Former Emmerdale star Anthony Quinlan has landed a role in the hit BBC drama Time, six years after leaving the ITV soap. The actor, best known for playing Pete Barton from 2013 to 2020, will appear in the upcoming third series of the anthology crime drama, which explores life inside His Majesty's Prison Service.
Quinlan revealed his casting exclusively to The Sun Online, expressing his excitement about joining the star-studded lineup. The third season features David Tennant and sees Siobhan Finneran reprising her role. Previous seasons have attracted acclaimed actors such as Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, and Bella Ramsey.
From Soap Star to BBC Drama
Quinlan's eight-year stint as Pete Barton on Emmerdale saw his character embroiled in dramatic storylines, including a violent confrontation with his brother Ross after discovering his fiancée Debbie Dingle's infidelity. Pete also had relationships with Leyla Harding and Rhona Goskirk before departing the show.
Before Emmerdale, Quinlan played Gilly Roach on Hollyoaks, a character whose storyline involved a controversial consent arc. Gilly was initially a loveable party boy but later sexually assaulted Jacqui McQueen, leading to his departure from the village.
Balancing Acting and Fitness
After leaving Emmerdale, Quinlan stepped back from acting to focus on his fitness and supplement business, BoxedOff. He explained: 'I've been trying to get back into the acting game more this year. The past few years I've been running online PT alongside my supplement business, which takes up a lot of time — but I'm so grateful.'
He added: 'I signed up with a new agency last year and things have gone from strength to strength.'
Breaking Out of Soap Typecasting
Quinlan acknowledged the challenges of transitioning from soap operas to other dramas: 'You can definitely get typecast. That's certainly a thing. And sometimes there are stigmas attached to certain soap operas, and soaps in general.'
He noted the financial stability of long-running shows: 'When you've been in a long-standing show you have a degree of stability that you don't really get from any other acting job. Leaving a soap can be quite a shock to the system.'
Quinlan is now looking forward to his role in Time, praising the cast and director: 'There are some phenomenal actors involved. The director is unbelievable. It's very exciting to be a part of it.'
Future Soap Return?
When asked about joining a third soap, Quinlan said: 'Never say never. I mean, obviously with a family on the way you want security as well. I always said when I was younger I'd love to do Coronation Street. Growing up watching it with my family, being from Manchester, it was a given.'
His partner, Nikki Sanderson, has appeared in both Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, adding: 'My partner was in it as well. So yeah — if the right role came about, who knows?'
