DAN’S ABOUT TO GET DESPERATE

Liam Fox on the love problems in store for his Emmerdale character

He tried for years to make it in soap, but when Liam Fox finally landed the role of his dreams, it came as no great surprise. Liam, who was in his 40s when he found fame as Dan Spencer, always knew that one day he would star in Emmerdale.

‘This might sound odd, but I knew my first big acting role would come in my early 40s,’ says Liam. ‘I don’t know why I felt that; I knew I was going to be a character actor, because with a face like mine you can’t do anything else! As I’m from Manchester you’d think Corrie would be the soap I’d end up in. But I just had a feeling it was going to be on Emmerdale.’

Liam was cast as loveable loser Dan in late 2011, after years of landing bit parts. It had been a very gradual progression from his schooldays in Stockport, Greater Manchester, where he was ‘the fat kid who did impressions’ and was told by pupils and teachers he should be an entertainer. ‘I didn’t think for a minute then that I would; I was too shy,’ recalls Liam. ‘But I joined a theatre club aged 18 and they said I should do it professionally.’

When he finally joined the cast of Emmerdale – as Ali Spencer’s exhusband – Liam was only due to appear for six episodes, but almost five years on, Liam’s paramedic char- acter Dan and his girlfriend Kerry Wyatt have become one of the soap’s best-loved couples – for now at least.

After Kerry discovered that Dan kissed Nicola, she retaliated by sleeping with Ross Barton and is now pregnant. This week she plans an abortion and when the truth comes out their three-year relationship is at risk.

Liam says the pair stopped appreciating each other and believes the storyline will chime with many viewers. ‘You’ll get loads of people watching who are in relationships but aren’t getting on with each other or have split because they took each other for granted,’ he says.

If Dan and Kerry do break up, Liam says he won’t be unhappy, so long as it’s not for ever. ‘I like being in a soap couple that’s popular with viewers but if there’s no drama it gets boring, so it’s good to see things fall apart. Although if Dan and Kerry do split I hope it’s not for too long.’

Off- screen, Liam is having fun being single again after last year splitting from actress Nicole BarberLane, his wife of 15 years with whom he has two children. ‘If I meet someone tomorrow that’s great,’ he says, ‘but I’m enjoying it.’

Having become a star relatively late in life, it’s no surprise Liam is in no rush to move on from Emmerdale. ‘From an acting point of view, I don’t know if I have many ambitions,’ he admits. ‘I’d like to be in Star Wars or play Doctor Who, but I think my ambitions are more in writing.

‘Ideally I’d continue to do Emmerdale and get the sitcoms I’ve written made on the side. But as long as I’m happy, life’s good and the sun’s out, that’s all that matters.’