gangsters threatening to burn down her house.
Dave Fairbairn, currently on police bail over an alleged cannabis factory at his home, has recently told friends of death threats aimed at both him and the actress.
One said: “There have been people warning Dave they’ll go after Gillian and burn down her home to get to him.
“Dave wanted it sorted out at a meeting on Sunday evening.
“There were raised voices, an argument and then the gun went off. He’s been a very lucky boy.
Fairbairn, 64, was shot at close range in Enfield, North London.
He had a lucky escape as the bullet missed major organs.
Fairbairn was stable in hospital on Monday after surgery to remove the bullet.
Gillian, also 64, was said to be in shock after being told of the shooting.
They called off their wedding in December but have remained close.
Police allegedly found 1,000 cannabis plants at his home in Arrington, Cambs, in April.
The car park of the Toby Carvery was cordoned off. The shooting is said to have been in woodland next to the car park at around 7pm.
Police have been interviewing Fairbairn’s neighbours.
One said: “They were asking about Dave.
“They said he wasn’t in any trouble but couldn’t tell us why they were asking about him.
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“We know he was in trouble in April with the drugs bust.
“Not long after he was knocking on people’s doors explaining everything was a big misunderstanding.
“If you live round here you know not to bother him. You really don’t want to mix in his circles.”
Kath a TV soaperstar
GILLIAN Taylforth became one of TV’s biggest stars after she landed the role of Kathy Beale in the 1985 launch of BBC soap EastEnders.
She left the show in 2000 — before returning to play Kathy again in 2015. She also starred in Footballers’ Wives, The Bill and Hollyoaks. In 1994 she lost a libel case against The Sun.
It was over a story revealing police had caught her performing a sex act on her then fiancé Geoff Knights in their Range Rover on an A1 slip road.
Gillian, who had two children with Knights, claimed she was soothing his stomach to ease abdominal pain. The couple split in 2009. He died of cancer in 2013.
Gillian first dated Fairbairn in 2017 but they split. They got back together soon after, only to call off their engagement last December after a series of disagreements.
She partnered Anton Du Beke in Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 but was voted off in week two.
It was later revealed she had torn knee ligaments in training but chose to carry on dancing.
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