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Making Manson, a three-part docuseries on Peacock, examines Charles Manson’s life and legacy as America’s symbol of cultic control and countercultural disorder.

Director Billie Mintz and Paramount Films present audio recordings spanning 20 years of Manson’s phone calls with autograph collector John Michael Jones. These tapes reveal Manson’s mindset through his own voice, while talks with ex-“Family” members and others show different views of his story.

The series spans three episodes showing different periods of Manson’s path. Each part moves from his early years through his control of “The Family” to the 1969 Tate-labianca murders and what followed. Old footage mixed with new interviews creates a less simplified view of someone often seen as a one-dimensional monster.

Cults, Counterculture, and Cultural Collapse: The Historical Weight of Charles Manson

Charles Manson’s story reflects the contrasts of mid-20th century America—a person shaped by social disorder...

A new Peacock three-part docuseries gives a fascinating insight into the mind of Charles Manson. Making Manson, which premieres November 19, features taped conversations between the notorious killer and his long-time prison pen pal John Michael Jones. The two because close when Manson was serving life in prison for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the killing of seven people including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Their friendship grew into hours of intimate conversations recorded over 20 years up until Manson’s death in 2017. The docuseries also features interviews with members of the Manson “Family” and relatives of victims, some speaking on-camera for the first time. They themselves also listen to the recordings of Manson speaking and react to hearing his voice after so many years. Peacock calls the project “the most comprehensive Manson portrait yet on film or television.” Before the episodes dropped, the streamer released a clip...

Charles Manson's dead body can rot in prison ... at least as far as GoFundMe is concerned. The fundraising site shutdown an effort to pay for the murderer's funeral expenses. As TMZ reported, John Michael Jones used GoFundMe to pay for Manson's burial expenses and he raised $972 before the page was 86'd from the site. John says he was raising the money for Manson's grandson, Jason Freeman, who would then give Manson a proper burial.

Chicago – The presence of Sir Ben Kingsley – yes, he was knighted in his native Britain – is the first thing that commands a room. The regal and precise actor, who was awarded an Best Actor Oscar for his definitive performance in “Gandhi,” is back portraying a native of India in his latest film, “Learning to Drive.”

The film is a transition story for the two main characters. Darwan (Kingsley) is a Indian Sikh who gained political asylum in America shortly before September 11th. He is a driving instructor, and encounters a new student in Wendy (Patricia Clarkson). The woman is going through a bitter divorce, and is using the potential of learning to drive to gain more freedom. The two disparate souls help each other in essential ways, and at the same time weather the storm of some extreme life changes.

Sir Ben Kingsley as Darwan in ‘Learning to Drive’

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How did some fictional friends from the Sydney suburbs sum up a generation? One film fan pays tribute to Josie, Jacob Coote and John Barton 15 years on

Still Looking for Alibrandi: migrant teens deserve their own Ya fiction

Rewatching classic Australian films: week by week

Fifteen years ago, Josie Alibrandi was walking along George Street in her formal dress when she stopped and looked at Jacob Coote in disgust. “In a panel van?” she said. I may not have actually known what was wrong with a panel van, but I fell immediately in love.

To a specific generation of Australians, Kate Woods’ film Looking for Alibrandi is such a cultural touchstone it’s hard to remove it from our own personal history. Based on Melina Marchetta’s 1992 novel, it was critically embraced for thoughtfully telling an authentic non-Anglo-Saxon coming-of-age story from the perspective of a non-male protagonist, a combination rarely explored.

Ron Moody in Mel Brooks' 'The Twelve Chairs.' The 'Doctor Who' that never was. Ron Moody: 'Doctor Who' was biggest professional regret (See previous post: "Ron Moody: From Charles Dickens to Walt Disney – But No Harry Potter.") Ron Moody was featured in about 50 television productions, both in the U.K. and the U.S., from the late 1950s to 2012. These included guest roles in the series The Avengers, Gunsmoke, Starsky and Hutch, Hart to Hart, and Murder She Wrote, in addition to leads in the short-lived U.S. sitcom Nobody's Perfect (1980), starring Moody as a Scotland Yard detective transferred to the San Francisco Police Department, and in the British fantasy Into the Labyrinth (1981), with Moody as the noble sorcerer Rothgo. Throughout the decades, he could also be spotted in several TV movies, among them:[1] David Copperfield (1969). As Uriah Heep in this disappointing all-star showcase distributed theatrically in some countries.

