SOAPS have given us lots of drama over the years – and lots of hotties, too.
Posing for sexy calendar shoots and picking up gongs purely for their looks was the norm for many soap stars in the Nineties and early Noughties.
Jodi Albert was a popular pin-up who graced the front cover of lads’ mags
Adam Rickitt, who played Nick Tilsley on Corrie, has landed a new soap role on Doctors
But what does life look like for them decades later?
We recently revealed former Coronation Street star Adam Rickitt’s brand new role in BBC soap Doctors – 20 years after leaving the cobbles.
Away from the small screen, the 45-year-old, who played hunk Nick Tilsley, runs Cheshire bar Dexter and Jones with his Good Morning Britain presenter wife Katy.
Here, we reveal where other soap heartthrobs are now…
Jodi Albert
She was once a popular pin-up who graced the front cover of lads’ mags.
But these days, Jodi brands herself as a “wife and mummy”.
Jodi played Debbie Dean in Hollyoaks until 2005. That year she won the British Soap Award for Sexiest Female.
After leaving the Channel 4 soap, she appeared in shows The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Respectable and Casualty.
Jodi played Debbie Dean in Hollyoaks until 2005 – and is now married to Kian from Westlife
She was also a member of Simon Cowell’s British girl group Girl Thing, and later joined Irish band Wonderland.
Jodi, 38, tied the knot to former Westlife singer Kian Egan, 43, in May 2019 in a stunning Barbados ceremony.
The couple met as teenagers – having been introduced by Cowell – and got together a few years later.
Jodi previously admitted: “From the minute we met each other we were obsessed with each other and as the years have gone on we have become more obsessed with each other… We are a real team and we are best friends.
“We have a great sex life – maybe it’s down to that, who knows?”
The couple share three children – Koa, 11, Zeke, seven, and Cobi, five.
Last year Jodi revealed she suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage at nine weeks pregnant.
Roxanne McKee
Roxanne McKee appeared in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World list multiple times
She shares her workouts on Instagram
Roxanne played Louise Summers on Hollyoaks until her character’s death in 2008.
During her time on the soap she won a legion of fans and scooped the award for Sexiest Female two years running at the British Soap Awards in 2007 and 2008.
She also appeared in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World list multiple times.
She went on to star in EastEnders: E20 – a spin-off from the BBC soap – Lip Service and Game of Thrones, and even had a cameo in Taio Cruz’s music video for his hit She’s Like A Star.
While she’s still acting, the 42-year-old’s second passion is fitness and nutrition.
She often shares her workout routines and recipes with her 91k followers on Instagram.
Gemma Merna
Gemma Merna rose to fame as Carmel McQueen in Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks legend Gemma rose to fame as Carmel McQueen and often posed for sexy shoots in mags like FHM and Nuts.
She’s now a yoga teacher and life coach and runs a Mind and Wellness site, which she describes as an “online gym membership for your mind and body”.
Gemma, 39, left the soap after her character was killed off in a train accident in 2014. Earlier this year she ruled out ever returning from the dead like Cindy Beale on EastEnders.
She told The Celeb Report: “I loved my time on Hollyoaks, it was an incredible time of my life… The chapter is closed on that time of my life and I am excited for what new characters I will play in the future.”
In 2014 she appeared on ITV diving show Splash!, and was the first contestant to be eliminated.
She’s currently preparing to return to screens after landing a role in Sky’s series Brassic alongside Michelle Keegan.
She said: “I was so nervous working with a new team but as soon as I got onto set Michelle Keegan was there and she gave me a big hug, made me feel so comfortable as we have known each other for years.”
Gemma tied the knot to her property developer husband Ian Minton in 2012 – and is mum to three dogs.
She fuelled speculation her marriage was over in 2017 after she ditched her wedding ring.
Emma Rigby
Emma Rigby played Hannah Ashworth in Hollyoaks
Emma was propelled to stardom when she joined Hollyoaks in 2005 as Hannah Ashworth.
The actress, who quit the show in 2010, was nominated for Sexiest Female at the British Soap Awards in 2008.
Her next big role was Brandy Mulligan in Becoming Human in 2011, before she went on to appear in Fresh Meat, Prisoners’ Wives and Once Upon A Time in Wonderland.
Emma, 33, is thought to be single, but she’s been linked to a string of famous faces in the past, and was previously in a relationship with footballer Matthew Mills.
He told the Daily Star in 2010: “I’ve obviously had a bit of banter from the lads.
“Not many footballers are going out with actresses, but it’s all good fun and she loves her football and comes to games. To be fair to her, she knows what she’s talking about, too!”
In 2012, she was rumoured to be dating JLS singer Aston Merrygold after the pair were spotted on a lunch date.
