Who’s the daddy?

Emmerdale’s Liam Fox on the shock news his character Dan’s daughter may have been fathered by his brother Daz

He’s already been rocked by the death of his exwife Ali and left fretting about how his daughter Amelia will cope with the loss of her mother, but this week Emmerdale’s Dan Spencer is hit by even more devastating news.

Dan’s brother Daz confesses he had a fling with Ali 12 years ago and might be 11-year-old Amelia’s father. The revelation is prompted by a mixup involving a DNA test Daz took to try and discover the truth. Unfortunately the results end up in Dan’s hands and Daz has to come clean.

Liam Fox, who’s played Dan since 2011, says, ‘Dan has no suspicions; he’s dealing with Ali’s death, and worrying whether his daughter’s going to be OK. But the DNA results letter gets delivered to the Bartons, and Pete gives it to Dan. Before he gets around to reading it, Daz is forced to tell him what it’s about…’

Liam is keeping the DNA results a secret, but says Dan would be hit hard if Amelia turned out to be Daz’s daughter. ‘Amelia’s all that’s left in the village from his original family, so to find out she wasn’t his would be devastating,’ he says.

But he adds, ‘Dan would never let it affect his relationship with Amelia; he’d always be her dad, even if not biologically. Of course, it would depend on the reaction of Daz and Amelia, but Dan won’t just act like Amelia never existed.’

With Dan and Daz having fallen out several years ago when it emerged Daz had made a pass at Dan’s current partner Kerry, Dan finding out about Daz’s fling with Ali will be a case of history repeating itself. ‘Dan will be gutted, because it’s yet another betrayal,’ says Liam.

Could Dan ever forgive Daz? ‘He’s forgiven him for so many things over

the years, so anything’s possible, but it would be difficult. Dan and Daz have a complex love-hate relationship.’

Daz has always wanted a family but would he be a good dad? Liam, 47, doesn’t think so but says Dan wouldn’t stop Amelia from having a relationship with his brother.

‘While Daz would try to step up to the plate, Dan would imagine Daz to be a useless father who’d let Amelia down all the time because he’s only interested in himself.’

Liam is just happy to be busy again after a quiet few months without a

major storyline. During that time, the divorced dad-of-two spent time with new partner, actress Joanna Hudson, who he’s known since they were students together at Salford University.

He also wrote a drama about his own family, which he hopes ITV will make. ‘It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,’ he says.

Liam also hopes this storyline will reconnect his character with Emmerdale viewers. ‘I was a bit bored at the end of last year when I was quiet but I’m loving it right now.’