Soap legend John Middleton is reportedly leaving Hollyoaks after less than a year on the Channel 4 show. The 72-year-old actor, famous for his long-running role as vicar Ashley Thomas in Emmerdale, joined Hollyoaks last August as the menacing gangster Fraser “Froggy” Black.
Despite his brief tenure, Middleton has decided to exit the show, prompting the producers to plan an intense exit storyline for his villainous character. Sources revealed that the showrunners are debating whether to kill off Froggy or leave the door open for a potential comeback in the future.
Froggy’s arrival in the Chester village brought him into a collision course with his granddaughters – notorious criminal Grace Black and her murderous sister Clare Devine. Tragically, Grace met her demise within months of Froggy’s appearance, as Clare fatally shot her during a botched cash heist.
Following these events, Froggy has remained entangled with Grace’s son Rex and his other grandson, disgraced officer Sully. However, after Sully’s dark secret was exposed, Froggy disowned him, sparking a vengeful plot that will see Clare making a dramatic return to the village for Froggy’s final storyline.
The storyline for Froggy unfolded as he discovered shocking information about Grace’s whereabouts, leading to a cascade of events. Reflecting on his new role, Middleton hinted at the intricacies of Froggy’s character, teasing that revealing certain secrets could have catastrophic consequences.
Middleton’s portrayal of Ashley in Emmerdale garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards during his remarkable 22-year stint on the show. He was acknowledged as one of the top soap actors, with Betway’s analysis of Google search data ranking him sixth, behind notable names like Jack P Shepherd from Coronation Street.
In a similar analysis, Emmerdale secured the sixth spot overall, with John Middleton’s portrayal generating over 18 million searches. The soap actor rankings also highlighted EastEnders’ Perry Fenwick as a strong contender in search volume, despite a lower sentiment rating compared to his peers.
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