Emmerdale teen Heath Hope has just died in a horror car crash.
Tragedy struck on Monday night (January 1) when Heath was killed on the way to a New Year’s Eve party in Hotten with sister Cathy and their friend Angelica. Cathy stole Wendy’s car and attempted to navigate the back roads of the village to get to the bash.
But away from the village, the actor who plays Heath – Sebastian Dowling – has a very different life. He’s got a sibling for a co-star and bagged his Emmerdale role at a very young age indeed.
READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale 2024 predictions – Moira paternity twist, Debbie return and final farewell
READ MORE: Join the Daily Star Soaps WhatsApp for all the latest spoilers and exclusives
Daily Star has taken a look at Heath Hope’s actor Sebastian’s life following his character’s shocking exit from the ITV soap.
Family co-star
(Image: ITV)
Fans of the soap will be quick to point out that Heath and Cathy share more than just an on-screen relationship. Eagle-eyed viewers can tell that Sebastian is actually related to Cathy, as he is the twin brother of Cathy, whose real name is Gabrielle Dowling.
The familial connection has been long-established as the pair have grown up in the spotlight together. Both Gabrielle and Sebastian joined the cast of the show in 2008, first making their appearance as children.
But what many might not know is that Gabrielle and Sebastian have not always played Heath and Cathy on the show. In 2007, the pair of little tots were played by babies Ella Whitehouse Downes and Lilith Kitching for the first couple of episodes, as Sebastian had to be kept in hospital for a week after he was born.
As well as each other, both Gabrielle and Sebastian have an older brother, named Oliver. However, unlike the twins, Oliver likes to keep himself away from the limelight.
Early fame
(Image: ITV)
Twins Gabrielle and Sebastian had a lucky start in life as they landed the roles of Cathy and Heath from a young age. The pair were fortunate enough to be given their role on the soap when they were just four weeks old.
Speaking about their time on the set of the show, sister Gabrielle said that she was happy to be a part of the soap for so long. Whilst Heath has not been as prominent in the show, she said that the soap had a huge influence on how they grew up.
Gabrielle explained: “The studio and village have been a huge part of my life along with my brother’s. Having celebrated birthdays on set allowed me to feel close with the people around me and showed me how much of a family we are.”
Shocking real age
(Image: ITV)
On the show, both Cathy and Heath are said to be aged around 16 years old, having been born in February of 2007. However, off-screen, both Sebastian and Gabrielle are not 16 but actually a year older than their characters.
Both Sebastian and Gabrielle were born in December 2006, making them just over 17 years old each. The pair would have joined the soap soon after they were born, but medical complications with Sebastian meant the pair were delayed from entering the soap.
Mum Louise has been incredibly supportive of the pair going on to pursue their acting careers together. She also gave the go-ahead to help the children cry when they were young by giving the babies a bottle of milk before taking it away to film the scenes.
Speaking about the move, Louise added: “It’s only for a few seconds while they film. I’m chilled out about it.”
Emmerdale airs every weekday at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
