Pregnant actress Michelle Keegan and her husband Mark Wright reportedly hid from burglars in a locked bedroom during a home invasion at their mansion.
Essex Police said it was alerted to the break-in at about 6.20pm on Tuesday, with four suspects reported to have forced entry and searched the address before fleeing.
The force said officers arrived at the scene in Ongar within eight minutes.
As first reported in The Sun, Wright, 38, was said to have heard a patio window smash and then hid in a locked bedroom together with his 37-year-old wife until police arrived.
The intruders reportedly fled empty-handed after hearing Wright, who rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), shouting.
Police were said to have been alerted via a state-of-the-art security system at the couple’s home, with the intruders also described as wearing balaclavas and dressed in black.
An Essex Police spokesperson said: “We are continuing to support and safeguard the victims and are conducting high-visibility patrols in the area.
“We are exploring a number of lines of inquiry including but not limited to forensic opportunities, CCTV and witness statements.
“Anyone with information should contact us as soon as possible.”
The couple have been documenting the creation of their “dream home” on their “wrightyhome” Instagram page, which has 664,000 followers.
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Keegan played Tina McIntyre on Coronation Street, and has also starred in the BBC military drama Our Girl and the Sky comedy Brassic.
More recently she has appeared in Ten Pound Poms, about a group of Brits leaving post-war Britain for Australia.
Heart FM presenter Wright was a semi-professional footballer who spent time at the youth academies of West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham before he starred in TOWIE.
He appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2011 and has also worked as a TV presenter.
Representatives for the couple declined to comment.