Why was this Eastenders star pulled from judging gay ‘porn idol’ competition?
Just hours before he was meant to take the stage an Eastenders star was pulled from judging a gay stripping competition.
Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning in Eastenders, was pegged as a guest judge at London’s G-A-Y for the Porn Idol competition on 23 July.
The 43-year-old was told by BBC bosses with just hours to go that it would be inappropriate for him to judge the competition.
According to the Mirror, a source said: “Jake had been booked for Porn Idol a while ago and was under the impression everything had been given the go-ahead.
“It wasn’t until the day of the event that he got wind the BBC had any issue with it at all. He had no choice but to pull out.”
According to the taboid, an insider at the soap said: “ EastEnders were not aware Jake was taking part in G-A-Y Porn idol until the day of the event.
“He thought it had been cleared through a booking agency but, unfortunately, it hadn’t and as everyone knows, EastEnders’ bosses are mindful of where their artists appear as it is a family show.
“It’s not the bosses, G-A-Y or Jake’s fault but the booking agency, which made a 10/10 balls-up.”
At the last minute, Wood was replaced by drag act Danny Beard.
If he had been booked to appear at G-A-Y in a few weeks, he would have been able to appear as he takes a six-month break.
EastEnders bosses were left fuming in March after actress Gillian Taylforth was announced as a judge for the same competition.
The actress made a shock return to EastEnders earlier this year, bringing her character Kathy Beale back from the dead in an anniversary week twist.
According to Heaven boss Jeremy Joseph, the BBC threatened to take legal actions over posters that stated: “Kathy Beale is not dead, she’s judging G-A-Y Porn Idol.”
