Emmerdale legend James Hooton has performed Sam Dingle on the cleaning soap for over 30 years however however what do we all know concerning the actor who performs him?
Emmerdale: Sam offers Belle a brand new piglet
Emmerdale legend Sam Dingle arrived within the village 31 years in the past, when the character was launched from a younger offenders’ institute.
Over the previous three many years on the ITV cleaning soap, Sam has featured in a protracted checklist of main storylines, together with the tragic demise of his spouse, Alice Dingle (Ursula Holden-Gill), and the near-fatal cow stampede throughout the present’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations.
Sam can be a grandfather to Esther, born to Samson and Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell) in 2022. Through the Christmas episodes in 2024, each Amelia and Esther moved away to begin afresh elsewhere.
Actor James Hooton, 52, has portrayed much-loved Sam Dingle since 1995, however what is understood concerning the cleaning soap star’s life past the ITV drama?
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Sam Dingle is married to Lydia in Emmerdale (Picture: ITV)
Earlier than securing his main position in Emmerdale, James featured in exhibits together with Heartbeat, Peak Apply, and The Invoice.
In 2025, James obtained congratulations from his colleagues after revealing he had been acting on the ITV cleaning soap for 3 many years.
Sharing on his Instagram account, James uploaded {a photograph} of himself with the caption: “Right now marks my thirtieth anniversary on Emmerdale! Jan tenth 1995 was my first scene in Esholt village with Steve Halliwell (Zak) and Paul Loughran (Butch).”
In July 2024, the actor appeared on ITV’s Unfastened Ladies, the place he mentioned his future on the present, affirming, “So long as they will have me, I will keep there!”
Emmerdale followers are accustomed to listening to Sam converse with a robust Yorkshire accent, so many had been shocked to find that it wasn’t the actor’s actual accent.
Sam Dingle throughout his earlier days in Emmerdale (Picture: ITV)
The cleaning soap’s Instagram account as soon as posted behind-the-scenes footage that includes James, who hails from Carlton, Nottinghamshire.
One fan commented: “Love Sam, and it is so bizarre to listen to him converse when out of character.” One other shocked viewer remarked: “James’ accent by no means fails to shock me”, whereas a 3rd wrote: “A completely sensible actor.”
In the meantime, throughout an interview on Unfastened Ladies, James left presenter Coleen Nolan astounded together with his ‘actual voice’.
Coleen, aged 61, expressed: “It is humorous as a result of the primary time you got here on the present [Loose Women] as you are such an iconic character in Emmerdale, after which the primary time you got here on the present, you spoke like that and I used to be like: ‘Oh, he is not likely him!'”
Who’s James Hooton married to?
James Hooton and his fiancée, Nancy Lucas, have been engaged since 2010 (Picture: Getty)
Away from Emmerdale, James is a devoted household man and enjoys high quality time together with his associate Nancy Lucas and their two kids, Ava-Rose and Lily.
The cleaning soap actor obtained down on one knee on Valentine’s Day in 2010 to pop the query to his long-term girlfriend, Nancy, and after 16 years, the pair are nonetheless having fun with their drawn-out engagement.
Whereas James has constantly been a part of some dramatic storylines on the weeknight serial drama, his associate doesn’t seem on-screen in any capability.
James additionally dedicates himself to honing his already spectacular rock-climbing talents, which helps clarify the star’s exceptional physique at 52 years previous.
Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX
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