Emmerdale star James Hooton shares rare family update ahead of emotional departure
"Conceive, believe, achieve."
Emmerdale star James Hooton has celebrated his eldest daughter in a rare family update, sharing an insight into his life with partner, dance company owner Nancy Lucas, and their two children.
The actor, known for playing the role of Sam Dingle on the ITV soap, took to Instagram to post a smiling selfie with Lucas and their two daughters, Lily and Ava-Rose. In the caption, Hooton explained his eldest Lily would be off travelling soon as he celebrated the milestone with “mixed emotions”.
“Last family breakfast before Lily heads off on her travels!” the soap star shared on the social media platform yesterday.
Hooton said Lily would be away for nearly three months, as he wrote: “78 nights away and countless countries to be visited! Can’t wait to chart her journey and hear her stories.”
He concluded: “Mixed emotions but SO proud that she’s arranged and funded it all herself! Conceive, believe, achieve.”
Hooton started playing Sam on Emmerdale in 1995, appearing on and off between then and 1998 and returning to the role in a regular capacity from 2000.
Meanwhile on the soap, a surprise agreement between the Dingle gang and Kim Tate shocked fans as the Home Farm boss showed her respects to Moira. The farmer has spent months behind bars after being framed for the murders of Celia Daniels and Ania Berisha and is hellbent on revenge after discovering that Joe Tate was behind her prison nightmare.
In upcoming scenes, Moira, now out of prison, finds out that Joe had blackmailed Robert Sugden into planting incriminating documents on her farm.
Shotgun in hand, she sets off to confront Joe as star Natalie J Robb teased that her character wants “to get rid” of Joe — and nearly succeeds.
“Moira’s going round there to kill him! She has the shotgun, so she makes him sit down and orders him to confess,” she said.
“He’s trying to play dumb, but she knows it’s down to him. She’s so angry. In her mind, she’s going there to get rid of him, and she nearly does.”
While Moira doesn’t kill Joe, she’s determined to “make his life a living hell,” said Robb. Could Kim play along and help her longtime rival?
