It's been a worrying week for Sam Dingle in Emmerdale and it doesn't look set to improve anytime soon. Fans of the ITV soap were horrified earlier this week when the much-loved character, played by James Hooton for 27 years, was left on the brink of death.
In his haste to get away from a cow stampede during the horror windstorm that swept the Yorkshire village and so far claimed the lives two, Sam divided over some hay bales and was caught trapped on a piece of farm machinery, with a spike going straight through his shoulder.
Nate and Sam's sister Belle managed to free him and get him to the hospital where he underwent extensive surgery. And during Thursday night's trip to the Dales, viewers discovered that Sam was very lucky and will make a full recovery. But back at home, Belle realised Sam's son Samson hadn't been home.
Then on Friday night, fans saw the Dingle clan out looking for one of their own but despite finding his phone, Nate, Belle, and Lydia didn't realised Sam was lying either asleep or unconscious among leaves below. And Sam is still none the wiser.
When speaking to the Manchester Evening News , ahead of the gruesome scenes, it was pointed out this was a first for James in his two decades on the soap as he joked: "I always wanted to take up javelin but it didn't pan out the way I imagined it when watching Fatima Whitbread winning gold all those years go."
He did add: "No, it was interesting. It was a break from the norm and you never know what this show is going to throw at you so I was told that this was happening and obviously, you don't know what the outcome is going to be of a story such as this." James also explained how they spent all day recording one scene, which he says is "unheard of" in soap territory, but while it took a long time to film, he did say the crew were "good to him" in between takes. "They put something to support my knees because I was in that position, slumped over the spike, for two or three hours."
James joined the ITV soap as Sam at 21-years-old in February 1995, when the character was released from a young offenders institute. Sam got involved in several dodgy schemes alongside his family, one of which was taking part in an armed robbery with his uncle Albert in 1998. However, they were caught by the police and jailed.
A two-year break from the Leeds-based soap then occurred for James before he returned the village as Sam in 2000 - and he's remaining a staple character ever since. It was reported at the time that the Nottingham-born actor was cast as Sam after producers noticed that his short haircut, which made him look "tough", was ideal for the character.
But it wasn't Emmerdale in which James made his acting debut. In 1985, at the age of 12, the actor made his television debut in the children's TV series Your Mother Wouldn't Like It. He has also appeared in several other programmes, including Peak Practice, The Bill, Heartbeat and Touching Evil. And during his first three years in Emmerdale, James appeared in This is England director Shane Meadows' first feature film, Twenty Four Seven, where he played the character 'Wolfman' Knighty.
Away from his acting work, 49-year-old James is engaged to his fiancée Nancy Lucas, who runs a dance company called Total Dance. The pair got engaged in 2010 on Valentine's Day but are yet to marry. James and Nancy also share two daughters together.
The couple share a thirteen-year-old daughter named Lily and their youngest, Ava-Rose, was born in 2016. The actor told OK! magazine at the time: "I was sat in the green room and I had two more scenes to do when I got a text at about 2:30pm saying ‘There's no problem or anything but just get in touch when you can.'
"I had my phone in my pocket because I knew she could go into labour at any time,” the ITV soap star continued. “I rang her and she explained the situation and I said: ‘It sounds like you're in labour!’" But the couple didn't have the easiest of journeys in welcoming their second child into the world.
After two years of trying to get pregnant, the couple decided they were going to go down the route of IVF to give their daughter a little sister. However, just when they finally put in place the plans to begin the process, they fell pregnant naturally.
And the father of two doesn't shy away from showcasing his little family unit on social media as he occasionally posts about them. But his last family post came in June when he appeared suited and booted in a selfie alongside his girlfriend who looked stunning in a daring white thigh-high gown.
The pair had been attending the British Soap Awards 2022. "My favourite photo of Nancy and I from the weekend," James penned. "Had such a ball and was so surprised to win best soap! Didn’t expect that one!" Also on social media, James is regularly sharing videos of his rock-climbing exploits.
In July, he posted a selfie of himself in front fo an indoor wall as he celebrated heading into the last year of his forties. "49 today! Finished work early and straight to the climbing lab for a circuit board session," he said at the time. And James shocked fans a few years ago when he showed off his amazing body transformation. The star, in 2019, unveiled ripped abs and bulging biceps in a social media photo.
Another thing that often leaves fans stunned is James' real accent. A number of years ago fans were taken aback when they heard the actor during an interview on This Morning And it happened again earlier this year when James delivered the acceptance speech when the Dingle clan picked up the award for Best Soap Family at the British Soap Awards and his Yorkshire twang wasn't to be heard.
@jennielouu said: "I can never get over how different Sam sounds out of character #SoapAwards." @AmySian1993 echoed: "I forget that the lad who plays Sam doesn’t actually speak how Sam does ahaha #SoapAwards." @amz07 added: "Wow weird to hear Sam Dingles real voice. #soapawards #soapawards2022."
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