'EastEnders' actor John Bardon has died aged 75. John - who has starred as Jim Branning in the BBC One soap since the 90s - has passed away at the age of 75 after suffering from a stroke in 2007. Having played Jim - who married Dot Cotton (June Brown) in the drama in 2002 - from 1996 to 2011, he was written out following his stroke as he required full-time care from his wife Enda. However, he has returned to Albert Square on a number of occasions since as it was written into the storylines that Jim himself had had...

Actor and producer who played Brad Majors in the original Rocky Horror Show in 1973 and Saffy's gay dad in Ab Fab

Christopher Malcolm, who has died of cancer aged 67, played Brad Majors in the original production of The Rocky Horror Show in 1973 and, as his life as an actor started to overlap with an interest in producing the shows themselves, he became, after co-producing the West End revival of Rocky Horror in 1990, the executive in charge of all subsequent worldwide productions.

His death came just a few days after his latest project, the revival of Oh What a Lovely War at Stratford East, opened to enthusiastic notices, probably sealing a West End transfer. The way the show turned out was a good example of the kind of creative partnerships he enjoyed and nurtured throughout his career. For more than 30 years, he worked as an "insider" producing link between such London...

June Brown wants a romantic storyline in 'EastEnders'. The veteran actress, who plays Dot Branning in the BBC soap, doesn't feel her character has had a good storyline for several years since her on-screen husband John Bardon was written out of the show due to poor health and hopes soap bosses give her more to do. June says she hasn't been happy with Dot's storylines since 2008, when viewers saw the chain-smoking busybody deal with her husband Jim's stroke. The plot earned June a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress after she carried an entire episode of 'EastEnders' by herself. The actress said: ''I'd...

June Brown wants a romantic storyline in 'EastEnders'. The veteran actress, who plays Dot Branning in the BBC soap, doesn't feel her character has had a good storyline for several years since her on-screen husband John Bardon was written out of the show due to poor health and hopes soap bosses give her more to do. June says she hasn't been happy with Dot's storylines since 2008, when viewers saw the chain-smoking busybody deal with her husband Jim's stroke. The plot earned June a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress after she carried an entire episode of 'EastEnders' by herself. The actress said: ''I'd...

Bill Ward has joined 'Emmerdale'. The former 'Coronation Street' actor - who played bad boy Charlie Stubbs in the ITV soap - will play farmer James Barton, the brother of Moira Barton's (Natalie J. Robb) late husband John Barton (James Thornton). He said: ''I'm really looking forward to it. The 'Emmerdale' team are a very talented bunch indeed and I'm extremely chuffed to have been asked to join them.'' James, a single father to three grown-up sons, will make an unexpected visit to the village, much to the surprise of the brunette beauty, and he looks to cause controversy after he...

Bill Ward has joined 'Emmerdale'. The former 'Coronation Street' actor - who played bad boy Charlie Stubbs in the ITV soap - will play farmer James Barton, the brother of Moira Barton's (Natalie J. Robb) late husband John Barton (James Thornton). He said: ''I'm really looking forward to it. The 'Emmerdale' team are a very talented bunch indeed and I'm extremely chuffed to have been asked to join them.'' James, a single father to three grown-up sons, will make an unexpected visit to the village, much to the surprise of the brunette beauty, and he looks to cause controversy after he...

Actor of geniality, grace and solemnity, he excelled in playing characters on the margins of society

Richard Griffiths, who has died aged 65 from complications following heart surgery, was a fine actor defined by his largeness of spirit, his comic instinct and his empathy with outsiders, as well as his undeniable physical size. He was the kind of actor whom everyone remembers with affection, whether as the flawed but inspirational Hector in Alan Bennett's The History Boys (first staged in 2004, then filmed in 2006) or as the eccentrically gay Uncle Monty in Bruce Robinson's Withnail and I (1987).

