With more than 20 years’ Emmerdale service playing Sam Dingle, actor James Hooton says he is terrified of being killed off. But there was a time he would have left gladly.
A lack of meaty storylines for his nice but dim character left the 46-year-old actor pining for a change.
James said: “The character I play went through a very lean period and it got to the stage I started to dislike my job. I didn’t have much to do.
“I was young and ambitious and I wanted to do more work.
“I asked if there was a chance to get involved in more stories. To put it bluntly, I was told ‘Is there f***.’ It left me in no doubt I was not going to be a character who drove stories in the show.
“I hated my job for a while. I had a lot of things to work out in my brain.
“My choice was to search elsewhere for more work and challenges or to find ways of making my working life easier.
“I decided to stay with the show and take work home as little as possible.”
After a couple of short breaks, James is now delighted Sam has grown – and even to become one of the Dingle clan’s patriarchs. “After his partner Lydia confesses she buried a baby at 15, we’ve seen a different side to Sam,” he said.
“He’s had to be supportive and nurturing of his fiancée, who he loves desperately. It's been interesting to play.” The dad-of two, engaged to his partner Nancy, added: “Being killed off is always a concern for long-standing soap actors.
We’re on 12 month contracts at a time. I’d be gutted if I wasn’t on it any more. I’ve had a real renaissance.
“This is one of the best jobs in the world. I get a lot of time off with my family. The environment on Emmerdale is better than a film set.”
“Sometimes people are surprised I can hold a conversation,” James told Rich In Success podcast. “People say I sound posh. I don’t think I do. I’m from Nottingham.”
James joked: “My missus wishes I was more like Sam in real life so she could tell me what to do.
“But he’s changed from the early days. He’s more assertive. He’s a loving, family character. I love portraying someone like that.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with extra episodes at 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
