Stephanie Beacham feared intruder would kill her in terrifying burglary

Watch: Stephanie Beacham opens up about her burglary experience

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Actor Stephanie Beacham thought she was going to die when a burglar broke into her home and threatened her with a crowbar.

The Dynasty star laughed off the terrifying ordeal as she opened up about her experience for the first time on the Good Morning Britain sofa. Beacham, 76, recalled the burglar's "corny dialogue" as she revealed she channelled Jodie Foster's character in the thriller Panic Room in a bid to defend herself from the home intruder.

What, how, and why?

The Coronation Street star was home alone in October 2022 in her house in West London on a Sunday afternoon when serial burglar David Wilson broke in and demanded she hand over her money and jewellery.

Speaking about the raid on her home for the first time on GMB, Beacham told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley that she hid in the bathroom, brandishing a sponge on a stick in desperation. When they commended her for being able to joke about the incident she said: "You've got to."

Beacham laughed: "It was completely terrible and when I look back at it now the dialogue was so corny! It was Sunday afternoon... luckily I was dressed for gardening which meant I had a really dodgy jumper on, no jewellery and probably didn't look much like 'moi'.

"I heard a noise downstairs and thought, 'there's nobody [home] — must be an assistant', and I said 'Hello?' and I looked over the banister and there he was, [with] the most frightening face with a nice big crowbar.

"He did have the opportunity to run for the front door but he didn't. He leapt up the stairs and then there it was — [holding a] crowbar over my head.

"And then the corny dialogue. 'Give me your money! Give me your jewellery! Don't look at me! I wish you weren't here!' And I thought 'I think I'm going to die.'"

Beacham went on: "I was an absolute wimp, total wimp. I gave him my money. He said, 'What's in that handbag — Valentino handbag that was in there?' I said 'Nothing, look.' I gave him everything."

The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant revealed the burglar then told her to lock herself in the bathroom. She said: "I didn't need telling twice. I got in there and locked the door. I thought, 'You've been such a wimp. You haven't got a phone because you dropped it. The other phone is in the other room. What would Jodie Foster do? In the Panic Room.

"And this is how stupid I am, I picked up a sponge on a plastic handle, a wobbly sponge! And I was standing on the other side of the door with a plastic handled sponge. I wasn't very clear what I was going to do."

Beacham told how she eventually heard the intruder leave and she let herself out and called for help. She said: "Later when I was giving a report I said, 'I feel almost sorry for him.' And the policeman was incredibly cross with me and he said, 'I heard your 999 call. You thought you were going to die.' "

'Career burglar' Wilson was jailed for a total of 10 years and five months after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary over the raid.

The actor said she had not talked about it since as she had wanted to move on.

What else happened on Good Morning Britain?

Beacham also discussed her role in upcoming film Forever Young with Diana Quick, a sci-fi drama about an older woman who is given a chance to become young again thanks to a secret formula. Beacham's character undergoes botched cosmetic surgery.

The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant admitted she had considered cosmetic enhancement but insisted her looks were down to good health and genetics. She admitted: "It is the sort of thing that every woman does have a little look at. And I know what I've decided I will just try and keep myself as good and healthy as I can." She added, holding her hands to camera: "But what is the point when your hands look wretchedly old?"

Some GMB viewers were skeptical that Beacham's appearance is completely natural. One wrote on social media platform X: "Is she seriously trying to tell us she hasn’t had surgery??#GMB" Another asked: "Good genes ? Does that include fillers and botox Steph jeeze you've got to #GMB" And a third said: "Stephanie Beacham seriously on #GMB trying to convince us all that she’s never had any work done?!"

Good Morning Britain airs on ITV from 6am-9am from Monday to Friday.

Read more: Stephanie Beacham

• Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham struggled learning lines after ‘terrifying’ raid (PA, 5 min read)

• Stephanie Beacham ‘confronted by hammer-wielding burglar in break-in' (BANG Showbiz, 2 min read)

• Stephanie Beacham 'no longer feels safe' in her own home after an armed raid (BANG Showbiz, 1 min read)