Blast from the Past with ex-emmerdale star John Middleton (Ashley)
John Middleton – aka Ashley Thomas – reveals how he’s left soapland behind for an exciting new stage role…
It’s been almost 12 months since Ashley Thomas died from dementia in the Dales. But after 20 years playing the village vicar, it gave actor John Middleton a fresh start – and he’s swapped TV for the stage to appear in a tour of the classic crime-thriller Strangers On A Train.
John hasn’t completely left the world of soap behind for his new role, though. His co-stars include Christopher Harper – who played vile Nathan Curtis in Corrie
– and one-time Hollyoaks actress Hannah Tointon (Katy Fox). And when the play reaches York’s Grand Opera House next month, he will be performing in front of some of his former cast mates – including Charlotte Bellamy who plays Ashley’s wife, Laurel!
“Charlotte is a great friend of mine,” John tells us. “She’s the sister I never knew I had. It’s always good to have family and friends in the audience, but it makes me quite nervous, too – I never know what their reaction to the play is going to be! But luckily the response so far has been magnificent.”
John plays the role of Detective Arthur Gerard, who is called in to investigate when two men who meet aboard a train make a secret pact to murder each other’s most hated family member.
“My character is very different from Ashley – Detective Gerard is a hard-bitten ex-cop and he has to crack this hideous case,” says the actor. “I can tell you, it’s been incredibly exciting to develop a new character for the first time in 20 years.”
Being on stage every night means John doesn’t have time to catch up on the latest events in the village. However, he also explains that when he finished filming on Emmerdale last year, he made the tough decision to stop watching the soap. “I realised I had to leave it all behind and look forward, not back,” he shares. “So the only way to do that was to stop watching. I know that sounds harsh. But I think the show is in really great shape, and it’s fantastic that it is now being properly recognised in the media and at all the award events.” So what’s next for John after Strangers On A Train concludes its run in Cardiff at the end of March? More theatre, or another move into something different?
“I don’t know yet, but that is actually part of the fun,” admits the star. “I’m up for anything, and in many ways it’s exciting not knowing what’s going to happen. But even if there’s nothing immediate, there are other things in my life that I love doing – and now I have time to do them!”
Simon Timblick
Strangers On A Train runs until 31 March. For tickets and more info, visit www.atg tickets.com/shows/ strangers-on-a-train/