Emmerdale star Fred Kettle has opened up about his dyslexia diagnosis and how it has influenced his approach to acting, revealing a unique method for learning scripts. The actor, who plays Dylan Penders on the ITV soap, was diagnosed with the learning difficulty at age nine after his mother pushed for testing.
"Nothing gelled for me, I liked reading but I was terrible at it," Fred recalled. "I had to read everything five times and go very slowly. I still do. School wasn't for me and I couldn't handle the environment. Now in hindsight, I probably came across as disrespectful in class."
Fred's journey to Emmerdale began when he debuted as part of April Windsor's heartbreaking homelessness storyline. His portrayal of Dylan, a kind but broken young man working as a prostitute to support a drug habit, was so lauded that he returned as a full-time character by popular demand.
"I am still buzzing. It feels surreal and I can't believe that less than a year ago I was at college. Now I am here on Emmerdale playing Dylan. It's mad and I am loving being in the soap," he said.
Finding His Voice Through Acting
Fred discovered his love for acting at school, with a trip to the Royal Shakespeare Company solidifying his ambition. "We went on a coach with school. I'd already started doing a few odd school plays and I loved it. I realised there and then after doing the youth course, I wanted to be an actor. Acting was a new channel for me and it was a way of expressing myself too."
His dyslexia led him to develop a distinctive method for learning lines. "I read the scripts as if someone is saying it. In doing so, I have found scripts so much easier," he explained.
From College to Netflix
After winning a place on the extended diploma course in drama at Wakefield's Capa College, Fred landed a part in Netflix's hit series Adolescence. "I did some voiceovers to match what the extras were saying. It was so cool and at the time, I didn't know how massive it was going to be. Owen [Cooper] is a brilliant actor."
On Emmerdale, Fred praised his co-stars, particularly Lisa Riley and Dominic Brunt, who play Mandy Dingle and Paddy Kirk. "[Lisa] is such a motherly person, she is very caring and always there for me. Dom Brunt is also good fun to work with. We get on really well." He also credited Mark Charnock as a mentor: "[He] was such a mentor to me at the start. He gave me lots of positive advice and he's been a very good role model."
What's Next for Dylan?
With the modern slavery storyline now at an end, Fred teased lingering effects for his character. "[He] feels all over the place now. He wanted everyone to be found not guilty and the last person he thought would be sent down was Paddy. Bear was the one who did it but it was Dylan's choice to say: 'no we can't go to the police.' He now feels so guilty that Paddy got found guilty."
As for his own future, Fred said: "I love it at Emmerdale and I am just going with the flow. I'm not sure what is going to happen next with Dylan but hopefully it's a new chapter now he has been found not guilty. I'd like to see him and April stay together too."
