James Moore didn’t used to watch Emmerdale before joining the soap.
The 26-year-old star admits it was “pretty scary” trying out for the role of Ryan Stocks – the son of Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) – on the soap, and he hadn’t realised what the “implications” of joining one of the show’s biggest fictional families would be.
He said: “The first audition was pretty scary.
“I don’t think I realised the implications when I first started because I hadn’t really watched Emmerdale when I first came into it.”
James – who suffers from ataxic cerebral palsy – admits he initially didn’t go to drama school because he felt there were too many “barriers” for disabled people trying to break into the industry, and “never thought” he would land a part on the ITV soap.
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He said: “I would like to get into a situation where we are putting more disabled people in the industry, casting them in more roles. Because there aren’t a lot out there in my own work.
“I’ve always been aware there are a lot of barriers. That’s why I didn’t go to drama school the first time.
“It’s fascinating to see how more open we’re getting in the modern day. I felt now would be a good time to throw what I’ve got into the fray and see what happens.
“I never thought I’d be getting a role on Emmerdale.”
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James scooped the Newcomer gong at last week’s National Television Awards (NTAs), and he still cannot remember what happened 15 minutes after he was presented with the prize because it was such a “blur”.
Speaking on This Morning, he added: “It still doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel real that I’m talking to you, it doesn’t feel real that I won at the NTAs.
“The 15 minutes after winning the award was just a blur. I cannot remember any of it.
“To have that recognition and appreciation so early on in my career means the world to me. It’s incredible.”
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