Derek Martin, an EastEnders actor, boasted about committing a crime and then lying about it on the stand at the Old Bailey when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind.
Photo: ITV
The 77-year-old, who plays Charlie Slater in the BBC soap opera, admitted stealing £10,000 of meat in 1961 – equivalent to £150,000 today.
Chuckling while recalling his trial at the Old Bailey, the veteran actor said his only regret was that he didn't end up with the goods.
He was working at Smithfield meat market in London when he stole the beef, he told the prime time audience.
As Mr Martin sat in the famous chair to answer general knowledge questions, presenter John Humphrys asked him about his crime.
He said: "Didn't you once convince a jury that you hadn't pinched some meat from Smithfield?"
The actor replied, while smirking: "Yes, a long time ago in 1960-odd, yeah."
Mr Humphrys said: "Did you steal the meat?"
Mr Martin replied: "£10,000 worth, yeah."
Mr Humphrys said: "Oh, it wasn't just a chop?" To which the contestant boasted: "No, no, no, it wouldn't have been held at the Old Bailey if it was just a chop."
When asked if he felt guilty, he said: "No, I was just choked I never got the meat."
He then said that after the trial a female jury member congratulated him on his performance from the dock and said he ought to become an actor.
Some viewers were disgusted with the BBC's glorification of crime.
One said: "It was a prime time slot on the BBC and there was a villain bragging about his crimes.
"The BBC should not be helping glorify crime because there might well be impressionable people watching.
"At least his low scored proved he wasn't very bright."
The actor, who was born in Bow in the capital, has previously written about his early life as a criminal and admitted hiding guns for the Kray gang.
It was in 1961 when Mr Martin – who worked as a porter at the market – and some colleagues planned to steal the haul of beef.
He was caught and charged with larceny and receiving, but was acquitted after a three-day trial and escaped a two-year prison sentence.
On the programme, Mr Martin answered questions in the first round on his specialist subject "Westerns" and scored just seven points.
After the general knowledge round he finished with a final score of 16.
The winner was former England rugby player Brian Moore who finished with 30 points.
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