EastEnders fan blows £5,000 on shrine to Ben Mitchell — and wears a onesie emblazoned with the character’s face
Shaun Smith, 48, says Ben helped him come to terms with being gay
AN EASTENDERS superfan has blown £5,000 transforming his home in to a shrine to his favourite character — even wearing a onesie covered with pictures of his idol’s face.
Shaun Smith, 48, has decked out his flat in memorabilia of Albert Square favourite Ben Mitchell.
Shaun, from Basildon in Essex, thinks he could be the nation’s greatest soap fanatic after plastering his flat with hundreds of photographs of Ben, played by actor Harry Reid.
He has also splashed out on personalised mugs, Christmas decorations, diaries, bags, blankets, cushions, snow globes and a onesie and tracksuit emblazoned with his hero’s face.
Shaun says he idolises Ben because his storylines in EastEnders helped him to come to terms with being gay.
He hopes that one day he will meet his icon.
Shaun told The Sun: “I did not watch EastEnders until Ben came in to it in 2014 and I can just really relate to his character.
I am not a stalker or anything. I just get a real buzz out of collecting things
“He went through a really difficult time coming out to Phil and had to deal with people turning against him. I went through something similar.”
Shaun has spent about £5,000 on his collection.
He said: “I don’t feel like I have wasted the money because I have spent it on something that has made me very happy.
“I am not a stalker or anything. I just get a real buzz out of collecting things.
My partner thinks Ben is attractive but I don’t see it like that. To me he is just a real inspiration
“I watch every episode of EastEnders very carefully and then freeze the programme on iPlayer to take screen grabs of Ben that I can use for my photographs. I love finding new pictures that I can use.
“I think I might be Britain’s biggest collector — I love going on websites and thinking about what I can personalise.”
Shaun, a former chef, says his favourite items are a 5ft 11in cardboard cut-out of Ben, his personalised onesie and his tracksuit — which is covered with pictures of Ben’s face.
He is regularly spotted in the unique kit, shopping in Basildon town centre.
He said: “My partner bought me the tracksuit. He thinks that Ben is very attractive but I don’t see it like that. To me he is just a real inspiration.”
Shaun said he dreams of one day meeting Harry Reid.
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He said: “I have never written him any fan-mail because I am just too shy.
“I think if I met him I would be really shy at first. But then I would just want to shake his hand and thank him for inspiring me.”
When asked what he thought Harry would think of his flat he said: “Hopefully he would like it.”
Actor Harry Reid, 24, first appeared in EastEnders in July 2014 as Phil Mitchell’s son, Ben.