Emmerdale’s Paddy actor real life – Corrie star wife and son’s terrifying health scare

From zombie film festivals to a happy marriage with his soap star wife, actor Dominic Brunt's off-screen life couldn't be more different than that of his Emmerdale character Paddy Kirk

Best known for playing Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale, Dominic Brunt has been a household name since he first joined the ITV soap in 1997.

Over the years, viewers have watched as the village's resident veterinary surgeon navigates a complicated and chaotic love life - tying the knot four times and having several extra-marital affairs over the course of 25 years.

Away from the cameras, actor Dominic lives a very different life - having been happily married to childhood sweetheart Joanne Mitchell since 2003.

Joanne, 50, may also be a familiar face to telly fans, who could possibly recognise the actress and producer from her cameos in two of the nation's best loved soaps.

According to MyLondon, not only has she appeared on ITV soap Coronation Street in 2018 and 2019, Joanne has also had four roles alongside husband Dominic on Emmerdale.

Her first cameo in the long-running rural soap was in 2003, when she played DS Karen Barnborough for two episodes.

She then went on to have further roles as Midwife Yeo and Susan Davies and, in 2016, took over the role of Sandra Flaherty.

Dominic and Joanne met as students at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School - going on to marry in 2003 and welcome two children into the world together.

Joanne as Sandra Flaherty in a scene with Aaron Livesy

Image:

( Andrew Boyce)

Over a decade ago, the soap stars suffered a heartbreaking ordeal when they feared they were going to lose their son Danny, when he needed urgent heart by-pass surgery after being diagnosed with a heart condition at eight months old.

Speaking in 2018, when his son was then nine, Dominic told the Mirror : "At the time it was horrific. You’re in the eye of the storm, it was horrible. You think you are going to lose your son.

"We had only just got to know him – he was eight months old, and we thought that was it."

He continued: "We discussed organ donation. It was brought up by a nurse because there was a mortality rate with the ­operation.

"We had to discuss it, but even before that we’d all agreed to be donors in the family – my sisters are nurses so it was how we were brought up."

Thankfully, Danny made a full recovery - even going on to appear alongside dad Dominic on ITV's Big Star's Little Star.

Dominic on-screen with co-star Mark Charnock

Image:

( AMY BRAMMALL)

Away from his family and work, Dominic is an avid horror fan - even producing and directing scary films alongside wife Joanne.

Together, the happy couple co-founded Mitchell Brunt Films and over the years, Dominic has directed and starred in a number of productions - including a zombie film called Before Dawn in 2012.

The Paddy Kirk actor isn't the only fan of zombie horror on the set of Emmerdale - co-star Mark Charnock is also big on the scene too.

The on-screen pals are close friends away from the set of Emmerdale too

Image:

( ITV)

The two movie fans became best friends off-screen when Mark introduced himself in the green room on Dominic's first day on the set of the ITV soap.

"Then Mark comes bounding over like Bambi and says, 'Hi, I'm Mark Charnock. Who are you?' I knew from that moment we'd be best mates. And he still makes me cry laughing every day. I adore him," Dominic explained previously.

The two long-time soap stars have since turned their shared passions into a project - hosting an annual zombie film festival in Leeds, which often donates ticket proceeds to various charities.

The on-screen best pals even want to bring their pasttime onto the set of Emmerdale - expressing an interest in a special zombie-themed Emmerdale episode.

The horror fans would like to see a special zombie episode of Emmerdale one day

Image:

( Daily Mirror)

Dominic told The Sun in 2019: "I want to do a Halloween special — it’d be great. Everybody could be bitten to death by zombies and we all turn into zombies."

Mark said: "It might be genius. Someone get me a pen and paper. I need to speak to the producer immediately."

Despite wanting to temporarily turn the soap opera into a horror, Dominic has previously admitted he gets "petrified" before filming on the Dales - despite playing Paddy for over two decades.

He said: "I am loyal to the show and it still frightens the life out of me. I still shake before every scene because it's petrifying.

"You put eight million people on a hillside watching each episode, that's quite sobering."

Read More

Read More

Most Read

Don't Miss

Don't miss out on the biggest soaps gossip! Get a daily email direct to your inbox with our newsletter

Invalid Email

Something went wrong, please try again later.

Thank you for subscribing

We have more newsletters