Ex-fiance of Eastenders star Gillian Taylforth is 'shot in stomach outside Toby Carvery after confronting gangsters threatening to burn down her house'

The former fiancé of ex-EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth was shot in the stomach while confronting gangsters threatening to burn her house down, according to reports. 

Dave Fairbairn, 64, was shot at close range near a Toby Carvery car park in Enfield, North London, but the bullet missed his major organs. 

On Monday he was stable in hospital following surgery to have the bullet removed, The Sun reported. 

Ms Taylforth, 64, is said to be in shock following news of the shooting.  

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Dave Fairbairn and Gillian Taylforth are pictured together above on November 21, 2015

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The car park of the nearby Toby Carvery had been cordoned off after the shooting, which is said to have taken place in the woodland next to it

Fairbairn and Ms Taylforth have remained close despite calling off their wedding in December.  

Officers have been interviewing his neighbours following the shooting. 

One said police were 'asking about Dave', saying he was not in any trouble but officers could not reveal why they were asking about him. 

The car park of the nearby Toby Carvery had been cordoned off after the shooting, which is said to have taken place in the woodland next to it. 

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Ms Taylforth split from fiancé Fairbairn after six years together in late 2019 (pictured: The pair together in May 2015) 

Ms Taylforth split from fiancé Fairbairn after six years together in late 2019 after their relationship came under strain following a 'string of disagreements', reports at the time claimed. 

The pair were together since 2013 and Ms Taylforth, who is best known for playing Kathy Beale in EastEnders, also parted ways with Dave two years ago due to 'fiery rows' between the pair, but later rekindled their romance.

He had been was jailed in 2003 for 15 years for smuggling in what was at the time one of the UK’s biggest ecstasy importations.

Fairbairn was found guilty of plotting to import and supply Class A drugs along with three other accomplices at Bristol Crown Court.

It came after police discovered 839,500 ecstasy tablets worth an estimated £7.5million during a raid on a warehouse in Gloucestershire.

He tried to appeal the length of his sentence, but later dropped the case, and serve seven years before being released.

Ms Taylforth's relationship with him was her first following her split from her ex-partner of 23 years Geoff Knights. 

She shares two children with Knights, who tragically died of stomach cancer, aged 58, back in 2013. 

They had a stormy relationship but she once admitted in an interview 'It was really tough as you don’t just stop having feelings for someone'.

Before his death Knights had been accused of breaching an order which barred him from contacting her directly.

But he had been too hill to attend court after collapsing and being sent to hospital as doctors discovered his cancer.  

Ms Taylforth left EastEnders in 1988 and was cast as Jackie Pascoe-Webb in ITV's popular televised drama Footballers' Wives. 

She played the role for all five series, which made her the only cast member to appear in every series without taking a break.

In 2006, she played the role of Mandy Searle in Jane Hall and she also has appeared as a recurring panellist on ITV's Loose Women.  

She won a regular part in police drama The Bill playing playing Sergeant Nikki Wright in 2006 before leaving two years later. 

In January 2013, Taylforth became a housemate on the eleventh series of Celebrity Big Brother. She was the fourth person to be evicted after 15 days.