{{Short description|English actor (b. 1973)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use British English|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = James Hooton | image = James Hooton 2023.jpg | caption = Hooton in 2023 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|07|13|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Carlton, Nottinghamshire]], England | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1985–present | television = ''[[Emmerdale]]'' | partner = Nancy Lucas (2010–present) | children = 2 }}
'''James Hooton''' (born 13 July 1973) is an English actor, best known for his role as [[Sam Dingle]] on the [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] soap opera ''[[Emmerdale]]'', a role he has played since 1995.
==Early and personal life== Hooton was born and raised in [[Carlton, Nottinghamshire]], where he attended Frank Wheldon Comprehensive School.<ref name="Lion">{{cite news |title=Interview: James Hooton |url=https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2012/april/james-hooton-interview-sam-dingle-emmerdale-twentyfourseven-our-style-is-legendary/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |work=Left Lion |date=29 April 2012}}</ref> He has been engaged to dance company owner Nancy Lucas since 2010, after they became engaged on St Valentine's Day. The couple have two children together.<ref name="OK" />
==Career== In 1985, at the age of 12, he made his television debut in the children's TV series ''[[Your Mother Wouldn't Like It]]''. He has also appeared in several other programmes, including ''[[Peak Practice]]'', ''[[The Bill]]'', ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' and ''[[Touching Evil]]''.<ref name="OK">{{cite news |last1=Hulme |first1=Charlotte |title=Everything you need to know about Emmerdale's James Hooton from body transformation to real accent |url=https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/sam-dingle-actor-family-life-22921636 |access-date=3 August 2021 |work=[[OK!]] |publisher=[[Reach plc]] |date=16 June 2021}}</ref> In 1995, he was cast in the [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] soap opera ''[[Emmerdale]]'' as [[Sam Dingle]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Daniels |first1=Colin |title=Hooton 'likes to hide behind character' |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a285165/hooton-likes-to-hide-behind-character/ |access-date=28 February 2021 |work=[[Digital Spy]] |publisher=[[Hearst Magazines UK]] |date=31 October 2010}}</ref> He filmed his first scene on 10 January 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fear |first1=Helen |title=Emmerdale’s James Hooton – aka Sam Dingle – marks 25 years on soap with special snap |url=https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/soaps/emmerdales-james-hooten-aka-sam-dingle-marks-25-years-on-soap-with-special-snap/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |work=Entertainment Daily |publisher=Digitalbox |date=10 January 2020}}</ref> In 1997, he appeared in director [[Shane Meadows]]' first feature film, ''[[Twenty Four Seven (film)|Twenty Four Seven]]'', where he played the character 'Wolfman' Knighty.<ref name="Lion" /> Then a year later, he announced his decision to leave ''Emmerdale''. He subsequently starred in ''[[The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner]]'' after [[Chris Gascoyne]] dropped out of the show, with Hooton having ten days to prepare for the role.<ref name="Lion" /> In 2009, he attended the Eurogamer Expo alongside co-star [[Alex Carter (British actor)|Alex Carter]] where he revealed that he was trying to get sponsorship for a video game show he was planning to pitch to television studios.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reynolds |first1=Matthew |title='Emmerdale' star to pitch video game show |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a184136/emmerdale-star-to-pitch-video-game-show/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |work=[[Digital Spy]] |publisher=[[Hearst Magazines UK]] |date=28 October 2009}}</ref> Hooton returned to ''Emmerdale'' in 2000.<ref name="Lion" /> In 2012, Hooton returned to the stage after 15 years to star in a stage production titled ''Our Style is Legendary''.<ref name="Lion" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hooton, James}} [[Category:1973 births]] [[Category:English male stage actors]] [[Category:English male television actors]] [[Category:English male film actors]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Male actors from Nottinghamshire]] [[Category:People from Carlton, Nottinghamshire]]