Emmerdale's Anthony Quinlan reportedly 'quits' as favourite Pete Barton
Emmerdale star Anthony Quinlan has reportedly quit the soap.
The 34-year-old actor has played much loved farm hunk Pete Barton for six years, first appearing on screen in the long-running ITV show in December 2013.
But a source told The Sun newspaper: “Anthony has loved his time on Emmerdale but he is really keen to try and make a name for himself away from just soaps, and is looking at auditions.
Read more: Anthony Quinlan denies 'Strictly curse' caused break-up
“He says he would be up for doing a reality show too, like the jungle or Strictly, but with a full-on filming schedule for Emmerdale that’s quite tricky.”
During his years in the Dales Pete has broken a string of hearts dating and becoming engaged to Debbie Dingle, played by Charley Webb, Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry). He is also had a fling with Leyla’s bestfriend Priya Sharma (Fiona Wade).
He joined the show in 2013 as part of the Barton family, and has since seen his mother Emma, played by Gillian Kearney, dad James, (Bill Ward) and brother Finn, played by Joe Gill, all killed off.
Read more: Emmerdale's Mark Jordon discusses his “year of hell’
Before he appeared in Emmerdale Quinlan starred in E4 soap Hollyoaks for six years as Gilly Roach, during which time he was nominated for Best Actor at the British Soap Awards.
Quinlan was previously in a relationship with Stricty Come Dancing professional ballroom dancer Diane Buswell, but she is now dating YouTube star Joe Sugg after being paired with him on the BBC dance contest.
The actor denied the Strictly curse had caused the split. Last year he said: “We’re still really good friends – it’s just distance played a part. There were all these rumours about the Strictly curse but it wasn’t that,”
Quinlan is yet to comment on the reports he is leaving the soap. He recently returned from a trip to Ibiza where he took part in a charity football match.
A spokesperson for Emmerdale told Yahoo UK they had no comment.
