Adam Gordon Thomas (born 11 August 1988) is an English actor, known for his roles as Donte Charles in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road (2006–2009, 2023–present) and Adam Barton in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale (2009–2018). He has also appeared as a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2016) and Strictly Come Dancing (2023).

Adam Thomas
Thomas in 2014
Born
Adam Gordon Thomas

(1988-08-11) 11 August 1988 (age 36)
OccupationActor
Years active2002–present
Television
Spouse
Caroline Daly
(m. 2017)
Children2
RelativesRyan Thomas (brother)
Scott Thomas (twin brother)

Early life

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Adam Gordon Thomas was born on 11 August 1988 in Salford, Greater Manchester, England.[1] He is the twin brother of Scott Thomas, who appeared in Love Island in 2016[2] and the younger brother of Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas. He is of English, Indian and Caribbean heritage. His paternal grandfather is from Mumbai, India, and emigrated to Manchester, England, in 1947. His paternal great-grandmother was a West Indian who had Caribbean ancestry.[3]

Career

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Thomas began his television career in 2002 with a guest appearance on the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors. It was another four years before Thomas launched to fame in his breakthrough role as Donte Charles in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road of which he was an original cast member upon its inception in 2006 until 2009. The role of Donte led Thomas to enjoy guest appearances in popular hospital drama Casualty in 2008 in which he played a boxer, as well as a second appearance in Doctors in 2007. He also appeared as himself on ITV gameshow All Star Family Fortunes alongside his older brother and fellow actor Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in the soap opera, Coronation Street.

Following his departure from Waterloo Road in 2009,[4] Thomas signed on for his third appearance on daytime soap Doctors, this time playing a character called Ben Hamilton. The episode aired on 26 May 2009.[5] It was announced on 21 May 2009 that Thomas had landed the role of Adam Barton in the long-running ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, and would appear on screens from July 2009.[6] Thomas left Emmerdale in early 2018. In November and December 2016, Thomas was a contestant on the sixteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and finished in third place.[7] He became a property executive for the Kamani Property Group in 2018 alongside former Emmerdale co-star Marc Silcock.[8] Adam also made his stage debut in 2018 when he appeared as The Hollywood Producer from 31 October to 4 November when Nativity! The Musical toured to Liverpool.[9] In February 2019, he portrayed the role of Rob in an episode of the BBC drama Moving On. On 19 October 2019, it was announced that Thomas would be co-hosting I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp.[10] In September 2019, Thomas opened a bar/restaurant with his school friend, Scott Graham. The restaurant, named The Spinn, was situated in Gatley, Stockport, but it later closed. Thomas's historic and publicly documented alcoholism led to him resigning as director of the limited company as early as mid-2022.[11]

In late 2021, it was confirmed Thomas was returning to the role of Donte Charles in recommissioned return of Waterloo Road. In August 2023, Thomas was announced as one of the contestants on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing.[12] He exited the competition in week 7, (4 November) with his professional dance partner, Luba Mushtuk. This followed their dance off against Angela Rippon and her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington.

Personal life

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In September 2014, Thomas and his long-term girlfriend, Caroline Daly, welcomed their first child, a son. On 27 August 2017, Adam and Caroline married in Delamere Manor, Cheshire. In December 2017, they announced they were expecting their second child in May 2018.[13] The couple took part in All Star Mr & Mrs in August 2016.[14] In August 2020, Thomas admitted that he and his twin have a drinking problem; he vowed to get sober like his brother who celebrated six months of sobriety at the time.[15]

Filmography

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As actor
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Doctors Declan Episode: "Losing Control"
2004 Casualty Jamie Ridderford Episode: "Love Bites"
2006–2009,
2023–present
Waterloo Road Donte Charles 65 episodes
2007 Doctors Rohan Jameson Episode: "Growing Pains"
2008 Casualty Jake Shepherd Episode: "To Thine Own Self Be True"
Rock On, Troglodyte Man In Distress Episode: "Trog In Bognor Regis"
2009 Doctors Ben Hamilton Episode: "Hamilton Is Out"
2009–2018 Emmerdale Adam Barton 971 episodes
2018 Nativity! The Musical The Hollywood Producer Stage musical which he appeared in from 31 October to 4 November
2019 Moving On Rob Episode: "By Any Other Name"
Pitching In Jase Main role
As himself
Year Title Notes
2009 Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow Himself; guest; audience member
2014 All Star Family Fortunes Himself; guest; 1 episode
2016 Lorraine
This Morning
Good Morning Britain
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Himself; contestant (series 16)
2019 I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp Himself; presenter
2020 Don't Rock The Boat Himself; contestant
2021 The Chase Celebrity Special Himself; knowledge-free contestant
2022 Britain's Foulest Smells Himself; Consulting Smell Enthusiast
Royal Television Society North West Himself; presenter
2023 Strictly Come Dancing Himself; contestant (series 21)
2024 Loose Women Himself; guest; 1 episode (10 January 2024)

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2010 TV Choice Awards Best Soap Newcomer Emmerdale Won [16]
2011 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Male Emmerdale Nominated [17]
2013 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Male Emmerdale Shortlisted [18]
2023 Inside Soap Awards Best Drama Star Waterloo Road Nominated [19]

References

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  1. ^ [1] Archived 21 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Manchester Evening News". 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Dougie James death: Follow-up series to Mancs In Mumbai with Thomas brothers?". Entertainment Daily. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  4. ^ Fitzpatrick, Katie (9 March 2018). "Adam Thomas sparks talk of Waterloo Road revival". men. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. ^ "'Doctors' casts another soap sibling – Doctors News – Soaps". Digital Spy. 9 March 2009. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  6. ^ "News – Emmerdale". ITV. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  7. ^ "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! 2016 final. Adam Thomas comes in third place, plus will Scarlett Moffatt or Joel Dommett be crowned winner?". The Telegraph. December 2016. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Emmerdale's Adam Thomas makes major career change — you won't believe what he is doing". 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  9. ^ Kirwin, Ellen (7 September 2018). "Adam Thomas to star in Christmas musical at the Empire Theatre". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ "ITV axe I'm A Celebrity Extra Camp and 'Adam Thomas is blaming himself'". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Inside Adam Thomas' star-studded restaurant launch". Manchester Evening News. Manchester Evening News. 4 October 2019. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Strictly contestants 2023: Nikita Kanda and Adam Thomas join line-up". BBC News. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Emmerdale Star Adam Thomas Shares Pic of Baby Boy". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  14. ^ "All Star Mr & Mrs". What's on TV. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  15. ^ McManus, Samuel (9 September 2020). "Adam Thomas vows to go sober as he admits he drinks to 'escape stress of life'". OK! Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  16. ^ Duncan, Amy (7 September 2010). "TV Choice Awards 2010: Full list of winners". Metro.
  17. ^ Love, Ryan (11 July 2011). "In Full: Inside Soap Awards 2011 Nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  18. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 October 2013). "Inside Soap Awards 2013 - winners list in full". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  19. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (4 July 2023). "Inside Soap Awards 2023 announces full list of nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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