Biscuit company boss sacked for slapping Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten's bum at awards bash after she ‘gave him permission'
A BISCUIT company boss was sacked for slapping Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten's bum at an awards bash, a tribunal heard.
Steve Jones claimed the 40-year-old had given him permission for the on-stage slap.
Advertisement
3
A biscuit company boss was sacked for slapping Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten's bum at an awards bash
Credit: Splash News
3
Steve Jones, head of health and safety at McVitie's owner Pladis, claimed Gemma gave him permission for the slap
Credit: Linkedin
3
Along with Emmerdale, Gemma has appeared in Coronation Street and Holby City
Credit: Rex
But a colleague who later saw a video of the incident said it had upset her and referred to the #metoo movement.
Jones, who was head of health and safety at
An employment tribunal was told that the incident happened as he volunteered to go on stage to accept a gong won by the company.
It was being presented by an actress — not identified at the hearing — and Jones stood next to her and slapped her bottom.
Advertisement
read more on Gemma Oaten
The tribunal heard that although Jones had not asked for consent, he told her he had slapped another 'well-known woman's' bum on stage, so the actress said 'go for it'.
Hundreds of people had attended the International Safety Awards — organised by the British Safety Council — which took place at the InterContinental Hotel in London's Park Lane on June 7 last year.
A junior colleague of Jones who was at the event — but who did not see the slap — said she was shown a video of the incident and was upset by it.
Jones was reported to HR and had a disciplinary hearing the following month for 'physical conduct pertaining to sexual harassment'.
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
He said he had 'nothing to apologise' for and that even the actress 'felt it was appropriate in the context of the evening'.
But Jones was sacked over the 'wholly inappropriate' behaviour.
Huge Emmerdale star admits she was 'burned' after being snubbed from I'm A Celeb line-up following health battle
He was told that entering into a conversation with the presenter before receiving the award was 'ill-judged and had the potential to put any female presenter in a very uncomfortable position'.
Gemma, who was in Emmerdale from 2011 to 2015, was not interviewed on the matter.
Advertisement
But in a social media post the day after the bash, she told of the 'naughtiness' of the event and said she had a 'bloody good giggle'.
Jones had joined Pladia in 2001 as head of health, safety, environment and security.
He appealed against his sacking but it was dismissed.
He then took it to the tribunal, alleging unfair dismissal.
Advertisement
Jones said the views of the actress were 'highly relevant' and that she 'did not feel harassed, was not distressed, and made no complaint'.
But the central London tribunal found his conduct had upset colleagues and he was fairly dismissed.
The Sun had approached Gemma for comment.
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme -
Sun Club.
Advertisement
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
England football ace Millie Bright leaves fiancé & falls for married personal trainer ‘in a big way'
ENGLAND football ace Millie Bright has left her fiancé and fallen for a married personal trainer. The Lionesses defender, 31, pulled out of Euro 2025 this week — stating she was unable to 'give 100 per cent mentally or physically'. Advertisement 4 England football ace Millie Bright has left her fiancé and fallen for a married personal trainer Credit: PA 4 We can reveal Millie has split from husband-to-be Levi Crew and grown close to a fitness instructor - who The Sun is not naming Credit: Instagram 4 The move comes after the Chelsea captain's shock decision to quit England's Euro 2025 squad Credit: Alamy We can reveal she has It is understood he has now left his wife and is living at Chelsea captain Millie's luxury house. There is no suggestion either of them cheated on their partners. Pals said Advertisement READ MORE ON MILLIE BRIGHT Sources say she later struck up a friendship with the married dad, who we are not identifying. Earlier this year she split from Levi, and the trainer broke up with his wife 'out of the blue'. A source told The Sun: 'Millie's shock withdrawal from the England squad ahead of Euro 2025 left fans open-mouthed. 'She has always loved playing for her country, and spoke of her pride in doing so.' Advertisement Most read in Football Breaking They went on: 'She has fallen for this guy in a big way, and that has come with some big sacrifices. "The fall-out has been enormous, but Millie has fallen hook, line and sinker for her ideal man.' England Lionesses announce squad for Euro 2025 after THREE withdrawals Other sources close to Millie stressed her withdrawal was based purely on her need for an operation to fix a long-term injury. Millie and Levi shared a home in Surrey and their families were close. In December 2023, she announced their engagement on social media, Advertisement She has referred to Levi as her 'king' who was with her 'through thick and thin'. She even has a tattoo of his eye on her arm which has been shown prominently in official squad photos. But fans noticed she had removed any mention of him from her social media accounts and deleted the engagement post. Advertisement She said pulling out of the upcoming Euros in Switzerland 'was not an easy decision', adding: 'I just don't feel 100 per cent mentally or physically in a position to go on and compete in a tournament.' She aimed to 'get myself back in tip-top condition and just happy again, I think, all round, just feeling like myself'. England's first game is against much-fancied 4 Millie said pulling out of the upcoming Euros in Switzerland 'was not an easy decision' Credit: Getty Advertisement
