Chris Chittell is the longest serving Emmerdale actor of all time – but did you know that that he has led a very interesting life away from the soap too?
The Eric Pollard actor rose to fame more than 20 years before his soap debut, before finding romance with another huge soap star.
That’s not all, as he also had a link to a famous EastEnders actor in the years before stepping into the dales as one of the programme’s original villains.
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However, things take a dramatic turn in the soap tonight (February 23, 2023) as Eric falls and hits his head – leaving him unconcious.
As fans wait to see what will happen to him, Daily Star takes a closer look inside Eric star Chris Chittell’s life.
Life before Emmerdale
(Image: IMDb)
Chris was already a huge star before appearing in Emmerdale, after making his debut in 1965 TV series Knock On Any Door as Len.
From there he has not left our screens, playing Potter in To Sir, with Love and appearing in programmes such as The Avengers, ITV Playhouse, Man About The House and The Tomorrow People.
He also has a link to another huge soap star, as Chris played Junior in the Grange Hill spin-off Tuckers Luck, which featured future EastEnders Mark Fowler actor Todd Carty.
(Image: ITV)
During the seventies, he also appeared in the British adult film Adam and Nicole (also known by the name Erotic Inferno) in 1975, as well as the adult films Sex in Sweden and Lets Play Sex.
However, he is best known for playing businessman Eric Pollard in Emmerdale since 1986 – making him the longest serving cast member in the soap’s 50 year history.
Chris’ character Eric has been involved in a huge number of storylines since appearing in the dales, including the introduction of his long-lost son David Metcalfe, being one of the show’s original villain and his marriage to Val Pollard.
Real-age
(Image: WireImage)
Despite playing 77 year old businessman Eric in Emmerdale, Chris is actually younger than his character.
Chris was born on May 19, 1948 – making him three years younger than his character at the age of 74 years old.
Outside of his acting career, Chris was also given the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2019 for services to drama and charity.
The actor supports charities for for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, and previously explained that the two charities are close to his heart as both his mother-in-law and an Emmerdale producer died of cancer.
Co-star wife
Away from our screens, Chris has two children and has been married twice.
He was previously married to Caroline Hunt from 1979 to 2005, before tying the knot with wife Lesley Dunlop in 2016.
However, Chris is not the only famous star in his family, as wife Lesley is also a huge Emmerdale star.
Lesley has played Brenda Walker in the ITV soap since 2008, after the character was first introduced as the adoptive mother of Gennie Walker.
The character later got a job at Eric Pollard’s factor, with her and Eric actor Chris also forming a sweet bond off-set that blossomed into romance.
(Image: Mid Somerset)
Like Chris, she also had a stellar career prior to joining Emmerdale, after making her debut as a child star in A Little Princess, before appearing in Doctor Who, The Elephant Man, The Monster Club and Where The Heart Is.
However, although they are two of the soap’s biggest stars, the couple tend to keep their personal life private and not much is known about their relationship.
Chris did gush about his wife during an interview with The Daily Record though, saying he is thankful to the soap for bringing them together.
“That’s something else I’ve got to thank Emmerdale for. Everyone thinks it’s the younger members of the cast who have all the fun but we more mature ones do, too.
“It was weird. Somehow we’d never met before and we just kept bumping into each other at work.
“I can’t even remember if I asked her for a date or she asked me but she is wonderful and we’re very happy.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
