Freddie Jones
“There are prolific degrees of love going around Emmerdale!”
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear… Oh blimey!” Freddie Jones is in a pickle. He’s just been asked to list his favourite Emmerdale moments, and we’re not surprised the question is proving a toughie. “There are so many!” says the 90-year-old actor, who has played much-loved Sandy Thomas since 2005.
But while Freddie has adored his 13 years on the show, his time in the Dales is nearing its end. As Sandy strikes up a new bond this week, it looks set to lead to his departure from the village – and it won’t just be Laurel, Gabby and Arthur who’ll miss his wit and wisdom! There are few who could replace Ashley’s father, but Freddie reassures us that Sandy might still be back one day…
It’s the end of an era, Freddie – we miss Sandy already! Can you tell us what it was that prompted your decision to leave Emmerdale?
Well, in my time here I’ve been gifted the most powerful and varied scenes. But there are two factors that come into play – one being the death of Sandy’s son Ashley, which was the great height of my existence in the show. So with his death, and with Sandy’s age, I just couldn’t see where else he’d go.
Was it a difficult choice to make?
Being on Emmerdale has been incredible. However, I was travelling three hours to get to work, with three hours back and overnight stays, and it was helping nobody. I was offered a year’s contract – but I thought, ‘How can I possibly?’. In the end, it was nothing to do with me, just the character – where can I go?
What will you miss most about your job at Emmerdale?
Working at Emmerdale has become a friendship. People often ask me, “How do you get on with the rest of the cast?”. And I say, “No, not the cast – the community!”. The great wit, minds and humour everywhere – and I’m also going to say love. There are prolific degrees of love going around. That is what I will greatly, greatly miss.
Is working to the grand old age of 90 something you’d recommend? Well, actors have to act, so it has an inevitability! People who don’t know might think it’s showing off. It’s not. It’s about imaginative invention – trying to make a scene fly. The simple reason is that actors don’t retire, they die!
Have you ever been asked for advice by younger actors?
I was once invited to a lunch by the Duchess of Northumberland – it was a charity thing. The lad who I suppose is now the Duke of Northumberland said to me covertly, “I’ve been entertaining the idea of perhaps becoming an actor, what do you think?”. And I just said, “I think you’ll grow out of it…” [laughs]. The point of it is, everybody is an actor. Look at children, they’re brilliant!
So tell us about your exit storyline – it involves the legendary Wendy Craig, who plays Maisie…
Yes, it’s a delight! I mean, the ending storyline isn’t funny, but it was a lovely bonus that Wendy was to play Maisie, because I’ve worked with her once before, on an episode of The Royal. She is a charming, delightful creature. Yesterday she told me it was an honour to be working with me, but I replied, “No, it bloody isn’t – I’m honoured to be working with you!”.
We asked you about your favourite moments before – but can you tell us some of your top Sandy plots?
There really have been so many! But the stories with Sandy’s son, Ashley. Their relationship and the opportunity to show so many aspects of it. I also very much enjoyed Sandy’s friendship with the young lad Sean Spencer, and the pirate ship scenes. But let me confess here and now that I’m not too keen on having every scene stolen by a child or an animal, and I have had that happen to me by both!
What was the best thing about playing Ashley’s father?
It was a total delight. I enjoyed being Ashley’s father immensely. John Middleton [who played him] is a great actor. And I hear he’s been very generous about me playing his dad. I know that he’s currently on a theatre tour, so I’ve been asking Charlotte Bellamy [Laurel] how he’s doing.
“Playing Ashley’s father was a total delight – I enjoyed it immensely!”
Your own son, Toby (star of blockbuster movies including
Captain America and The Hunger Games), has followed in your acting footsteps. What do you make of his career?
Toby is quite extraordinary – winning awards, doing such great work. But I keep telling people who admire him that he’s much more than that. He is also a great man – he’s a great family man who loves his family and his parents. And he’s busy working for charities.
How about your other boys, Rupert and Casper?
Well, last year ended for me in a huge explosion of joy! My middle son Rupert lectures in camera techniques but is also a writer – and he was informed that a film that he had written, which is called
Kaleidoscope, had got backing and would be shown. The wonderful Anne Reid is in it along with Toby. And just before Christmas I was told that The Times and The Daily Telegraph had given the movie four stars! Imagine! I was completely bowled over. My youngest son, Casper, doesn’t work in the arts, but I’m so very proud of him – he works exceptionally hard.
How are you planning on spending your free time now?
Well, after telling you about this film of Rupert’s, I now see clearly that my future is very rosy indeed. Apart from playing Santa Claus in a department store, I shall be able to dress up and present myself in the queue for auditions for my son’s next film! The film credits will read: ‘Also in the cast: Dad’…
So you’ve not retired, then?
No – certainly not!
How would you like Sandy to spend the rest of his days? Might we see him back in
one day? Emmerdale
I can’t see a reason why not! It doesn’t have to be epic…
Do you intend to keep on tuning in to Emmerdale to keep up with the Thomas family antics?
I may well do that, yes!
Did your fellow cast members give you a good send-off ?
There was a line in Sandy’s script where he says, “Farewell party? Never!” – and I added in my own line where he goes on to say, “It’d be like attending my own wake!”. But they organised a surprise party for me on the Woolpack set on my last day, and it wasn’t like a wake at all. It was an absolute delight!