11/08/2006

Coronation Street star arrested on drugs charge

Coronation Street actor Craig Charles has been arrested on possession of a class A drug, police have confirmed.

The 42-year-old star, who plays taxi driver Lloyd Mullaney in the soap, was suspended from the show in June, following the publication of photographs, which appeared to show him smoking crack cocaine, in the 'Daily Mirror'.

The photographs were allegedly taken as Charles travelled in a taxi from London to Manchester.

Charles has also been suspended from his job as a DJ on BBC Radio 6, where he presented a funk music show, over the allegations.

A spokesperson for Scotland Yard confirmed that Charles was arrested on Thursday morning and was later released on bail until a fate in September, pending further inquiries.

Craig shot to fame in BBC 2's cult sci-fi sitcom 'Red Dwarf', which began in 1988. Since then, he has presented the long-running show game show 'Robot Wars'. He joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2005.

(KMcA)

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