Eastenders star Henry to stand trail for racially aggravated harassment

EastEnders actress Linda Henry is due to stand trial today accused of racially aggravated harassment outside a Jamie Oliver restaurant.

The 52-year-old, who plays barmaid Shirley Carter in the BBC soap, was charged following an incident near Jamie’s Italian in Greenwich, south east London, on September 14 last year.

She is accused of using threatening or abusive words that were likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and the alleged offence was said to have been racially aggravated, a court official said.

Henry, of Kelvington Road, south east London, who has been charged under her married name Valiris, will stand trial at Bexley Magistrates’ Court. She denies the allegation.

Henry, who has played feisty barmaid Shirley since 2006, is also known for her role as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama Bad Girls, which she starred in between 1999 and 2003.