The Irish Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
I tested budget slushie makers against £350 Ninja gadget – a £10 high street dupe is just as good & the kids'll love it
WHEN the sun comes out, so do the pleas from kids for ice creams, slushies and sugary summer treats. With school holidays around the corner and temperatures finally set to climb, frozen drinks become a household essential. Advertisement 9 The Sun's Lynsey Hope puts slushie makers to the test while Fabulous Food Editor Kirsty Spence has two great recipes Credit: Oliver Dixon But after concerns over Enter Ninja's Slushi. The sleek, high-end gadget went viral, with foodie influencers around the world showing off their bar-quality frozen cocktails and perfectly textured slushies. The hashtag #ninjaslushie has already racked up more than 15,000 TikTok videos. Advertisement read more on fabulous It has launched in the UK just in time for the sunshine. But at nearly £350, this machine is anything but cheap. So, is it worth the hype, or can budget-friendly versions deliver the chill for less? Lynsey Hope puts them to the test while Fabulous Food Editor Kirsty Spence has two great recipes. NINJA SLUSHIE FROZEN DRINKS MAKER, £349.99, THE first thing that hits you is the price – and then the size. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive This is a huge appliance and even getting it out of the box was a mission. 9 The Ninja Slushie Maker is huge but easy to use Credit: Oliver Dixon But it is very easy to use. Just add your ingredients to the plastic vessel and choose what type of drink you would like on the control panel. Mum shares genius hack to make slushies for your kids in seconds Unlike other slushie makers, this one doesn't need ice. The compressor in the machine cools the ingredients as it churns away. Advertisement Once your drink is ready, it will keep it cold for up to 12 hours. You do have to keep it running, though, and it is not silent. I was very impressed with the drinks that came out. The texture of the frozen cocktail was restaurant or bar quality, although you do have to select the right temperature. Even simple tropical fruit juice and cola came out as a perfect slushy for kids. Advertisement The recipe booklet was really helpful to get you started. Any drinks you add to the machine do need at least 5g of sugar per 100ml. If you want to make diet drinks you must add erythritol – a sweetener – which you can buy online or at supermarkets. It is £3.35 for 250g at Tesco. You also need lemon juice and salt but the instructions in the manual are easy to follow. Advertisement I loved it. The only downside is the size. You need a decent bit of counter space if you want it out all the time and as it is so big, it is hard to store. The main drinks vessel was also quite hard to clean by hand but it can go in the dishwasher. Rating: 4/5 CHILLFACTOR SLUSHY MAKER, £9.99, IF you only need a single serving, this is a great option and especially fun for kids. But it does require a bit of prep. Advertisement You have to put the cup in the freezer for eight to ten hours before you want to make your slushie. 9 Chillfactor slushie cup is especially fun for kids Credit: Oliver Dixon Then simply add a chilled drink of your choice until the cup becomes two-thirds full, screw the lid on and squeeze the cup. It was pretty easy to do, although my younger daughter did need a bit of help with this step as some of the liquid spilled over the top. Advertisement But this simple process freezes your drink into a thick, slushie texture in about a minute. The children were amazed by how easy it was and loved that they could do it themselves. 9 The cup freezes your drink into a thick, slushie texture in about a minute Credit: Oliver Dixon They thought they were getting a cafe-quality slushy at home and yet I could make it healthier, with fruit options and less sugar. Advertisement You cannot put the cup in the dishwasher, although it is easy to wash by hand. You really need to keep it in the freezer so it is always ready to go when you need it. I found it took up quite a lot of freezer space. The serving size is also limited. But if you don't want a bulky appliance and want something cheap, this is a fun and wallet-friendly alternative. Advertisement Rating: 4/5 LIVIVO ELECTRIC ICE CRUSHER, £39.99, MARGARITAS came out watery and the cola slushies were flat after adding a can of it and some ice. The steel blades did a great job of chopping up the ice. 9 The Livivo ice crusher didn't blend the drink too well Credit: Oliver Dixon Advertisement But the ice and liquid didn't really blend properly when I poured it out of the machine. It only took a minute, but I'd rather wait a bit longer and get something drinkable. None of it can go in the dishwasher, either, and it was a right faff to wash by hand. While quick and relatively compact to store, it is also very noisy to use. Advertisement It probably made around four small cups in one go. For nearly £40, I did not think much of it. Rating: 3/5 SLUSH PUPPIE SLUSHY MACHINE, £34.99, I ALWAYS wanted this as a child and now in my forties, I was still pretty excited to try it out. Advertisement Sadly, my childhood dreams were crushed and I was left disappointed. 