Soap actor Adam J. Woodward, 33, celebrated the birth of his first child, a son named Matthew Rayn Woodward, born on August 5, 2026. The actor, best known for playing Brody Hudson in Channel 4's Hollyoaks and for guest roles in Emmerdale, announced the news on Instagram with photos of himself and the newborn. His caption read: 'Welcome to the world Matthew Rayn Woodward' (using a globe emoji for 'world'), followed by the date '05.08.2026' and 'We love you more than you could ever know.'
From Soap Star to Fatherhood
Woodward first revealed in May that he was expecting, posting a series of pictures on Instagram, including a baby scan, tiny booties, and a dinosaur onesie. Another image showed him kissing his partner's pregnancy bump, with the caption 'Incoming badass.'
The actor's portrayal of Brody Hudson made him a household name. Brody was central to Hollyoaks' groundbreaking historic abuse storyline, in which his character was groomed and sexually abused as a teenager by football coach Buster Smith. The storyline had a significant impact, with the soap reporting that rape and sexual abuse charity Survivors Manchester saw an increase in calls following the scenes.
Career Highlights and Transition
Brody was introduced in 2017, making a memorable entrance by emerging from the sea in his trunks, a nod to Daniel Craig's James Bond in Casino Royale. Woodward's performance earned him the British Soap Award for Best Male Dramatic Performance in 2019. Brody's story ended in 2021 when he was killed in a hit-and-run by Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas), who wanted to prevent him from revealing the truth about Cormac Ranger's murder. Brody died in the arms of his love, Sienna Blake (Anna Passey).
In 2023, Woodward left acting to become a manual therapist, specializing in the Kasser Method osteopathy technique.
Outpouring of Support from Co-Stars
Following the birth announcement, Woodward received an outpouring of congratulations from his former Hollyoaks colleagues. Owen Warner (Romeo Nightingale) wrote 'Congratulations both of you,' while Rory Douglas-Speed (Joel Dexter) commented 'Congratulations brother.' Jessica Fox (Nancy Osborne) said 'Massive congratulations,' and Ashley Taylor Dawson (Darren Osborne) wrote 'Congrats bro!' with heart emojis. Nikki Anderson (Maxine Minniver) added 'Congratulations to you both' and 'he's a little cutie x.'
