James Thornton leaving including huge stunt

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star James Thornton has promised that his character will have a "gripping" exit storyline.

Earlier this week, the actor announced he is leaving his role as John Barton and will bow out at the beginning of next year.

"It will be very dramatic and gripping. He doesn't leave in a taxi, let's just put it that way," he told PA.

"I know what happens. It's hard to not say anything. It's tricky not to give anything away. Me leaving the show ties in really nicely with the underlying storyline."

He added: "Working with Natalie (J Robb) and the Barton family, I would love to do this forever because it's so much fun. The cast are so incredible and I've had a laugh on the job. I thought about it a long time and I think the time is right."

John will be one of the main suspects when Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) is attacked, leaving him fighting for his life.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star James Thornton has revealed that he quit the soap to spend more time with his wife Joanna Page.

The actor, who plays John Barton in the ITV1 soap, has been living in Leeds during the week and only sees the Gavin & Stacey star when he returns to London at the weekend.

He announced last month that he will be departing Emmerdale, despite pleas from show boss Stuart Blackburn to stay, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

"When I first joined I signed for three years but it took me a while before I got it into my head that I would be staying that long," he said. "But then once I started doing it, the people and the atmosphere, I really, really enjoyed it. The main problem has been the logistics - I still live in London.

"It's been hard. When you're on a soap your life is dictated by a two-week block. If you want to go anywhere you have to put a request in four months before. I'm really lucky as I do a lot of voiceover work, which is a safety net for me coming out of the show.

"But it certainly wasn't an easy decision to make. I did start to think could I do this for a bit longer? Stu asked if he could convince me to stay but I knew I'd made the right decision to go."

He added that his exit being tied in to the attempted murder of Cain Dingle is "brilliant timing" because he didn't want his character to leave the village "out of nowhere".

[xcarlyx]

Sweet of him to quit for his wife, but they may end up spending too much time together

[Serena Williams]

Good point and Emmerdale is a solid gig, James was getting a real good pay cheque. Acting is a precarious profession, I hope James has another acting job lined up or has saved his money because getting a good acting job like Emmerdale is not easy. I really feel this is the end of an era. I don't see how the Barton family can continue without James?

[susannorwebb]

I think James IS the Barton family and him leaving will lead to the rest of them going shortly after. That's the way these things usually happen. The strongest link goes and the others follow.

[Serena Williams]

Yes I agree, without John Barton I don't know how the Barton family storyline can continue. I feel that John was a great dad he loved his kids and his wife. Some of the characters on Emmerdale they seem so bizarre but the Barton family for the most part was presented as a nice, middle class family. I am really going to miss James he is a great actor.

[LizzyBizzy]

The Barton daughters are my guesses for the most at risk family members once John's gone.

[Ruffed_lemur]

John leaving makes it look like one of the family is guilty of Cain's attack. I doubt it's him though. Maybe covering for someone else?

[sarah c]

Yes I agree, without John Barton I don't know how the Barton family storyline can continue. I feel that John was a great dad he loved his kids and his wife. Some of the characters on Emmerdale they seem so bizarre but the Barton family for the most part was presented as a nice, middle class family. I am really going to miss James he is a great actor.

do you really think middle class?.....

[Ruffed_lemur]

Good point and Emmerdale is a solid gig, James was getting a real good pay cheque. Acting is a precarious profession, I hope James has another acting job lined up or has saved his money because getting a good acting job like Emmerdale is not easy. I really feel this is the end of an era. I don't see how the Barton family can continue without James?

I think they can. Moira is a strong character, although her affair with Cain was out of character IMHO.