Tracy Shaw
Tracy Shaw played Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street
Tracy won Rear of the Year
She was a true TV bombshell in the 90s as Maxine Peacock on Coronation Street – and once won the infamous ‘Rear of the Year’ title.
But now, Tracy keeps a relatively low profile. After leaving the soap in 2003, she had minor roles in a number of ITV dramas.
But the majority of her work has been in the theatre.
She first starred in The Blue Room in 2003 alongside Jason Connery
Following the birth of her children – Louis, 18, and Luca, 17 – she returned to the stage and toured with Mum’s the Word in 2010, Busy Body in 2011 and The Cat and the Canary in 2021.
Tracy, 50, also attempted a pop career, releasing two singles – Ridin’ High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon’s Happenin’ All Over Again.
She’s had a series of high-profile romances, including Darren Day, who popped the question and infamously gave her the £30,000 ring he’d proposed to his ex Anna Friel with.
Tracy then married Robert Ashworth in June 2001 before they split in 2004.
She’s now engaged to childhood pal Ashley Poundall, the father of her sons.
Sammy Winward
Sammy Winward played Katie Sugden on Emmerdale
Sammy was a huge fan favourite in her 14 years on Emmerdale as Katie Sugden.
She was nominated as Sexiest Female a number of times and voted number 73 in the FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
Since leaving the soap in 2015, Sammy has largely remained out of the spotlight.
She announced her return to acting in 2021, revealing she’d been cast as the female lead in a new gritty drama called The Saturday After.
The 37-year-old is married to Human Resources manager Martyn Hardy.
She was previously engaged to footballer David Dunn, the father of her 18-year-old daughter Mia, before they split in 2005.
Michael Greco
Michael Greco was an instant EastEnders heartthrob as Beppe di Marco
Michael became an instant heartthrob when he arrived in Albert Square in 1999.
The former EastEnders star, who played Beppe di Marco, had fans swooning over his character’s trademark goatee – and he bagged Sexiest Male at the British Soap Awards in 1999 and 2000.
He left the show in 2002 and appeared on reality shows Celebrity Love Island and Soapstar Superstar. He briefly returned to acting when he appeared as Phil Paterson in Casualty in 2017.
He also shocked fans last year when he made an appearance in Holby City.
In July 2021, Michael, 52, became a dad for the first time. He welcomed a baby boy with his girlfriend Helen Harris and named him Gianluca Greco, an Italian moniker meaning ‘gift of God’.
Earlier this year he also starred in new Netflix documentary Queen Cleopatra as Pothinus.
Jack Ryder
Jack Ryder joined Albert Square as a fresh-faced Jamie Mitchell
He was the soap poster-boy when he joined EastEnders at 17, but Jack looks almost unrecognisable 21 years after his exit.
Known for his blonde curtain hairstyle, he played Jamie Mitchell and certainly wasn’t short of female admirers.
Following his four-year run on the soap he went on to win Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes with his performance as Justin Timberlake.
He’s also appeared in shows such as Holby City, In The Club and Doctors, and stage shows The Full Monty, The Girls and The Band.
He married Hear’Say singer turned Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh in 2002, before they divorced in 2009.
Jack, 41, is now smitten with his girlfriend Ella. The pair live in north London and are parents to a baby girl called Marnie, who they welcomed in 2021.
He now writes children’s books and is a director.
Robert James-Collier
Robert James-Collier as Liam Connor in Corrie
Robert played hunky Liam Connor in Coronation Street from 2006-2008.
He won the Sexiest Male Award at the 2007 and 2008 British Soap Awards, and tried his hand at modelling when he appeared in the Autumn/Winter 2007 and Spring/Summer 2008 catalogues for Argos.
Following his exit from Weatherfield, he played butler Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey until 2015. His storyline delved into the awful treatment of gay men in the 1920s.
In 2019 he was cast as Martin in Channel 4’s Ackley Bridge.
The 45-year-old is married to Lauren Chandiram, and they have son Milo, who they welcomed in 2010.
Nigel Harman
Nigel Harman as Dennis Rickman and as Alistair Heap in Casualty – doing his trademark arms-crossed pose
Nigel burst onto the EastEnders scene as hunk Dennis Rickman in 2003 and was a hit with viewers until his devastating death in 2005.
The 49-year-old – awarded Sexiest Male at the British and Inside Soap Awards in 2004 and 2005 – enjoyed success in theatreland following his exit, starring in Mamma Mia!, Guys and Dolls and Three Days of Rain.
He’s also appeared on our screens in Hotel Babylon, Downton Abbey and Causalty.
As well as acting, Nigel has now become a meditation expert, branding himself the Meditating Actor.
He has his own website which provides workshops, guided meditations, classes and sports rehabilitation meditation.
Nigel has been married to British actress Lucy Liemann since 2011 and they welcomed a daughter the following year.
Last month it was reported Nigel will compete on Strictly Come Dancing this autumn.
