Layton shared his experience

Strictly star in attempted mugging as he shares warning (Image: laytonwilliams/Instagram)

Strictly Come Dancing star Layton Williams has recounted a terrifying incident where two men attempted to rob him following a late-night filming session. The 31-year-old actor, recognised for his roles in Bad Education and numerous West End shows, shared the ordeal on Instagram as he cautioned his followers to remain vigilant.

Layton shared that the attempted robbery occurred shortly after he concluded filming for a new project. He informed fans that he was assisting a fellow cast member to her car when he noticed a man observing him intently. “This guy was just like, looking at me a lot. He was looking at me in a way that was just like, it was fishy,” he said. The performer, who made it to the Strictly final in 2023 with professional partner Nikita Kuzmin, then got into the back seat of his car. As the driver neared the vehicle, the same man approached Layton as he feigned alerting the star of an issue. “Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, sir. You dropped something on the floor, saying that there’s something under the wheel or whatever,” Layton recalled him saying.

 

He then explained: “I couldn’t really hear him out, but he was basically trying to distract the driver.” Layton had a hunch that something was amiss and glanced behind him only to discover a second man was involved.

He continued: “There’s two of them, and my other guy is crouched at the back of the boot, like stopping it from closing, and is trying to lift it up.”

The performer revealed he challenged the duo straightaway, quipping: “Girl, not on my watch. You ain’t taking my laptop.”

Layton emphasised that whilst any pilfered belongings could have been replaced, it was the audacity of the criminals that left him stunned.

“You think you’re just gonna open up the boot and run away with my things,” he remarked, noting that the possessions were weighty and awkward to transport.

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"Ebony Scrooge

Layton opened up on almost being robbed (Image: Getty)

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He also came to the conclusion that stepping in could have been risky, as he sent a warning to his audience, saying: “I know you should probably just stay put in those situations and just stay safe.”

Supporters flooded his comments with messages of solidarity, voicing their gratitude that he emerged unscathed and nothing was taken. One commented: “So sad and scary that you aren’t even safe when getting into a pre-booked car.” Another remarked: “Really shakes you up but thank you for spreading awareness…always trust your gut.”

The thwarted theft occurred during an emotionally charged time for the performer following his participation in Who Do You Think You Are? in May this year.

In the BBC genealogy programme, Layton learnt that his Jamaican forebears were enslaved as youngsters. At the time, he told The Mirror: “When you are a person of colour you always know that that is probably the eventuality…to actually have it all spelled out to you that your family would have been slaves.”