Emmerdale star Sam Dingle's 'unrecognisable' muscle makeover off-screen

18 January 2024 , 18:30

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Sam Dingle doesn't appear majorly muscly on Emmerdale - but he works hard off-screen for his body

Fans are used to seeing Sam Dingle in a khaki parka in the Yorkshire Dales - but the actor actually has a very ripped body beneath.

James Hooton, who is best known for portraying Sam in ITV's Emmerdale, has built up an incredibly muscular physique over the years and proudly shows it off on social media. The 50-year-old, who is engaged to Nancy Lucas, the mum of his two daughters, lives an active life away from the cameras.

Nottingham-born James is an avid rock climber and regularly documents his fitness activities on Instagram, showing himself climbing various structures, including viaducts and boulders with his bare hands.

James is into rock climbing and regularly travels in search of the best locations (Instagram/ @hootonjames)

The Emmerdale star shocked fans with his topless snap a few years ago (Twitter)

James spends his weekends travelling to different parts of the country in search of the best climbing spots, sharing footage from places, including Pateley Bridge and Shipley Glen in Yorkshire. He once 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!"

The intense sport means James has become quite stacked over the years - and fans have noticed. One comment on his social media reads: "OMG never thought Sammy was such a DILF", while another says: "You must have muscles of steel."

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Back in 2018, he shocked fans by revealing his rippling physique in a topless snap and said it was down to his regular climbing sessions. He shared a photo of himself on Twitter after hitting his local climbing wall and tweeted: "Session complete! #everythingaches."

The post was met with praise from fellow Emmerdale actors, with Adam Thomas replying: "Beast!!!!!" and Jamie Shelton writing: "Shredded mate. Looking good!" Danny Miller joked: "What's this app called bro??" And James confessed: "Mate, an overly flattering pic... And it was after a mega sesh at the climbing wall. Good lighting, good angle. Not complaining."

Nia Dalton