Luna
30-11-2005, 10:44
CORRIE star Antony Cotton had to be rescued by minders yesterday after he was targeted by anti-gay thugs.
Terrified Antony, 30, was surrounded by a gang of eight teenagers outside the TV studios.
The mob swore at him and yelled obscene names in a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse. They even made rude gestures and comments about his mum, Enid.
Antony - who plays the Street's gay factory worker Sean Tully - and is gay in real-life was forced to abandon his lunchtime shopping trip.
The actor phoned Corrie security on his mobile for help and two minders raced to his rescue. They took Antony back to the safety of the Manchester studios.
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An eye-witness said: "There's always genuine autograph hunters hanging about the studio gates but these lads looked like trouble. They homed in on poor Antony for whatever reason. They were like a pack of animals.
"It was awful what Antony went through and he was clearly upset. Their language was despicable. They seemed capable of anything judging from the tones of their voices - they were clearly strongly anti-gay.""
Anxious Street bosses took the decision to alert the police.
A Street spokeswoman said: "It is unfortunate that some very small-minded people were outside the studio gates and became involved in what we believe was an unsavoury but isolated incident."
Afterwards, plucky Antony managed to complete two scenes. Last night he was said to be "shaken". He won soap's Most Popular Newcomer Award, last month at London's Albert Hall.
Terrified Antony, 30, was surrounded by a gang of eight teenagers outside the TV studios.
The mob swore at him and yelled obscene names in a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse. They even made rude gestures and comments about his mum, Enid.
Antony - who plays the Street's gay factory worker Sean Tully - and is gay in real-life was forced to abandon his lunchtime shopping trip.
The actor phoned Corrie security on his mobile for help and two minders raced to his rescue. They took Antony back to the safety of the Manchester studios.
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An eye-witness said: "There's always genuine autograph hunters hanging about the studio gates but these lads looked like trouble. They homed in on poor Antony for whatever reason. They were like a pack of animals.
"It was awful what Antony went through and he was clearly upset. Their language was despicable. They seemed capable of anything judging from the tones of their voices - they were clearly strongly anti-gay.""
Anxious Street bosses took the decision to alert the police.
A Street spokeswoman said: "It is unfortunate that some very small-minded people were outside the studio gates and became involved in what we believe was an unsavoury but isolated incident."
Afterwards, plucky Antony managed to complete two scenes. Last night he was said to be "shaken". He won soap's Most Popular Newcomer Award, last month at London's Albert Hall.