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Emmerdale legend Sam Dingle arrived in the village 31 years ago, when the character was released from a young offenders' institute.

Over the past three decades on the ITV soap, Sam has featured in a long list of major storylines, including the tragic death of his wife, Alice Dingle (Ursula Holden-Gill), and the near-fatal cow stampede during the show's 50th anniversary celebrations.

In 2024, he was forced to bid farewell to his son Samson (Sam Hall), whom he shared with Alice, after he was thrown in prison. Sam and the Dingles also suffered the devastating loss of their matriarch, Zak, after actor Steve Halliwell passed away.

Sam is also a grandfather to Esther, born to Samson and Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell) in 2022. During the Christmas episodes in 2024, both Amelia and Esther moved away to start afresh elsewhere.

Actor James Hooton, 52, has portrayed much-loved Sam Dingle since 1995, but what is known about the soap star's life beyond the ITV drama?

Before securing his major role in Emmerdale, James featured in shows including Heartbeat, Peak Practice, and The Bill.

In 2025, James received congratulations from his colleagues after revealing he had been performing on the ITV soap for three decades.

Sharing on his Instagram account, James uploaded a photograph of himself with the caption: "Today marks my 30th anniversary on Emmerdale! Jan 10th 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 Loose Women, where he discussed his future on the show, affirming, "As long as they'll have me, I'll stay there!"

Emmerdale fans are accustomed to hearing Sam speak with a strong Yorkshire accent, so many were taken aback to discover that it wasn't the actor's real accent.

The soap's Instagram account once posted behind-the-scenes footage featuring James, who hails from Carlton, Nottinghamshire.

One fan commented: "Love Sam, and it's so weird to hear him speak when out of character." Another surprised viewer remarked: "James' accent never fails to surprise me", while a third wrote: "An absolutely brilliant actor."

Meanwhile, during an interview on Loose Women, James left presenter Coleen Nolan astounded with his 'real voice'.

Coleen, aged 61, expressed: "It's funny because the first time you came on the show [Loose Women] as you're such an iconic character in Emmerdale, and then the first time you came on the show, you spoke like that and I was like: 'Oh, he's not really him!'"

Away from Emmerdale, James is a dedicated family man and enjoys quality time with his partner Nancy Lucas and their two children, Ava-Rose and Lily.

The soap actor got down on one knee on Valentine's Day in 2010 to pop the question to his long-term girlfriend, Nancy, and after 16 years, the pair are still enjoying their drawn-out engagement.

Whereas James has consistently been part of some dramatic storylines on the weeknight serial drama, his partner does not appear on-screen in any capacity.

James also dedicates himself to honing his already impressive rock-climbing abilities, which helps explain the star's remarkable physique at 52 years old.

Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX