Wade quizzed over alleged attack on husband

THE Sun's editor Rebekah Wade was questioned by police yesterday following an alleged attack on her EastEnders hardman husband Ross Kemp.

After eight hours questioning, 37-year-old Wade was released without charge.

Police were alerted to the couple's south London home in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Wade had met up with David Blunkett, following his resignation as Work and Pensions Secretary.

The pair are understood to have gone their separate ways in the early evening.

Kemp, 41, best known for his role as EastEnders hardman Grant Mitchell, which he recently reprised on the BBC1 soap, declined medical aid after sustaining a cut to the mouth.

Wade, who became the first female editor of The Sun in 2003, was arrested shortly after 4am at her home in Battersea and taken in for questioning to a south London police station.

Film crews and dozens of photographers gathered outside Wandsworth police station.

The Sun, which runs a campaign against domestic violence, was not commenting yesterday.

Wade had been due to attend the Women of the Year lunch at London's Guildhall.

Wade and Kemp first met at a golf tournament 10 years ago and married in a quiet Las Vegas ceremony in June 2002.

Wade started out in journalism at an architectural magazine in Paris, where she studied French.

She was snapped up by the News of the World's colour magazine in 1990 after a spell at tabloid daily The Post.

She rose to become the News of the World's deputy editor in 1995 and in 1998 took up the same role at its sister paper The Sun.

In May 2000, she was made editor at the News of the World.

During her tenure, the paper exposed Sophie Wessex's PR company for using its royal ties to win business and Prince Harry's run-in with drugs.

She also launched a campaign to name and shame Britain's paedophiles.

Kemp made his name in 1990 as burly EastEnders toughman Grant.

In 1999, he quit and moved to ITV in a two-year golden handcuffs deal worth a reported £1.2 million (€1.7m).

Kemp was lured back to EastEnders this year to make a three-week return with his screen brother Phil.

PR guru Max Clifford, a friend of Wade, said: "They have a very good marriage and have both been very successful.

"Rebekah does have a very strong personality.

"But she's not volatile, she just stands up for herself.