Emmerdale star James Hooton – who has played Sam Dingle in the soap for over 20 years – has surprised viewers and even his co-stars with his latest Twitter photo. The actor looked almost unrecognisable as he flexed his muscles for a shirtless photo after hitting the gym on Wednesday – showcasing an impressive body transformation.
"Session complete! #everythingaches," he tweeted alongside the photo, which quickly drew attention from many of his co-stars of past and present, including Adam Thomas, Corrinne Wicks and Anthony Quinlan. "Yes mate! Looking good," Anthony responded to the post, while Jamie Shelton commented: "Shredded mate. Looking good!"
© Photo: TwitterEmmerdale star James Hooton surprised with this shirtless snap
Coronation Street actress Katherine Down Blyton even weighed in, tweeting: "Jeez!!!!" Meanwhile, former Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten wrote: "Looking ace! Still climbing the village hall I see? Miss you duck!" Adam Thomas – best known for his role as Adam Barton – simply commented: "Beast!!!" However, a modest James joked: "It’s amazing what good lighting and a good camera angle can do!"
RELATED: See Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher's weight loss transformation
The post also came as a surprise to fans of Emmerdale, who are used to seeing the actor covered up in loose-fitting hoodies and T-shirts as Sam Dingle, a role he has played since the mid-1990s. But it appears the 45-year-old has been on a bit of a health kick, as recent posts detail his exercise routine, which have included rock climbing and jogging. "Been for a light jog today. Hamstring felt ok, only ran about 1 and half miles but held up ok," James tweeted on Thursday.
© Photo: RexJames is best known for his role as Sam Dingle
James isn’t the only Emmerdale star to impress fans with his body transformation in recent weeks; his former co-star Kelvin Fletcher also showcased his six-pack and muscular arms after following a dedicated fitness routine. Proudly unveiling the hard-earned results of his time in the gym, Kelvin joked: "@Marvel, I'm ready when you are."
Like this story?Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
