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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Entertainment
Megan Shaw

Emmerdale star Michael Parr announces big new job away from TV

Former Emmerdale star Michael Parr has announced a new and exciting project as he heads back to the stage where his acting career started to star in the comedy, Rita, Sue & Bob Too!

The actor is best recognised for his role as bad boy Ross Barton on the long-running ITV soap, a role he played between 2013 to 2018. Previous television appearances include Hollyoaks, Casualty, Good Cop, Inside Men and the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors.

During his time in Emmerdale, Parr was involved in a number of high-profile storylines, including an affair with policewoman Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth), taking part in a violent robbery at Home Farm; an illicit affair with his brother's fiancée, Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb) whilst secretly fathering a child with Debbie's mother Charity Macey (Emma Atkins).

Read more: All the Emmerdale characters rumoured to be leaving the soap this year

In 2018, Ross Barton was the victim of an acid attack, leaving the character badly scarred, Parr described the storyline as challenging. It was announced that would be leaving the Dales shortly afterwards.

Parr, who holds dual US and British nationality, cited wanting to pursue opportunities in America as his reason for leaving.

However, it seems four years on from leaving the soap Parr is heading back to where it all started as he returns to St Helens Theatre Royal, where he performed as part of the Blood Brothers cast back in 2005, for his new project.

Parr is no stranger to the stage and has appeared in various productions prior to his TV work including Justin in Studies for A Portrait at the Oval House Theatre, Paul in The Back Room at the Cock Tavern, and Danny in Twothousandandsex at the Drill Hall in London.

The actor said: ""St Helens Theatre Royal is where it all began for me really – this is where I realised that I wanted to be a professional actor.

"Being back here, it really does feel like things have come full circle, it's a wonderful feeling. I can only hope that I can inspire someone the way I was [inspired] all those years ago."

Rita, Sue & Bob Too! will run at St Helens Theatre Royal between Tuesday 8 November and Sunday 13 November 2022. Tickets are on sale now from £18. The show is suitable for over 18s only.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV and streams on the ITV Hub.

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