Emmerdale legend John Middleton joins rival soap in truly evil role – and he's already started filming
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EMMERDALE legend John Middleton has joined rival soap Hollyoaks in a major new role.
The actor - who is best known for playing kindly vicar Ashley Thomas in the ITV soap - has signed up as a new series regular for the Channel 4 show.
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Emmerdale legend John Middleton is joining Hollyoaks as a fiendish villain
Credit: Getty
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The actor played kindly vicar Ashley Thomas in the ITV soap for 21 years
Credit: Andrew Boyce
And he's world's away from his former character.
The Sun can exclusively reveal that John will be playing a truly evil mob boss kingpin - and he's already started filming.
A source said: 'People usually think of Ashley when they see John but that won't be happening any more, Fraser is about as far away to the kindly vicar you can get.
'He's possibly the most evil character Hollyoaks has ever had - and for a village plagued by serial killers, that's saying something.
'Fraser will make his entrance very soon and he's got more than one connection to the village with his twisted family already there.'
Fraser's connection to the village will also be revealed as his full name is Fraser Black snr - the dad of notorious villain Fraser Black.
And he's the grandfather of villains Clare Devine, Grace Black and Rex Gallagher - but it may not be a happy reunion when they come face to face.
The source added: "Fraser's first meeting with Clare is explosive - it's going to be a real battle between them."
The Channel 4 soap will celebrate its 30th anniversary this October with a huge month of celebrations as well as a trademark stunt.
Show boss Hannah Cheers told us: 'You can't do a Hollyoaks commemoration without some kind of spectacle. So there will be a stunt.'
Clare Devine returns to the village
And more than that Hannah also revealed a huge battle between two Hollyoaks titans will take centre stage for October.
Having recently returned from the dead to the village after 12 years, Clare Devine is back and she's set to clash against serial killer Jez Blake in the run up to the big anniversary.
'Well, yes, obviously we've got two kind of Hollyoaks titans here,' Hannah added.
'We've got kind of very iconic Hollyoaks faces. And it's not an accident that they are both in the show in the run up to the 30th anniversary.'
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Can I actually do this role? Can Karen do it?' It was huge what she cracked in the first season. 'The first series was my first time as number one on the call sheet, and it was quite overwhelming at times, but it was really exciting and thrilling. I just wanted to do the best job I could. "I honestly didn't know how the first series would go down with me being the face of the show, but not being Hollywood-star-famous. But people just jumped in and went with it. "I think it's to do with the fact that there are lots of crime shows on TV, but pretty much all of them are about men who have drinking problems who hate everything. It's crime by a cool young person that actually understands what people want to see on TV. 'I was worried coming back to this season that I couldn't do it again. 'I was like: 'Can I still be funny and likeable, and a bit sarcastic and rude? 'It was really satisfying at how I was able to slip straight back into who she was. I think that's sort of down to the foundation of the writing, what we made in the last season and the dynamic between the characters.' The new season, which has again been adapted by a McDermid novel by screenwriter Emer Kenny, sees Pirie struggle to cope being in a relationship at work that she insists on keeping from almost all of her colleagues. Wyatt said: 'Karen and Phil do come across some difficulties when their values as police officers come into play. It causes friction in their relationship. 'Karen and Phil are both strong-willed and stubborn. They have very different ways of working. Phil is very much a straight-laced cop who wants to abide by the book. It's very important to him to move up the ranks in the right way and not skip any steps. 'The bottom line in Karen is a more talented police officer and is much more creative than Phil. I think that challenges Phil's ambition a bit and pushes him to be better, but they definitely butt heads.' 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