Blast From The Past
As star Sophie Powles takes to the stage in new musical Fanatical, she’s forever grateful for her village life…
Holly Barton’s sudden death in 2016 stunned Emmerdale viewers everywhere. Holly had battled drug addiction for years, and despite having returned to the family fold – determined to kick her habit – Holly’s overdose proved that her fight was in vain.
The emotional moment when mum Moira found her beloved daughter dead at home was one of Emmerdale’s most devastating and powerful scenes ever – and it’s a day that Sophie Powles, who played Holly, will never forget…
“The story was an honour to be a part of,” she shares, as she joins us during rehearsals for her latest role in musical
Fanatical. “I loved it because we’d kept the storyline so secret. Having worked so closely with substance abusers and drugs charity DISC [since renamed Humankind], we really wanted to do it justice, and for the audience to feel the massive impact that losing Holly had on Moira and her family.”
Sophie joined the Barton ranks when her screen clan arrived in 2009. Holly left the village for a new life in London with sister Hannah in 2012 – returning four years later in the grip of heroin addiction. Holly passed away just six months later, but Sophie’s grateful for every moment she spent in the role.
“I had the best time of my life working alongside the incredible Natalie [J Robb, who plays Moira] and Jeff [Hordley, aka Cain],” she beams. “I’m really proud of what we created together, and we formed an incredible bond. Filming Holly’s final scenes with Nat was absolutely heartbreaking. We’d practised the night before and I thought I’d be fine – but when I saw myself in the mirror with my death make-up on, it was awful.
“It’s such a weird thing to see yourself dead. And when they called ‘Cut’, both of us just burst out crying. It was the end of an era, the end of mine and Natalie’s journey on-screen, so it was really sad.”
Since leaving the show, Sophie has remained in touch with her Emmerdale co-stars – “Natalie’s still like my mum, she always rings to check I’m all right!” – who she’s hoping might come to see her in Fanatical. The production tells the tale of a group of sci-fi fans attending a convention for their favourite show Angel 8, and Sophie is loving it.
“It’s a funny story, very cool, and it’s got real heart,” she enthuses. “I’m going on stage every night with the loveliest cast, and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much. The characters in the show are people who love something, and are celebrating it – with the underlying message that we should all be a bit more accepting, and not judge people.
“It’s one of the things I learned while I was at Emmerdale – which has such a loyal fanbase – that without the people who love and support what you’re doing, there’s no point.
It’s so rewarding how people invest in your character, so I can really relate to Fanatical in that way. “Emmerdale was such a big part of my life,” adds Sophie. “I met my best friends there and it’s such a treat to be doing what you love every day –
I’m so grateful for all the amazing training and everything I learned there. I had the best time!”