From being homeless to becoming one of Emmerdale’s most adored stars, one cast member has an incredible backstory
Emmerdale legend’s epic rise from being homeless to ‘earning thousands’ on ITV soap
An Emmerdale icon has an off-screen story even more remarkable than some of the soap’s biggest storylines.
Over the years, viewers have been introduced to several stars who have joined the long-running programme. And while plenty have left, several have remained in the Dales, including Bob Hope actor Tony Audenshaw.
Tony shot to fame playing Bob Hope on the ITV soap back in 2000. Since then, he’s become a firm favourite and has been involved in a ton of memorable soap moments.
And in Wednesday’s episode (July 15) episode, the Woolpack Batman was seen spilling the beans to newcomer Serena Sugden (Casey Al-Shaqsy) about her newfound family.
However, for actor Tony, life hasn’t always been plain sailing as he has endured tough times trying to make ends meet while chasing his dream of acting.
Tony’s real-life homeless experience
In 2019, Tony opened up about being homeless back in the day, before having his big break in the TV world. The actor revealed he could not afford to stay in a BnB when he worked in Thorpe Park back in the 1980s, so was forced to sleep in his car in order to make ends meet.
“There were occasions where I didn’t have enough for a B&B, so I just parked up and tried to get some kip. It wasn’t easy, but you do what you have to do,” he said on Loose Women.
“I used to work at Thorpe Park, the theme park, I used to be the Thorpe Park rangers and do the voices. Up North things are much cheaper. I came down here in the 80s, and it was £70 for a BNB.
“If I was down for five nights I would sleep in the car, because I didn’t have much money coming in. I’d never do it two nights on the trot because you couldn’t really function well. It was Monday in a B&B, Tuesday in the car – the things you saw in those car parks, torches in the window.”
Tony’s reported soap earnings
Bob’s perseverance paid off as after an early stint in Brookside in the mid-90s, he was first seen on Emmerdale in 1996 in a minor role before landing the part of Bob Hope four years later.
Since then, he has clocked up more than 2,500 episodes, making him one of the soap’s longest-serving cast members.
Due to his status on the show, it’s believed Tony. could be earning thousands. Cast members earn between £400 and £2,000 per episode, which translates to annual salaries ranging from roughly £12,000 for newer cast members to over £200,000 for top, long-standing stars, like Tony.
Tony’s world record
Away from the Yorkshire set, Tony is renowned for his love of running; a hobby that has taken him all around the world, from London to Amsterdam and New York.
In 2010, he entered the London Marathon in a giant baby outfit — and crossed the line in just 3 hours and 13 minutes. The remarkable time earned him a Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a baby, but the record has since been broken.
Running was also a hobby he shared with his late wife Ruth, who died from cancer in April 2017, when she was 43 years old, after a 16-month battle with the disease. Tony and Ruth had been married since 1996 and had two children together, a son George and a daughter Emily.
Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
