AN Emmerdale hunk has landed a role in a hit BBC drama – six years after his soap exit.
Anthony Quinlan, 41, played Pete Barton in the ITV soap from 2013 until his departure in 2020.
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Former Emmerdale star Anthony Quinlan has landed a role in a hit BBC drama Credit: Getty – Contributor
Anthony played Pete Barton in Emmerdale until 2020 Credit: Rex
Anthony will appear in series three of anthology series Time, which starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham in the first series Credit: PA
Since then, his fans have seen him build up his fitness and personal training business, but that doesn’t mean he’s turned his back on acting.
In fact, Anthony exclusively revealed to The Jattvibe Online that he will be appearing in the next series of Time on BBC One.
He said: “I’ve been trying to get back into the acting game more this year.
“The past few years I’ve been running online PT alongside my supplement business BoxedOff, which takes up a lot of time — but I’m so grateful.
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“I signed up with a new agency last year and things have gone from strength to strength.
“I’ve just landed a role with the BBC in a production called Time — the Jimmy McGovern crime drama, series three.
“There are some phenomenal actors involved. The director is unbelievable. It’s very exciting to be a part of it.”
Time is an anthology crime drama set in a prison which first aired in June 2021 and starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.
The second series premiered in October 2023 and starred Jodie Whittaker and Bella Ramsey.
Speaking about why he has focused on his business in recent years, Anthony told us via WhichBingo: “The fitness and business side was always something I built in the background as a safeguard, not as a replacement for acting.
Series two starred Jodie Whittaker Credit: BBC
Anthony has been focusing on his fitness and personal training business in recent years Credit: Refer to Caption
“I kind of made a vow to myself at Emmerdale that I would set something up so that if I were to step away, I’d have something there.
“Acting is my passion, it always has been and it always will be.”
Anthony has been on our screens since he was 20, after landing the role of Gilly Roach in Hollyoaks.
With so much experience on soaps, Anthony has witnessed all the pitfalls that can come after leaving a big show behind.
He said: “You can definitely get typecast — that’s certainly a thing. And sometimes there are stigmas attached to certain soap operas, and soaps in general.
“It can be difficult transitioning out of a soap, not only because of the potential difficulty in finding work, but financially as well.
“When you’ve been in a long-standing show you have a degree of stability that you don’t really get from any other acting job.”
He continued: “Leaving a soap can be quite a shock to the system. I was really fortunate in that I had a few things to fall back on.”
Anthony also played Gilly in Hollyoaks before moving to Emmerdale – and acting remains his passion Credit: Handout
Anthony is in a relationship with former Coronation Street and Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Now he’s back in the acting game, Anthony wouldn’t rule out joining a third soap, saying: “Never say never. I mean, obviously with a family on the way you want security as well.
“I grew up watching Coronation Street, and EastEnders is a phenomenal show as well.
“I always said when I was younger I’d love to do Coronation Street. Growing up watching it with my family, being from Manchester, it was a given.
“My partner (Nikki Sanderson) was in it as well. So yeah — if the right role came about, who knows?”
