Actress Samantha Janus has won “substantial” damages from the Sunday Sport over a story headlined “Sam’s sex and drugs shame”.
Janus joined TV soap Eastenders in May this year as the character Ronnie Mitchell.
She sued the Sport over a July 22 article which claimed she had “coke fuelled threesomes” and took part in a “three hour drug fuelled lesbian orgy”.
The articled was illustrated by two topless photos of Janus taken by her then boyfriend Doug Harwood.
Her solicitor David Price said: “The truth is that, contrary to the article, at no time did the claimant and Mr Harwood have sexual relations in the presence of others, let alone indulge in a drug fuelled orgy of the kind described in the article.
“The claimant has not caused any embarrassment to the BBC and has never had sexual intercourse or any form of sexual relations with Mr Moore.”
He said that the topless photos were taken on a private occasion and not intended for publication.
He told the High Court: “I am pleased to tell your Lordship that the defendants are here today to apologise to the claimant for publishing the article.
“The defendants have agreed to pay the claimant a substantial sum in damages together with her legal costs. They have also undertaken not to repeat the allegations or republish the photographs.”
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