Like most actors who have a thriving career in film and television, he learned his craft in theatre. I first became aware of him in the late 1970s when he rose steadily through the ranks of the Royal Shakespeare Company. I was especially struck by his ability to speak verse with mellifluous clarity.

Joanna Page has become a mother for the first time. The 34-year-old actress - who portrayed Stacey Shipman in BBC One sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey' - and her actor husband James Thornton welcomed daughter Eva Madelief Russell into the world on Friday morning (15.02.13) at The Lindo Wing, the private maternity unit at London's St Mary's Hospital. Joanna wrote on Twitter: 'We are delighted to announce that Eva Madelief Russell was born 15th Feb,10:58am,weighing 6lbs 8ozs at The Lindo Wing. She's adorable! (sic)' James - who played farmer John Barton in 'Emmerdale' for three years until departing in 2012 - tweeted: 'We have had a baby girl! We are over the moon!' Eva's middle name Madelief is a...

Joanna Page has become a mother for the first time. The 34-year-old actress - who portrayed Stacey Shipman in BBC One sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey' - and her actor husband James Thornton welcomed daughter Eva Madelief Russell into the world on Friday morning (15.02.13) at The Lindo Wing, the private maternity unit at London's St Mary's Hospital. Joanna wrote on Twitter: ''We are delighted to announce that Eva Madelief Russell was born 15th Feb,10:58am,weighing 6lbs 8ozs at The Lindo Wing. She's adorable! (sic)'' James - who played farmer John Barton in 'Emmerdale' for three years until departing in 2012 - tweeted:...

Joanna Page has become a mother for the first time. The 34-year-old actress - who portrayed Stacey Shipman in BBC One sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey' - and her actor husband James Thornton welcomed daughter Eva Madelief Russell into the world on Friday morning (15.02.13) at The Lindo Wing, the private maternity unit at London's St Mary's Hospital. Joanna wrote on Twitter: ''We are delighted to announce that Eva Madelief Russell was born 15th Feb,10:58am,weighing 6lbs 8ozs at The Lindo Wing. She's adorable! (sic)'' James - who played farmer John Barton in 'Emmerdale' for three years until departing in 2012 - tweeted:...

EastEnders legend June Brown weeps as she reunites with John Bardon for a TV show screened later this week. The 85-year-old actress's ill-stricken former co-star, who played her character Dot's on-screen husband Jim Branning, suffered a stroke in 2007 which has left him unable to walk or speak fluently. When Brown asks her former colleague how his condition makes him feel, 73-year-old Bardon can only respond by whispering: "Oh dear." Bardon's wife Edna says of Bardon's current state: "He's going the wrong way now. His main pleasure in life is when his grandson Harry visits." (more)...

EastEnders legend June Brown has revealed that she pays regular visits to former co-star John Bardon. Bardon, who played Jim Branning in EastEnders until May 2011, suffered a major stroke in 2007. Dot Branning actress Brown - Bardon's on-screen wife - spoke about Bardon's physical condition in an interview with What's on TV. "I visit John regularly - his wife Edna has been marvellous," she said. "I feel for him because he can't write, paint (more)...

Sir Ian McKellen, who played Coriolanus at the National Theatre in 1984, on what Shakespeare means to him

As a 45-year-old Coriolanus at the National Theatre, I worked hard to grow a credible warrior's body.

The fighting area was a sand pit. Some of the audience sat on the stage among the actors. There were problems! Irene Worth as my mother was one of the answers.

I grew up in postwar Wigan, in a theatre-going family, so it didn't seem odd that my big sister Jean should take me to my first Shakespeare when I was only seven years old. It was Macbeth at the local amateur Little Theatre. Seven decades on, I can still see the dried-up rhododendron branches through which Macduff's soldiers unconvincingly impersonated Birnam Wood.

By the time I was 12 I'd made my Shakespearean debut as Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Bolton School. Theatre-going was my hobby; acting was a by-product.

