SOAP ME... Real me!
Early life
The son of Ken Barlow and Denise Osbourne, Daniel was born on 5 January 1995. He was abandoned by his mum and brought up by his dad, before Denise regained custody. Ken saw him infrequently over the years, and Denise abandoned him once again at 15.
Soap start
Daniel made the Street his permanent home in 2016 – when Rob took over the role – arriving after Ken suffered a stroke. He was soon thrown into huge plots, including his affair with Sinead and pushing Ken down the stairs in a rage.
Sinead forever!
Daniel’s deepest and most tragic love was Sinead, who died just months after giving birth to their son. But she lives on. “The instant she died, Daniel’s attention shifted straight to Bertie,” says Rob. “All that care and love he had for Sinead has gone to his son.”
Naughty!
Women certainly bring out Daniel’s wild side! His first bunk-up with Sinead was a steamy encounter on the factory floor, then he embarked on a racy affair with Carla, almost 20 years his senior. “He has a thing for older women because of his mother,” Rob reckons.
Health matters
His tumultuous upbringing, coupled with his guilt over Ken’s attack, saw Daniel’s mental health go into steep decline and he began selfharming, later turning to drugs and alcohol. “I talked to someone I know who used to hurt themselves about their reasoning behind it,” says Rob.
Love life!
Daisy and Daniel are going through a rough patch, and Nicky has tried to stake her claim on him. He’s previously been involved with Bethany and stalker Lydia. “I think he’s most suited to Daisy,” says Rob.
High achiever!
With his dad Ken a notorious brainbox, Daniel has followed in his footsteps. He received his degree in English literature in 2017 then won an MA place at Oxford – much to Ken’s delight. More recently he’s qualified as a teacher – just as Ken once did!
High achiever!
Rob was delighted to win the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer in 2018, with his mum in the audience. “You’re the one that’s always kept me on track,” he said in tribute in his speech. Meanwhile, Sinead’s death was nominated for a BAFTA award.
Health matters
After an appearance on ITV’s This Morning left viewers concerned, Rob revealed that he suffers from an essential tremor, which causes involuntary shaking. He had previously kept it secret for fear it would impact his career. “It makes small everyday activities a challenge,” he confesses.
Love life!
Rob fell for his co-star Daniel Brocklebank (Billy) after they met on the set. They broke up, but remain mates. He then dated Ben Perryman for six months in 2018. He’s always been very open about his sexuality, coming out to his family when he was 17.
Early life
Rob Mallard was born in Oldham on 19 May 1992. He graduated in drama from Birmingham in 2014 and began to win roles in shows such as Waterloo Road.
“I auditioned for Hollyoaks nine times!” he laughs.
“In the end I told my agent I couldn’t go back!”
Soap start
Rob’s first soap role was in Emmerdale, playing a rent boy that Robert
Sugden hired to try to seduce Lawrence
White. “I only did three episodes, but they were very eventful – I got beaten up, swindled someone out of money, then left never to return!” he says.
Naughty!
Rob caused a bit of a sensation among fans after he posted a saucy naked picture on social media. “Say what you sea!” he captioned the snap, which saw him pictured from the back in the waves, looking out to sea. “Peachy perfection,” joked one fan in reply.