Ex-EastEnders star Sid Owen mocked by passengers after being booted off flight for bust-up

Sid Owen’s holiday came to an unsavoury end when he was ejected from his flight home from Dubai.

According to eyewitnesses (reported by the Sun), the former EastEnders star, 46, was removed from the plane heading back to the UK after a skirmish broke out between him and a passenger.

‘We were at the gate when he came storming up the aisle shouting at a male steward, ‘Someone’s just slapped me’. He was extremely red, gesticulating and agitated,’ one passenger recalled.

‘Apparently, the guy in front of him had reclined his seat and Sid Owen had objected. Then it turned into handbags.

‘Everyone recognised him and was fed up at this little spat delaying us. We learned later that a steward offered to sit the two them at opposite ends of the plane but they were so indignant they refused.’

The Dubai to Heathrow British Airways flight was thrown into disrepute when Sid complained about the person in front of him reclined his seat too far into the actor’s personal space. When he asked him to cut it out he reportedly got a slap which led to a heated encounter.

The flight was delayed an hour before the two men were escorted off the aircraft, but not before other passengers heckled the famous EastEnders actor that played Ricky Butcher in the BBC soap between 1988 and 2012.

People, according to the paper, say he had his famous phrase ‘Ricccckkkaaaay!’ shouted his way as he was unceremoniously removed from the plane and being made to wait for the nest one.

Sid was famed for appearing alongside on-screen other half Bianca (played by Patsy Palmer) who was synonymous for shouting his name, which became something of a catchphrase in ’90s pop culture.

Read more:

This week’s DIY SOS was emotional as show helped officer injured in Westminster terror attack
Dustin Lance Black hits out at Katie Hopkins surrogate baby joke
Jake Quickenden will still compete in Dancing on Ice final despite injury