Emmerdale star Mike Parr announces new job after moving to America

FORMER Ross Barton actor Mike Parr is headed back to where his acting career began.

After a five-year stint in Emmerdale, he will be starring in a new project on stage.

ITV

Mike is known to have portrayed Ross Barton from 2013 to 2018[/caption]

Rex Features

Rex Features

ITV viewers may remember Ross for his many relationships in the Dales, where he settled down in 2013, which include an affair with Debbie Dingle as well as an illicit relationship with her mother Charity – which led to the birth of young Moses.

During his time in the village, he was at the centre of many more dramatic storylines, notably involving a violent robbery at Home Farm and a horrific acid attack which left him badly scarred.

The character left Yorkshire in 2018 for a fresh start in Liverpool alongside Rebecca White and her son Sebastian.

Since then, Michael Parr has kept a low profile although TV fans may struggle to forget his other appearances on the box which include Hollyoaks, Casualty, Inside Men, Good Cop and even medical drama Doctors.

But after gracing the screens of many, Mike has decided it was time for a more drastic change of scenery.

The actor revealed he will be starring in the comedy Rita, Sue & Bob Too, returning to St Helens Theatre Royal in Merseyside.

This will undoubtedly bring back many happy memories for Mike as it’s where he performed as part of the Blood Brothers cast in the beginning of his career, in 2005.

Mike has often appeared on stage before moving on to the screens and has many theatre credits to his name.

These include the role of Justin in Studies for A Portrait at the Oval House Theatre, Paul in The Back Room at the Cock Tavern and Danny in Twothousandandsex.

But some of his fans may be surprised to see him back on stage and, more particularly, in the UK.

At the time of his exit in Emmerdale, it was announced that Mike – who holds both US and British nationalities – was ready to take on more projects across the Atlantic.

After an appearance in British series Bulletproof in 2020, it seems he may have changed his mind.

“St Helens Theatre Royal is where it all began for me really – this is where I realised that I wanted to be a professional actor”, he said when speaking about his new project.

“Being back here, it really does feel like things have come full circle, it’s a wonderful feeling. I can only hope that I can inspire someone the way I was [inspired] all those years ago.”

Rita, Sue & Bob Too! will run between Tuesday, November 8 and Sunday, November 13, 2022.

Meanwhile, Emmerdale continues to air weeknights on ITV.

ITV

Michael Parr was focused on finding roles in America[/caption]

ITV

But he’ll be starring in a new production on stage[/caption]