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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Entertainment
Craig Jones

Emmerdale Ashley Thomas star John Middleton lands exciting new acting role

Emmerdale legend John Middleton is celebrating bagging a new acting role.

As fans of Emmerdale know, John Middleton, 68, played beloved character Reverend Ashley Thomas in the soap for many years. He was a regular in the show from 1996 until 2017.

Ashley’s time in Emmerdale came to an end when the character was diagnosed with early-onset vascular dementia. The emotive plot gained praise from both viewers and critics alike.

Read more: Old favourites confirmed to return for Emmerdale's 50th anniversary celebrations

Following Ashley’s death, the character made two brief appearances in the programme from beyond the grave. After his exit, acting star John has been seen in BBC soap Doctors.

Next up, he’ll be playing Colonel Pickering in a new theatre production of My Fair Lady. You’ll be able to watch it at Bradford's Alhambra Theatre from Thursday, September 22 until Sunday, October 2.

The official account for the venue tweeted Bradford Theatre: “Joining the @MyFairLadyUK cast Heather Jackson as Mrs Higgins, @john_Middleton_ as Colonel Pickering & Tom Liggins as Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Opening at the #alhambratheatrebradford 22 Sep - 2 Oct."

John later shared the tweet and confirmed the job, writing: "Yep... it's official!!" with a nervous emoji. If you’d like to show your support for John you can buy tickets by visiting the Alhambra Theatre’s website.

You can visit our Emmerdale homepage to find the latest gossip about the soap and its stars. There you'll also find our Emmerdale features and news about the show's 50th anniversary plans.

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