Coronation Street’s Michael Le Vell vows to clear name after being arrested over child sex abuse
By Damien Gayle
Last updated at 9:54 AM on 6th October 2011
Allegations: Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in Coronation Street, has been arrested and questioned by police on suspicion of child sex abuse
Coronation Street favourite Michael Le Vell today vowed to clear his name after being arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a schoolgirl.
Le Vell, who plays mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap opera, was arrested at his £750,000 home in Hale, an upmarket suburb of Manchester, before being taken to a police station where he was held for questioning.
With his lawyer present, the 46-year-old actor – a married father of two – spent eight hours answering police questions after a teenage girl made a formal complaint.
He has been freed on bail until next month and is said to have gone into hiding to plan a vigorous defence with his lawyers.
Today the actor issued a statement in which he said: ‘I strenuously deny these allegations and will do everything in my power to prove my innocence.’
A source close to the case told the Sun that Le Vell – real name Michael Turner – had been ‘going through a private hell’ since finding out about the allegation.
‘These accusations have sent his head spinning,’ the source said, adding that Le Vell was determined to carry on working.
Le Vell is married to his childhood sweetheart Janette Beverley, an actress, with whom he has two children.
He joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley’s apprentice mechanic, through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor.
As love-rat Kevin, Le Vell has been involved in some of the Manchester-based soap’s most intense storylines, but has been known for at times taking a moral stance over his role.
He stunned Coronation Street bosses two years ago when he threatened to quit unless they put an end to Kevin’s passionate extra-marital affair with Molly Dobbs.
Childhood sweethearts: Michael Le Vell and his wife Janette at the Co-op annual masked charity ball. The couple have two children
Morals: Le Vell’s character, Kevin, had an on-screen affair with Molly Dobbs, played by Vicky Binns. He threatened to quit Coronation Street over the storyline
At the time, Sally, Kevin’s screen wife, was diagnosed with breast cancer and Le Vell told soap producers he would not play a character who showed ‘no remorse’ towards her.
A year earlier, Le Vell had also taken a strong moral stance towards raunchy photographs of his Coronation Street colleague Helen Flanaghan, who plays his on-screen daughter, Rosie.
He said he ‘felt perverted’ looking at the pictures, in which Miss Flanaghan wore just a basque and knickers. ‘I’ve known her since she was a small child,’ he said.
Le Vell featured prominently in last December’s live episode, the highlight of Corrie’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Police said: ‘A 46-year-old man from Hale has been arrested on suspicion of a historic sexual offence. He has been bailed pending further inquiries.’
‘Perverted’: Le Vell said he felt uncomfortable seeing these 2008 pictures of soap colleague Helen Flanaghan, who he has known since she was a child
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