SPINELESS BBC bosses have waved shamed Jessie Wallace back on to the set of EastEnders — after she kneed a police officer in the privates.
In an astonishing move, they let off the actress — who plays wild Kat Slater — with little more than a slap on the wrist.
The star, 50, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday during an F-word rant in a drunken bust-up outside a nightclub.
But last night, a Beeb spokeswoman said: “Senior bosses have spoken to Jessie Wallace about the incident, and issued a clear warning that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable and Jessie has expressed her deep regret.”
The incident, which left the cop on his knees in agony, was the latest on a lengthy rap sheet which has seen Jessie, 50, repeatedly suspended for bringing the soap into disrepute during her 22-year tenure.
The Sun yesterday revealed shocking footage of her outburst — which saw her hauled to a police van by two policemen after she yelled abuse at a cop before kneeing him.
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She was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer — an offence which can carry up to 12-months behind bars.
But she was released after accepting a a conditional caution.
A witness revealed Jessie demanded “the biggest double brandy and coke you can find” just minutes before the assault.
Exclusive new footage shows her mystery partner being “thrown” out of a nightclub and marched away by cops.
Jessie and her man had downed beers and wine at a Madness gig in Thetford Forest, Suffolk before following locals to Bury St Edmunds to keep drinking.
Jessie entered late bar Verve at around 12.30am before moving to Flex nightclub at 1.30am.
They were inside for just 30 minutes before Jessie’s man was filmed being handled roughly by doormen as he was thrown out.
Jessie, who is 5ft 1in followed him four minutes later before “all hell broke loose” out on the street.
She told an officer trying to calm her down to “f*** off you fat c***” before she attacked him.
It is believed the man was released with a “community resolution”.
Insiders yesterday told The Sun how they had hoped the incident would end Jessie’s chequered career on the soap.
A source said: “Everyone on set thought she was gone this time — I mean, what will it take?
“She’s been turfed out of awards ceremonies and escorted home by bosses, repeatedly behaved abusively in public and in private, and regularly drinks herself into a total state in public.
“On top of that she has admitted taking hard drugs on several occasions and been told she needed to get herself clean before she could continue, and yet she’s constantly allowed to carry on as one of the best known faces on BBC1.
A second added: “It feels like one rule for some — another for Jessie.
Last night law and order campaigners and politicians called for stronger BBC sanctions — to send out a clear message to others.
Ex-Met Commander John O’Connor called the leniency “extremely worrying”.
He said “It can’t be good for the reputation of the show. She should be on her final warning.”
Former Met Det Chief Insp Mick Neville felt she should be suspended and made to apologise.
He said: “Just because she plays Kat Slater does not mean the BBC should encourage her to act like that.”
Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said as a public figure Wallace is supposed to be “setting an example to millions of impressionable youngsters”.
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Fellow Tory MP Andrew Bridgen called the BBC’s decision to allow her straight back to work “unreasonable”.
Jessie has yet to publicly acknowledge wrongdoing or apologise for her behaviour at the weekend.
By Simon Boyle
JESSIE’S time in Albert Square has been littered with humiliating and shameful incidents – many hurting the BBC soap’s reputation.
In 2020, her character, Kat Slater, was written out for two months for the actress to “sort herself out” while on suspension for allegedly boozing on set.
Two years earlier, she was booted out of the British Soap Awards before the ceremony started for being “too drunk” following a meltdown at the venue.
It was later claimed she had arrived at a pre-awards reception in Hackney, East London, already boozed-up and struggling to stand.
In January 2003, she was suspended from the soap for the first time, after several incidents including excessive hard partying.
Just weeks later she was arrested for drink driving in Chelmsford, Essex, and got a three-year road ban.
In 2007, Jessie admitted she had used drugs, but not since the birth of her daughter.
