EastEnders Actress Ellie Dadd's Stalker Sentenced to Prison After Prolonged Harassment Campaign
Ellie Dadd, the 21-year-old actress who portrays Amy Mitchell on BBC One's long-running soap opera EastEnders, has seen her stalker jailed following a distressing multi-year ordeal. Cora Upple, also 21 and from Kent, received an 18-month prison sentence after admitting to breaching a restraining order at Maidstone Crown Court.
Years of Obsessive Behavior and Legal Breaches
The harassment began in 2024 when Upple started sending hundreds of obsessive social media messages to Dadd, developing an unhealthy fixation on both the actress and her television character. That same year, Upple was initially given a nine-month suspended sentence and a restraining order, but she deliberately violated those legal conditions by subsequently targeting Dadd's mother, Nicole Gibberd, on social media platforms.
Alban Brahimi, who prosecuted the case, explained the severity of the situation: 'The victim in this matter indirectly is Ellie Dadd, an actress on EastEnders, portraying Amy Mitchell. While she understands there was fan attraction, this fan became obsessive not just in her character but in herself as an individual.'
Brahimi further detailed the breaches: 'The defendant was made clear not to follow or tag Ellie Dadd or any family members. But there were two deliberate attempts after those conditions were imposed where she has followed the accounts of Nicola Gibberd.'
Extended Legal Protection and Emotional Impact
The court has extended Upple's restraining order until March 2031, providing Dadd with additional legal protection moving forward. Dadd, who joined the EastEnders cast in 2022, expressed feeling 'threatened' throughout the ordeal and repeatedly sought police intervention, desperately wanting the harassment to cease.
Dadd's character, Amy Mitchell—daughter of Jack Branning (played by Scott Maslen)—has herself faced significant challenges on screen, including mental health struggles and self-harm storylines. In recent plot developments, Amy was involved in a club crush incident at Peggy's and subsequently used a wheelchair while recovering from a fractured pelvis.
The role of Amy Mitchell was previously portrayed by Abbie Burke before Dadd assumed the character. In emotional scenes, Amy has experienced therapy sessions where she imagined her deceased mother Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) appearing beside her.
Broader Context and Industry Response
This case highlights the serious reality of celebrity stalking and the psychological toll it takes on victims. While Metro has reached out to Dadd's representatives for additional comment, the legal outcome demonstrates the judicial system's recognition of the severity of such harassment.
The sentencing serves as a reminder of the boundaries between appropriate fan engagement and dangerous obsession, particularly in the digital age where social media can facilitate unwanted contact. For public figures like Dadd, such experiences underscore the vulnerability that can accompany television fame.
