Emmerdale's Amy Walsh reveals new job alongside EastEnders star husband
EMMERDALE'S Amy Walsh revealed her exciting new career move alongside her EastEnders star husband.
Emmerdale favourite has opened up about her surprising new job - and she's teaming up with none other than her EastEnders star husband, Toby Alexander Smith.
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Taking to Instagram, the soap power couple announced they will be launching a drama school - in a bid to inspire fresh talent.
Toby said: "The Walsh Academy North will open on 2nd June 2025 and provide speech and drama classes for children aged from 7 to 16."
Amy chimed in and revealed that herself and Toby will be the acting coaches.
She added that their aim is not to make every child a TV star - but to offer a safe space from them to express themselves and meet new friends to have fun with.
The Walsh Academy was established in London in 2021 by Amy Walsh's sister, Sally Sheppard Walsh.
They wrote: "The academy has flourished and the students are THRIVING! That is why we are a thrilled to be bringing The Walsh Academy… to the NORTH!"
Emmerdale actress Amy is best known for playing Tracy Robinson, while Toby played the EastEnders villain Gray Atkins.
Gray's exit on the BBC soap involved his arrest and imprisonment after his murders and domestic abuse was uncovered.
The soap stars first met in 2019 while in the audience of Strictly Come Dancing and quickly moved in together ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.
Two years after they met, they welcomed their first child Bonnie Mae in December 2021.
Emmerdale's Amy Walsh admits relationship struggle as she 'barely sees' husband a year after wedding
In August 2023, they got engaged during a romantic holiday in Ibiza.
In September 2023, they tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony in front of family and friends in Montenegro.
She told OK!: 'It was honestly the most perfect day. It surpassed all my expectations and more. I felt so surprisingly present on the day and loved every second. Now I'm just in pure bliss.
"Our family and friends are really important to us and we wanted everyone to have the best time.
'They all made such an effort to come out there for us. Friends left their kids for the first time and spent their money getting there. We wanted it to be really special.'
Real-life soap couples
Soaps are renowned for their sweet and scandalous romances – but it's not just in scripted storylines where love is blossoming. A number of our favourite small-screen actors have fallen for co-stars and soapland rivals when the cameras have stopped rolling.
Max Parker and Kris Mochrie
Despite playing brothers Luke and Lee Posner on Emmerdale, the pair never actually shared any scenes together. But the pair still fell in love after meeting on set. Max and Kris got together in 2020, moving in together later than same year and got engaged in 2022. In a sweet Instagram post, the couple confirmed they're planning a 2025 wedding.
Beth Cordingly and Ian Kelsey
Beth, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan, announced her love for her co-star Ian Kelsey, who played Dean Glover, shortly after she joined Emmerdale at the beginning of 2024. 'I am very in love with Ian and very happy. I think it really does work him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic," she gushed.
Laura Norton and Mark Jordan
Kerry Wyatt and Daz Eden actors Laura and Mark met on the set of Emmerdale in 2014. The couple, who got engaged in 2018, told Loose Women they spent a long time deciding whether they should "just stay as friends." Although it seems they were meant to be and the pair now share two children together.
Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley
Emmerdale favourites Zoe and Jeff, who play Rhonda Goskirk and Cain Dingle met at drama college in 1994 and have been together ever since. While working together might be too much for some couples, that's definitely not the case for Zoe and Jeff. Zoe previously told The Sun: "Working on the same show as Jeff also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand."
Lesley Dunlop and Chris Chittell
Lesley and Chris are another Dales romantic success story. Unlike some of the other soap stars, the pair who play Brenda Walker and Eric Pollard, are together on and off screen, officially tying the knot in 2016. They also adore working together, but have clear home-work boundaries. "We make a point of not talking about Emmerdale when we're at home, though – that would be just too sad, wouldn't it?" Chris revealed.
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Abi Franklin and Tim Metcalfe actors Sally and Joe got together after meeting on the set of Coronation Street in 2017 and they tied the knot in July 2022. But unlike some of the Emmerdale stars, Sally and Joe prefer that their characters don't interact much. Sally previously admitted it "would be horrendous" to work on a storyline with Joe because "he's too funny."
Anthony Cotton and Peter Eccleston
Sean Tully may have been unlucky in love on the cobbles, but in real life Antony's met his Prince Charming. The soap star started dating long-term partner Peter in 2005, after they met when he was working as an assistant props buyer on Corrie.
Jane Danson and Robert Beck
Corrie favourite Jane Danson tied the knot with soap star Robert Beck in 2005. The actress, who plays Leanne Battersby, shares two children, Harry and Sam, with the former Brookside star. During their marriage, Robert has also done a stint in Weatherfield playing criminal Jimmy Dockerson.
Caroline Harding and Chris Gascoyne
Chris, who played pub landlord Peter Barlow, married soap star Caroline in 2002. Although she is best known as an Emmerdale star, Caroline did visit her husband at work when she did a two-episode stint as doctor on the Manchester soap in 2020. The couple share a daughter called Belle, plus two children, Pip and Freddie from Caroline's previous marriage.
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Nadine Mulkerrin, and Rory Doulas Speed are known for their Hollyoaks alter egos Cleo McQueen and Joel Dexter. The loved-up pair got engaged on a December 2018 trip to Amsterdam - just over a year after they announced they were dating. They now share two kids, Reggie and Dougie.
Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward
Former Hollyoaks star Sophie, whose best known for playing villain Lindsay Butterfield, was introduced to singer and ex-Corrie star Shayne through mutual friends. She gave birth to their daughter Willow in December 2016 and they welcomed a son in 2022.
Among the guests was Amy's famous sister, Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh, who performed at the ceremony.
As did EastEnders star Shona McGarty, who sang a duet with TikTok sensation Sonny Tennet.
Emmerdale favourites Natalie Ann Jamieson, Olivia Bromley and Louisa Clein also made the trip to Eastern Europe to watch their friend say her vows.
The happy couple chose to wed at the picturesque 17th century Talici Hill Rustic Villas - located at the foot of a mountain range.
Amy had six bridesmaids and there were eight pageboys involved in the family occasion.
In an emotional moment, Amy's dad, who is living with terminal cancer, walked her down the aisle.
Toby called the moment "poignant".
However, seven months after marriage, Amy admitted that married life hasn't been easy due to the couple's manic work schedules.
She told stand-in Lorraine host Christine Lampard: "I've barely seen him since we got married so... we do feel like newlyweds.
"We've not even been together that long, in the grand scheme of things, so our relationship is still quite new and fresh but when you throw in a toddler in the mix and work commitments then it's crazy, but we're trying to get some time for each other. It's hard."
Amy revealed she and Toby were like passing ships.
She continued: "Then I went full throttle into a massive storyline. I barely saw either of them, and he then flew to Bulgaria and did a film out there and it's been constantly like that and it is a struggle. I don't have family around me to help. It's tricky, but you do it."
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