Bill Ward is a stay-at-home father following his shock exit from ‘Emmerdale’.
The 49-year-old actor bowed out of the long-running soap last week after his alter ego James Barton suffered a seizure and tragically died in hospital but, although his departure came out of the blue, he’s decided to put his future work on a back-burner while he looks after his sons so his wife can return to her screen work for a bit.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Bill said: "My other half is an actor as well and while I’ve been doing ‘Emmerdale’ she hasn’t been able to work. So I’m looking after our two little ones while she goes back to work, which I’m very pleased about."
However, the handsome star – who first joined the soap in 2013 – certainly isn’t short of work following his shocking exit as he’s been cast as evil Ebenezer in ‘Aladdin’.
He said: "I’m in panto playing the evil Ebenezer in ‘Aladdin’, which I’m delighted about."
Bill’s character James met his early grave last Friday when his crazed wife Emma (Gillian Kearney) pushed him off a bridge and into the oncoming traffic on a busy road.
Despite the dramatic plunge he took, James managed to survive the journey to hospital and a few hours in intensive care but he stood no chance when Emma was allowed into his room and blocked his oxygen tube, which ultimately led to his shocking fit.
Bill said: "I was delighted with the story. It wasn’t just a stunt that was dreamt up, it came from these two people – James and Emma – who don’t really get on, and this was probably our one and only chance to go with this outcome. I loved the writing, so I was chuffed to bits […] We did use a bit of green screen for that, and the stuntmen and women have been really extraordinary. I mean, us actors try to do as many of the stunts as we possibly can, but jumping off bridges is not one of them. I was extremely blessed to have some terrific guys standing in for me on that."
Bill Ward to be stay-at-home dad
