- Martin Odegaard and Helene Spilling’s wedding day saw a disruption
- One of the photographers outside the Oslo church was dragged away
- LISTEN to Whistleblowers: Are Arsenal fans right to feel aggrieved by the fixtures?
Martin Odegaard’s idyllic weekend wedding was disturbed by an almighty commotion – as a photographer was dragged out by a duo of security guards.
The photojournalist was hauled away towards the end of Odegaard’s ceremony with Helene Spilling as guests were leaving and his magazine have threatened police action.
Odegaard and Spilling officially married in November and in December they had a baby boy, but they marked it with a grand ceremony in Oslo on Saturday.
His fellow Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard were there with their loved ones – the former accompanied by his girlfriend Tolami Benson, the latter by his wife Laura Hilven.
But there was a fly in the ointment when photographer Andreas Fadum, working for Se og Hor, was forcibly removed from his spot outside Gjerdrum Church – while guests watched on in surprise.
Se og Hor told Nettavisen in a statement: ‘We react very strongly to the fact that the security guards have used physical force against our photographer in the field.
‘He was in a public place to cover a public event. They had no right to block off the parking lot or the area around the church.
‘The matter will therefore be reported to the police, we cannot allow force to be used against journalists and photographers on assignment.’
Fadum is an experienced photographer who was involved in covering the 2011 Norway terrorist attacks.
It is unclear what led to his removal from the site. Other photographers were present, including one from the Associated Press.
The The Norwegian Editors’ Association added: ‘It is very serious that a photojournalist is treated in this way in a public place.
‘We react strongly to security personnel behaving as if they have police authority. We believe the matter should be reported, and will support Se og Hor in this.’
Norwegian newspaper Nettavisen contacted one of the security guards but did not receive a response.
Odegaard and Spilling were still able to have their special day in the company of family and friends.
Spilling won the 2021 edition of Norway’s dance show, ‘Skal vi danse’, which is like the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing.
She also has 17 gold medals in the Norwegian national championship for ballroom dancing.
Since going public with their relationship in June 2023, they have made an array of cosy appearances together and were seen linking arms while out and about in summer last year.
Spilling boasts an impressive Instagram following of 180,000 and is the founder of adance studio as well as a fashion brand.
She is a keen follower of Odegaard’s football career, appearing in the stands at the Emirates and for his international games.
In April, she was seen dancing to Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’ – which has become the anthem for Kai Havertz – after a 5-0 win over Chelsea during which Odegaard bagged two assists.
Spilling’s spirits were clearly at a high as she danced away in the stands, while Odegaard applauded the home fans after the victory.
They were first seen in public as a couple at the London Football Awards in March 2023 and he regularly crops up in her social media feed.
In August, the lovebirds posted a black-and-white photo by the sea as they cradled her baby bump, writing: ‘1+1 = 3. Can’t wait to meet you, our little baby.’ In December, they had their baby boy.
