Emmerdale Sam Dingle actor's life off-screen from miracle baby to real accent
Emmerdale's very own Sam Dingle has been part of our lives since 1995. Sam, played by James Hooton, has been through countless storylines over the years.
He's been shot, trampled over by a cow and even kidnapped. It doesn't end there as the character will soon face struggles when his wife Lydia gets close to someone from his past. Sam's life might be chaotic, but the actor's life is worlds away from what we see on screen.
James spends most of his time with his fiancée Nancy Lucas and their two adorable children, Ava-Rose and Lilly. When he's not with his family, the actor is busy improving his already impressive rock-climbing skills - which explains why the star has an incredible physique at 50 years old.
Here's the lowdown on what James gets up to when the cameras stop rolling from his hobbies to his shocking real accent...
Family and miracle baby
James and his fiancée and daughters (Instagram/ @hootonjames)
He regularly shares snaps of his family (Instagram/ @hootonjames)James regularly shares photos of himself and his family on social media for his thousands of followers to see. The soap actor got engaged to dance company owner Nancy Lucas on Valentine's Day 2010 and the two have been loved-up ever since but are yet to tie the knot. The couple also share daughters Lilly, 16, and Ava-Rose, six.
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The couple struggled to conceive a second child and tried for two years before trying IVF to give Lilly a younger sister. They went through a lot of planning and were about to begin the long process when they miraculously fell pregnant with their youngest child, Ava-Rose, naturally.
He once revealed his fiancée was in labour with Ava-Rose while he was working on the Emmerdale set. The star immediately left set to rush to the hospital and made it there just in time for his daughter's arrival – which happened in only three pushes. The ecstatic father told OK! magazine at the time: "Luckily I haven’t had loads on at work either so I’ve been able to spend a lot of time at home."
Family life looks blissful for the group as the actor shares snaps of the gang enjoying days out together, celebrating holidays, and enjoying country walks. In June, he shared a gorgeous picture of himself and his fiancée dressed to the nines as they attended the British Soap Awards.
Hobbies
He once scaled the side of his house (Instagram/ @hootonjames)When James isn't working on the ITV set, he's showcasing his rock climbing skills. An avid fan of the difficult sport, the actor often documents his exploits on Instagram, showing himself climbing various structures, including viaducts and boulders with his bare hands.
He spends many weekends travelling around the country in search of the best climbing spots and shares footage of his conquests online. Past paces include Pateley Bridge and Shipley Glen in Yorkshire. He also rocked up in Majorca, where he posted a snap of himself climbing a huge wall with the caption: "I was SO tired last night, I just had to climb into bed!"
A few years ago, James posted a shot of himself scaling the wall of his house, wearing only a pair of shorts, as stunned fans flocked to tell him how good he looked. One posted: "OMG never thought Sammy was such a DILF." Another added: "You must have muscles of steel." While a third exclaimed: "Flippin’ ‘eck that’s impressive!!" His social media page mainly consists of snaps his family and rock climbing centres.
Ripped body
James shocked fans when he showed off his ripped body (TWITTER)
Fans didn't expect to see the muscles from Sam DingleThe star previously shocked fans when he showed off his incredible muscles. A few years ago, he took to Twitter to share a topless snap and fans didn't know what to say about his abs and ripped arms. Former Emmerdale star Adam Thomas was equally as shocked and wrote: "Beast!!!!", under the photo.
A lot of his muscles are thanks to his love of rock climbing. His workouts have certainly impressed his co-stars, with Billy Fletcher star Jay Kontzle writing: "That fingertip strength makes my fingers ache - great work Hoots!" Meanwhile, Mandy Dingle actress Lisa Riley agreed: "Check you out Jiblets!!!!! amazing." Laughing off the lustful comments, James replied, modestly: "It’s amazing what good lighting and a good camera angle can do!”
However, he also enjoys cardo. The soap star shared numerous snaps of his runs and jogs around the countryside. No matter the temperature, James is looking for a rock to climb and a path to jog through. Talk about dedication!
Real accent
Fans of Emmerdale are used to hearing Sam with a thick Yorkshire accent. After hearing that accent on the soap for almost 30 years, it's no surprise people were surprised to learn it wasn't the actor's actual accent. The soap's Instagram page once shared behind-the-scenes clips which featured James – who is originally from Carlton, Nottinghamshire.
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The ITV soap shared that a stunt double was used to perform a few of Sam's graphic scenes. The stunts were impressed but most of the fans were focused on his voice with them rushing to the comment section to express their shock. One user said: "Love sam and it's so weird to hear him speak when out of character."
Another shocked viewer added: "James’ accent never fails to surprise me", while a third penned: "An absolutely brilliant actor."
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