9 The Slush Puppy slushie maker was nothing like you would get from a machine in a cafe Credit: Oliver Dixon All the slushies that came out of this were very watery and didn't have the blended, icy texture I had been hoping for. It was nothing like you would get from a machine in a cafe, or what I remember as a kid. Advertisement And it was pretty noisy to use, although it only took a minute or two to prepare as the plastic mixer quickly ground through the ice. There are two settings so you can have the ice fine or coarse. Both were too runny, leaving large uneven chunks in the drinks. It was easy to clean and relatively compact to store, especially compared to the Ninja. Advertisement Rating: 2/5 ANDREW JAMES ICE CRUSHER SLUSH MACHINE, £32.99, HERE is a super-quick and convenient way to make an icy drink. All you have to do is add ice to the compartment at the top and this is then crushed into the liquid in the main blending container at the simple press of a button. 9 The Andrew James slushie maker is cheap and simple but very average Credit: Oliver Dixon Advertisement Quick and easy to do but the quality of the drink wasn't a patch on those from the Ninja. They were on the watery side and lacked the thick, slushie-like texture. I tried adding shaved ice afterwards but it didn't blend in very well and spoilt my enjoyment. The kids still liked it. Having a slushie at home was a real winner, even though it wasn't perfectly blended. Advertisement Simple, wallet-friendly but very average. Rating: 3/5 LYNSEY'S VERDICT: IT'S A DRAW MOST of us don't have £350 to spend on a whopping great machine, or a place to store it. So while the Ninja was brilliant, the ChillFactor cup is fun for the kids and costs less than a tenner. Advertisement 9 Find out where Lynsey thinks you should spend your money Credit: Oliver Dixon It would make a great gift if you have lots of parties over the summer and it comes in a lovely range of colours. If the Ninja was cheaper it would definitely be a winner. But I had to knock a point off because it is so bulky and takes up so much room in my already jam-packed kitchen. Advertisement The bonus is that it can also make cocktails and frappes for the grown-ups, which would be difficult with the ChillFactor cup. If you spend a lot on these overall, it might be a worthy investment. Two iced coffees a week at £4 a go would cost you £416, so it might save money if you spend a lot on iced drinks out and about. But if all you are after is a bit of fun on a hot day, the ChillFactor is a brilliant and affordable option. Advertisement FROSE 9 A Forse mixes Sparkling Rosé, Martini Fiero, and lemon juice Credit: Paragon Brands Serves 1 YOU NEED: 60ml Martini Sparkling Rosé 15ml Martini Fiero 30ml water 30ml sugar syrup 30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice METHOD : Add the ingredients to the slushie machine until blended. Advertisement Garnish the drink with a dried grapefruit slice. Pina colada Serves 1 YOU NEED: 50ml Bacardi coconut rum 37.5ml Coco Real 37.5ml pineapple juice METHOD : Combine all ingredients in the machine and blend. Advertisement Serve in a highball glass, garnished with a pineapple wedge plus a 'cherry flag' – a cherry and orange slice on a cocktail stick. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Nothing's off limits in Love Island, says sex shop owner's son Blu as he reveals hopes of naughty Hideaway nights
LOVE ISLAND'S latest bombshell Blu Chegini says he's open to anything under the sheets – and reckons the steamy Hideaway might not even compare to his mum's sex shop. The cheeky singleton, whose mum runs a well-known adult store in Spain, reckons his upbringing makes him more than ready for what the villa throws at him. Advertisement 4 Blu Chegini is ready for what Love Island has to throw at him Credit: Instagram/@bluchegini 4 The businessman grew up in Spain where his mum runs a sex shop Credit: Instagram/@bluchegini 4 Blu says 'the fact I speak fluent Spanish comes in handy when it comes to flirting' Credit: Instagram/@bluchegini Asked what his parents thought about him potentially having sex on national TV, 'It's not something I probably would have gone and said, like, 'look, listen, what's going to happen?' 'Yes, it's something that we've been open with our whole lives, it doesn't mean I'm going in there like, 'I'm going to do that' whatever happens, happens. 'They're going to be supportive no matter what.' Advertisement READ MORE ON LOVE ISLAND Blu, who's already turning heads with his good looks and smooth charm, also hinted he's got high hopes for the villa's most infamous room. 'I'm keen to see what the Hideaway's got in store. See how it compares, mum's shop and the Hideaway.' So, which will come out on top? 'Probably my mum's shop, to be honest,' Blu told The Sun. Advertisement Most read in Love Island Exclusive 'They bring in some, like, I don't know… not the trashy stuff.' Blu's saucy background is already his claim to fame. Love rats & machete arrests: Love Island's most DRAMATIC launch ever?! Speaking to ITV, he revealed: 'My mum owns a sex shop in Spain, which everyone knows and is quite popular. 'Growing up as a kid I was laughed at for it, but little did people know that all their parents were buying stuff from there.' Advertisement But despite his racy roots, Blu insists he's a softie at heart and is looking for something real: 'Someone who's family orientated, has a lot of love to give and a lot of love to receive – personality goes a long way.' And when quizzed on whether Maya Jama would hire or fire him based on his flirting alone, Blu joked: 'She'd fire me – but I've got the charm to smooth things over with a girl. 'The fact I speak fluent Spanish comes in handy when it comes to flirting!' Businessman Blu will be swapping his wardrobe of smart suits for swimming trucks when he walks into the villa. Advertisement Blu is based in London and currently works as a construction project manager. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2023 with a Bsc Hons in Construction Project Management and works for a firm in the captial's swanky Fitzrovia. 4 Love Island Line up- Instagram Vid grabs, , Credit: Instagram Advertisement
