4 weeks ago
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EastEnders legend Sid Owen has managed to write off his £30k boat and scuppered his latest business venture in a drunken mishap.
The soap star, best known for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the long-running BBC show, had grand plans to host VIP tours along the stretch of the River Thames near his London home after investing in a second-hand pleasure cruiser.
Just days after purchasing the 33ft vessel named Rolling on the River with a pal, the actor crashed it into an overhanging tree.
Onlookers at a marina in West London have claimed Sid, 54, was drinking during a trip out on the water and lost control of the vessel.
The boat, which would be worth around £115,000 new, quickly took on water with Sid forced to abandon ship.
One witness told The Sun: 'The boat hit something, it looked like an overhanging tree, and there was an almighty banging noise.'
EastEnders legend Sid Owen has managed to write off his £30k boat and scuppered his latest business venture in a drunken mishap
The soap star had grand plans to host VIP tours along the stretch of the River Thames after investing in a second-hand pleasure cruiser
'Next thing the boat has run aground completely close to the river bank and someone was climbing out - I couldn't believe it when I realised who it was,' the witness continued.
'He's very recognisable, and I just knew him straight away as Ricky from EastEnders. It looked as though he'd had a few beers – and he didn't stick around to deal with it. He was quickly on his way!'
It's thought Sid and his business partner will face a large bill to remove their boat from the water before they rack up potential fines from the Environment Agency.
An Instagram account advertising the boat's VIP tours shows photos of the vessel's interiors and of it moored up at a marina with instructions to 'DM for prices and dates'.
A representative for Sid has been contacted by Daily Mail for comment.
Sid's acting career took off in 1988 when he joined EastEnders, before he first left in 2012, after his character broke up with Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).
Just days after purchasing the 33ft vessel named Rolling on the River, which boasts its own Instagram account, with a pal, the actor crashed it into an overhanging tree
He made a comeback for guest appearances in 2022 and 2023 after a whole decade away and reprised his role as the mechanic, before leaving screens again in 2023.
His last acting job aside from EastEnders was in the short film Angels And Cowboys, which premiered back in 2016.
He has made a number of reality TV appearances over the years on shows such as Celebrity MasterChef and Channel 4's Banged Up.
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