Yahoo News Real-life soap siblings you never knew were related - from Emmerdale twins to Corrie cousins
Soap opera actors often form close relationships while filming long-standing shows, and it's not uncommon for them to liken each other to family.
Devoted fans who have been following these actors for years might be surprised to learn that many of them have real-life familial ties off-screen.
Famous soaps like Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and EastEnders boast numerous family members working together or featuring on competing shows, yet they continue to support each other throughout their journeys.
Let's delve into the real-life soap stars who are siblings, starting with the Swash family and the Thomas brothers.
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Joe and Shana Swash
Joe Swash, a former king of the jungle, initially gained fame through his time on Albert Square. He was recognised for his portrayal of Mickey Miller from 2005 to 2011 on EastEnders, where he shared screen time with his actual sister Shana, who played his on-screen sibling Demi.
Isabella, Amelia and William Flanagan
The Flanagan clan is one of the most extensive and well-known real-life soap families. Isabella and William Flanagan are twins in real life, but they portray cousins Hope Stape and Joseph Brown on Coronation Street.
Their older sister, Amelia Flanagan, takes on the role of April Windsor on Emmerdale. The proud parents of this talented acting trio frequently laud their children on social media, offering a peek into their lives outside of the soap operas.
Nick and John Pickard
Nick and John Pickard stand out as a sibling pair in the realm of soap operas. Nick's role as Tony Hutchinson has long been a staple of Hollyoaks, while his brother John brought to life the character of Tony's brother Dom from 2005 to 2010.
Sebastian and Gabrielle Dowling
In Emmerdale, Sebastian and Gabrielle Dowling took on the roles of Cathy and Heath Hope, portraying the on-screen twins and children of Viv and Bob Hope, beginning their stint in 2007.
In a dramatic turn of events earlier this year, Heath was written out of the show in a harrowing New Year car crash storyline, though Cathy remains part of the ongoing narrative.
Amy, Sally and Kimberly Walsh
Another Emmerdale star, Amy Walsh, best known for her portrayal of Tracy Metcalfe since 2014, shares her television ties with her sister Sally, who played Lyn Hutchinson from 1997 to 2000.
The duo is not the only talented set in the family; they also have a famous sister, Kimberly Walsh from Girls Aloud, and a brother named Adam.
Will and Peter Ash
Peter Ash, familiar to many as a Coronation Street lead, proudly boasts soap opera ties through his real-life cousin Will Ash, who stars as Caleb Milligan on Emmerdale.
When news broke of Will joining Emmerdale in 2022, Peter expressed his excitement on Twitter : "Yes! This is my cousin, Will! He's an absolutely fantastic actor, and was one of my big inspirations for getting into acting myself! Can't wait to see him do his stuff in #Emmerdale! " (sic).
Brooke Vincent and Ellie Leach
Lastly, Brooke Vincent made quite the mark on Corrie viewers, having portrayed Sophie Webster from 2004 until her departure in 2019.
In 2011, Brooke was overjoyed when her younger cousin Ellie Leach joined the cast of Coronation Street as Faye Windass, a role she portrayed until 2023. Ellie, now 23, went on to clinch victory in Strictly Come Dancing last year with partner Vito Coppola.
Charley Webb and Jamie Lomas
Charley Webb is known for her iconic portrayal of Debbie Dingle from 2002 to 2021. She has since appeared in several shows, including The Long Shadow.
However, she's not the only soap star in her family. Her real-life brother Jamie Lomas has been playing the legendary Warren Fox in Hollyoaks since 2006, although he left the Channel 4 soap earlier this year. Jamie also participated in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Ryan Thomas and Adam Thomas
Ryan Thomas was just a young lad when he first appeared on Coronation Street on Christmas Day in 2000 as Jason Grimshaw. He exited the popular ITV soap in 2016.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Adam Thomas joined Emmerdale, a rival soap, as Adam Barton in 2009, a role he played until 2018. The brothers have another famous sibling, Scott Thomas, who featured on Love Island in 2016.
Greg Wood and Matt Milburn
Fans of Coronation Street were taken aback to learn that two characters who never crossed paths on the famous cobbles are actually related in real life.
Actor Matt Milburn portrays Tommy Orpington, a renowned footballer for Weatherfield County on the soap, who had an affair with Tracy Barlow earlier this year.
However, he's not the only Coronation Street star in the family, as his actual brother Greg Wood portrayed the villainous loan shark Rick Neeson on the famous cobbles.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.
