Actor James Hooton has marked his milestone 25th year anniversary on Emmerdale with a nostalgic black and white snap from the ITV soap’s past.
James has portrayed lovable Sam Dingle ever since 1995, when he was 22 years of age.
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Now 46, James has celebrated the special day with a message to his 14,800 followers on Twitter.
On Friday (January 10), the dad-of-two wrote: “Well today marks the 25th anniversary of my very first day working on @emmerdale.
“January 10 1995, Sam, Zak and Butch were stealing a bar from outside the Woolpack! Thought I would post a pic with two Emmerdale legends, Amos and Mr Wilkes! Here’s to the next 25 years!!! #25notout.”
WELL…today marks the 25th anniversary of my very first day working on @emmerdale
Jan 10th 1995 Sam, Zak and butch were stealing a bar from outside the Woolpack! Thought I would post a pic with 2 Emmerdale legends, Amos and Mr Wilkes! Here’s to the next 25 years!!! #25notout pic.twitter.com/T1ykov7ykC— james hooton (@jamhoot) January 10, 2020
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Some of his co-stars past and present were among those who messaged him, with Eden Taylor-Draper – who plays Belle Dingle – replying: “You legend.”
Well today marks the 25th anniversary of my very first day working on Emmerdale.
Samantha Giles, aka Bernice Blackstock, wrote: “Congratulations! They are bloody lucky to have you!”
His on-screen partner Karen Blick, who plays Lydia Hart, posted: “Fantastic! Huge congratulations James on 25 incredible years of national treasure Samuel J Dingle.”
In an interview with ITV to coincide with the special date, James said: “It has been quite a rollercoaster ride. And an adventure.
“Working on Emmerdale has taken up the largest part of my professional career, and I’m extremely thankful and lucky to still be here after all this time.
“You get nothing but highlights when you work in the Dingle clan.”
The actor went on to recall his first ever scene with on-screen dad Zak Dingle and brother Butch.
He said: “My very first day on set, I was working with Steve Halliwell (Zak) and Paul Loughran (Butch) and we were stealing The Woolpack bar from outside the pub, because they were renovating inside. We were constantly nicking things.”
James also recalled the 2006 storyline surrounding Alice Dingle’s diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and eventual euthanasia, which he said he “was most well known for playing”.
He went on to say filming on the ITV soap was “just good fun, with good friends”.
He added: “If I still have the energy to be working on the show in 25 years, I’d love to think I could still be here. I’m as happy as I’ve ever been on this show so I would feel blessed to still be here.”
Thanks @itvcalendar a great trip down memory lane that!!! Here’s to the next 25yrs. X https://t.co/uauYRHjtaF
— james hooton (@jamhoot) January 10, 2020
James’ character Sam was most recently seen falling foul of Cain Dingle’s temper when he invited Nate Robinson into the family household over Christmas.
He’s also been involved in the storyline surrounding Lydia Hart’s mum, and her secret identity.
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