HE’S one of the most beloved soap actors in the country having played Emmerdale’s Sam Dingle for 26 years.
But in reality James Hooton is worlds apart from his hapless alter ego, with a raft of strong opinions and interesting hobbies.
Here we take a look at the man behind the character.
Mr Muscle
In the Dales, James is more often than not covered up in a scruffy coat or long sleeve top.
So it was a surprise to fans when they saw the chiselled figure underneath in a shirtless Instagram post.
James’s impressive physique is honed from his love of rock climbing, which he often shares videos of himself doing on social media.
The actor has scaled an array of rock faces, sometimes even ditching ropes and going free climbing.
He loves taking in the scenic Yorkshire views once conquering his climbs.
Family man
A devoted dad to his two daughters Ava-Rose and Lilly, James enjoys family outings and fun-filled days at home.
He has been engaged to the girls’ mum Nancy since 2010, and she was most recently seen when the family visited London for afternoon tea inside the iconic Walkie Talkie building.
His blissful home life is in total contrast to Sam Dingle’s. The unlucky in love country lad experienced tragedy when his first wife Alice died following a cancer battle.
Years later his heart was broken when Ukrainian immigrant Olena cheated on him, prompting him to report her to border control which led to her deportation.
It’s a conspiracy
Whatever your thoughts on his views, no one can argue that James is a fence sitter.
This week he shared a video of Professor Richard Werner in which the academic claims the Bank of England has created microchips to implant under people’s skin so they can access their money.
The 2018 video featuring the German economist, 54, was first shared on the micro-blogging site last October.
Retweeting the clip, James penned: “I’ve been following professor Werner for some time now.
“Here he summarises why we need de-centralised banking rather than centralised control.”
It came two months after he compared the UK government’s Covid-19 jab rollout to the Nazi party.
The actor slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his cabinet, comparing them to totalitarian leader Big Brother in George Orwell’s 1984.
James has previously claimed that his immune system and taking vitamins were enough to help him fight the deadly disease.
Home sweet home
He might be most content in the great outdoors, but when he’s not exploring the Dales he can be found relaxing in his cosy home.
A couple of Christmases ago, the star shared snaps of his two trees, which also gave fans a glimpse at his plush purple sofa, large fireplace and wall mounted telly.
The home has a lush grassy garden with views over the valley and neighbouring cows.
