Meet Matty, Emmerdale’s newest character, with his mom Moira | Photo: Emmerdale press shot
ITV soap Emmerdale has announced it is introducing its first trans character, Matty Barton.
Matty, who is the son of character Moira Barton, will be played by Ash Palmisciano on the long-running British soap.
Furthermore, Ash himself is transgender, an ITV spokesperson confirmed to GSN. He has previously appeared in the miniseries Boy Meets Girl, a comedy about a trans couple who find love in an age gap relationship.
Emmerdale bosses have described the circumstances in which Matty’s character joins the show as such:
‘Thinking that the farm has been broken into, Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) punches and knocks out Matty Barton, mistaking him for an intruder. However, when Moira (Natalie J. Robb) arrives she instantly recognises him as her daughter, Hannah.’
Hannah was previously a character on Emmerdale from 2009 to 2012. She was played by Grace Cassidy.
‘Matty’s a groundbreaking character’
Ash said in a statement: ‘I’m very excited to be joining the very welcoming Emmerdale family. From nervous auditions to now working alongside the team daily has been truly amazing. Matty’s a groundbreaking character to play and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for him.’
Producer Kate Brooks furthermore added: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to have Ash on board to play this role. A skilful actor of great talent, he exudes charisma and there’s an unflinching honesty to his performance that adds real depth to this complex character.’
She also said: ‘Ash has already proven himself to be a brilliant addition to the cast and we look forward to charting his journey as he reconnects with old friends and forges new relationships along the way.’
