Happy Valley star Karl Davies has opened up about the fervent fanbase of soaps as he shared an incident which once saw him slapped by a stranger.
The actor played evil character Robert Sugden on Emmerdale between 2001 and 2005, with a return in 2009 for on-screen dad Jack's funeral.
Karl appeared on Lorraine on Monday morning in the wake of the explosive Happy Valley finale on Sunday evening.
Karl, who played Sergeant Catherine Cawood’s son Daniel Cawood on the hit BBC One drama, told Lorraine Kelly about the incident in years gone by.
He said: “I did get a slap off a lady in Marks and Spencers,” as a shocked Lorraine replied: “You’re joking. What is the world coming to?”
Lorraine entertainment reporter Ria Hebden asked why as Karl explained: “Just because the character wasn’t very nice. It’s a relief to be playing a nice guy in Happy Valley.”
He then added: “Apparently there was a comment about how old I look now compared to then. Well that was 20 years ago, do you know what I mean?”
Karl played the son of Catherine from her marriage to Richard, played by Derek Riddell, and used to be estranged from his mother and nephew Ryan.
However, after the breakdown of his relationship, Daniel returned to his family fold in the second season.
In the latest and last third series, Daniel was joined at the hip to his mum and Ryan and is also now in a relationship with PC Ann Gallagher, played by Charlie Murphy.
Davies is best known for his turn as Robert in Emmerdale before his brief turn in 2009, but he also appeared in Lyle Anderson. He has also had turns in shows ranging from The Bay and Brief Encounters to My Mad Fat Diary.
The BBC aired the last ever episode of Sally Wainwright’s epic West Yorkshire trilogy series Happy Valley over the weekend, which saw Sergeant Catherine’s story come to an end in a nerve-jangling ride.
The extended finale episode offered a satisfying ending for many longtime fans of the show, after dramatic scenes with Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) in recent weeks.
In a gripping final scene, millions of viewers have been waiting for, the pair traded insults and emotional home truths for 15 minutes in an incredibly tense final meeting.
