EastEnders star Shane Richie blamed “baiting” from paparazzi as he was banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding.

The 62-year-old actor, best known for playing Alfie Moon in the long-running soap, told a court he has been pursued daily by photographers because he is going through a “very public” divorce.

Richie claimed photographers have driven alongside him on the M25 to try to take pictures, tailed him on his drive to and from the EastEnders studios, and followed to his local supermarket.

And he told a magistrate that the press has been “constantly baiting me” for months in a bid to get an angry reaction on camera.

“This is not an excuse for going five miles over the limit, but just a reason why I may have sped up on that particular road,” he said, of the speeding offence.

He was caught on a camera driving his Ford at 35mph along Reigate Hill, a road which has a 30mph limit.

Richie – real name Shane Roche – pleaded guilty in writing and was sentenced last Wednesday by magistrate Sheila Hewitt to a six-month driving ban, a £500 fine, £120 in costs and a £200 victim surcharge.

The hearing at Guildford Magistrates’ Court took place in private, as the case was dealt with through the Single Justice Procedure.

Court records do not show how many penalty points the star already had on his licence, or whether he was offered the chance to argue against a driving disqualification.

In his note to the court, Richie wrote: “Firstly may I apologise for going 5 miles over the limit.

“I have lived in the Reigate area now for almost 20 years and over the past several months I’ve been followed from my place of work in Borehamwood (EastEnders) where I film sometimes 6 days a week by our British tabloid press…. to my home.”

He said he has been followed into Reigate and to the supermarket when he does his family weekly shop.

“On many occasions a photographer would try to drive alongside me to try to take my picture, either on the M25 or like I said into Reigate or Redhill”, he continued.

“It’s no secret now that I’m going through a very public divorce and for the last several months the British press have suspected this and have been constantly baiting me and almost always looking for a reaction from me to sell their newspapers.

“This is not an excuse for going five miles over the limit, but just a reason why I may have sped up on that particular road into Reigate.”

He finished the note by writing: “Genuinely hope you take this into consideration. Once again my apologies. Shane Richie (Roche).”

The actor, from Tadworth in Surrey, appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court earlier this month to face a drink-driving charge.

It is alleged he was driving a white Hyundai car in Church Langley Way, Harlow, Essex, while above the legal limit for alcohol on July 29.

A court heard he allegedly provided a breath sample of 65 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is above the legal limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol.

Richie denies the allegation and a trial is due to take place on November 17 2027 at the same court.

The actor and TV presenter, who came fourth on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020, has hosted a number of game shows, appeared in pantomimes and has been an EastEnders star since 2002.