These soap stars have a famous relative: Bianca Jackson, Sally Metcalfe, Big Mo Harris comp image
Soaps

11 Soap stars you didn’t know have a famous relative

How many of these did you know about?

Soapland is a small place and these 11 soap stars all have at least one very famous relative.

But did you know who this lot were related to?

Soap stars who have a famous relative

EastEnders

EastEnders star Laila Morse and brother Gary Oldman split shot (Credit: BBC/Cover Images/comp ED!)

Laila Morse and Gary Oldman

EastEnders legend Laila Morse, who has played Big Mo Harris on and off since 2000, has a very famous brother: Hollywood A lister Gary Oldman.

Laila was in fact born Maureen Oldman, but changed her name when she started acting. Laila is 77 and Gary is her younger brother at 65. He has starred in huge Hollywood films and even won an Oscar in 2018 for his role in Darkest Hour as Winston Churchill.

When Gary and directed Nil By Mouth in 1997, a film based on his childhood, he cast Laila in it. And the pair often share pictures of each other on their social media.

Rita Simons and lord Sugar comp image
Niece and uncle (Credit: BBC/comp ED!)

Rita Simons and Lord Sugar

Actress Rita Simons, who briefly returned from the dead as Roxy Mitchell earlier this year, is related to Lord Alan Sugar.

However, they’re not technically blood relatives as he is married to Rita’s aunt, Ann.

Rita has previously spoken about her famous uncle. In an interview with the Mirror she revealed: “He’s much nicer in real life. He loves all his grandkids and loves family time. Yes he’s still straight talking, but he’s a lot kinder.”

Leslie Grantham and Daniel Laurie comp image
Call The Midwife star Daniel is Leslie’s son (Credit: SplashNews.com/BBC/Comp ED!)

Leslie Grantham and Daniel Laurie

The late Leslie Grantham played Dirty Den Watts in EastEnders from 1985 until 1989 and then again from 2003 until 2005. And his real-life son has followed him into the acting world.

Leslie is the father of Daniel Laurie, who plays Reggie Jackson in Call The Midwife.

Patsy Palmer as Bianca Jackson and son Charley Palmer Rothwell comp image
Charley has carved out his own acting career like his famous mother (Credit: BBC/SplashNews.com/Comp ED!)

Patsy Palmer and Charley Palmer-Rothwell

Bianca Jackson legend Patsy Palmer is not the only shining star in her family. The EastEnders actress has a son who has followed her into the acting world.

Charley Palmer-Rothwell is her eldest child. The 31-year-old is an actor in his own right having starred in Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk and Oscar-winning movie The Darkest Hour alongside Laila Morse’s brother, Gary Oldman!

Charley has also appeared in several TV series including Ripper Street, Our Girl and The Tower.

Coronation Street

Sally, Phoebe and Hattie Dynevor comp image
Corrie’s Sally has produced some talented children (Credit: ITV/Netflix/BBC/Comp ED!)

Sally Dynevor, Phoebe Dynevor and Hattie Dynevor

Corrie stalwart Sally has not one, but two famous daughters. The Sally Metcalfe actress is mum to Phoebe and Hattie Dynevor.

Phoebe got her telly break in Waterloo Road, but her breakout role was in Netflix smash hit Bridgerton. She played Daphne, the fourth Bridgerton sibling, and has since starred in several movies including Bank Of Dave, also on Netflix.

Meanwhile, Hattie is following in her famous sister’s footsteps and starting her career about by appearing in Waterloo Road.

The Flanagan family

One family that still astounds soap fans is the Flanagans.

But far from being adult actors in the soaps – they are in fact three child stars who have taken over Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

Elder sister Amelia plays April Windsor in Emmerdale, while younger sister Isabelle plays Hope Stape in Corrie. And her twin brother William plays her on-screen cousin Joseph Brown.

Talented family!

Amy Robbins in Coronation Street and Emily Atack comp image
The Robbins clan are all famous (Credit: ITV/Cover Images/Comp ED!)

Amy Robbins and Emily Atack

Amy Robbins starred as Christina Midgeley, mother to Daisy, in Coronation Street earlier this year. Although she appears to have left the role, the opportunity is there for a comeback.

Amy has also previously starred in EastEnders as Karen Taylor’s girlfriend, Caren, and she appeared in Emmerdale last year as Meena Jutla’s defence barrister – something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans who have seen her character, Defence Barrister Milligan, shares a surname with Caleb – could she be his ex-wife?

Amy’s from a famous family with sister, Kate, also an actress and comedian, and brother Ted known for Phoenix Nights and a role in Corrie as well. But arguably her most famous relative is comedian and actress Emily Atack.

Emily, the daughter of Kate, is well-known for her roles in the Inbetweeners, as well as her stints on Dancing On Ice, I’m A Celebrity and her own sketch show The Emily Atack show.

Emmerdale

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amy (@amyvwalsh)

Amy Walsh and Kimberley Walsh

Returning Emmerdale actress Amy, who plays Tracy Robinson on the soap, also has a famous sibling.

Her sister is Girls Aloud star and TV presenter Kimberley.

Emily Head and dad Anthony pose on the red carpet
Former Emmerdale actress Emily has a famous dad (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Emily Head and Anthony Stewart Head

Former Emmerdale actress Emily Head, who played Rebecca White, is descended from acting royalty.

Her dad is Anthony Stewart Head – known to lots of 90s kids for Buffy The Vampire Slayer. He’s also been in The Inbetweeners Movie, Ted Lasso and Motherland, among many other things!

Charley Webb and Jamie Lomas

When Charley Webb joined Emmerdale over 20 years ago – who would have thought it would begin one of Soapland’s biggest families?

First her elder brother Jamie Lomas became one of Hollyoaks‘ most iconic villains. Then he moved to both Corrie and EastEnders, before returning to Hollyoaks as Warren Fox.

He even had a daughter with Corrie icon Kym Marsh, while Charley married her co-star Matthew Wolfenden and they have three boys.

And is there any doubt one of their kids will continue the soapy tradition?

Read more: Coronation Street who’s leaving in 2023?

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Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)