The winners of this years British Soap Awards 2012 have been announced. The ceremony held on Saturday night (28th April) was hosted by Phillip Schofield and the usual war between Eastenders and Coronation Street ended in a tie this year with both soaps taking home seven awards.

However, Eastenders got the biggest gong as it was named Best Soap again. Pam St Clement (Pat) was given the Lifetime Achievement Award and Eastenders writer Simon Ashdown got the Special Achievement Award.

The full list can be found below, the winners are highlighted red. The ceremony can be seen in full on ITV1 on Wednesday 2nd May.

Sexiest Female (Last year’s winner was Michelle Keegan, Coronation Street)

Coronation Street: Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre)

EastEnders: Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning)

EastEnders: Preeya Kalidas (Amira Masood)

Hollyoaks: Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen)

Sexiest Male (Last year’s winner was Scott Maslen, EastEnders...

Ex-Emmerdale star James Thornton has revealed that he has voiced the trailer for the 2012 British Soap Awards. The 36-year-old actor, who played farmer John Barton in the rural soap for three years from 2009, has been a voiceover artist for many years. "Just voiced the trailer for The British Soap Awards. Hope that means I am going to win," he wrote on Twitter. Thornton is nominated for 'Best Exit' and 'Spectacular Scene' with Natalie J Robb for the car crash stunt which killed his (more)...

Emmerdale's Holly Barton overdoses on heroin after trying to numb the pain of her father's death. The former drug addict - played by Sophie Powles - is devastated following John Barton's (James Thornton) recent death and as she struggles to come to terms with the tragedy, she sees heroin as her only option. Sophie told the Daily Star newspaper: ''Holly thinks the only way to get over this is to make herself numb with heroin. She doesn't mean to overdose. She thinks she'll have one little bit and it'll make the pain go away.'' However, Sophie believes Holly will once again...

Coronation Street was close to the 9m mark on Friday evening with Lewis Archer's return to the programme, overnight figures show. Coronation Street pulled in 8.63m (37.8%) at 7.30pm and 174k (0.7%) on ITV1+1 for Tyrone's proposal to Kirsty. The second episode of the double bill, which saw Audrey and Gail bump into Lewis at a country pub, grabbed 8.73m (35.7%) at 8.30pm and 211k (0.9%) on +1. EastEnders, meanwhile, attracted 8.36m (35.3%) at 8pm as Tamwar and Afia's problems continued. BBC Three's repeat screening secured 869k (4.4%) at 10pm. Emmerdale interested 7.49m (34.3%) at 7pm with the aftermath of John Barton's death, while 130k (0.5%) tuned in on timeshift. Hollyoaks managed (more)...

Emmerdale was the most-watched soap on Thursday evening as John Barton lost his life in dramatic circumstances, overnight figures show. Emmerdale's emotional episode, which saw John and wife Moira have a horrific road accident, averaged 7.21m (30.3%) across its hour-long slot from 7pm. A further 351k (1.5%) watched an hour later on ITV1+1. EastEnders, meanwhile, attracted 5.64m (22.7%) at 7.30pm as Whitney, Tyler and Fatboy's love triangle came to a head. However, BBC Three's 10pm repeat screening added an impressive 1.28m (6.3%). During the 30-minute clash period when both soaps went head-to-head from 7.30pm, Emmerdale had 6.93m and a 27.9% (more)...

Natalie J. Robb insisted on filming her own stunts for Emmerdale's dramatic car crash. The 37-year-old actress - who plays Moira Barton in the ITV1 soap - and James Thornton, who stars as her on-screen husband John Barton, hardly used their stunt doubles for the shocking scene, which sees the pair fighting for their lives after their Land Rover skids off a road and rolls down a ravine. She said: "I got some bruises - I was throwing myself about. You want to make it look realistic, so I didn't mind all that, "We did have stunt doubles, we had two...

James Thornton admits the upcoming 'Emmerdale' car crash is 'really gruesome'. The hunky actor - who portrays John Barton in the ITV1 soap - explained his co-star Natalie J Robb (Moira Barton) resembles a lifeless 'mannequin' when the couple's Land Rover dramatically plunges deep into a ravine. He said: 'It's really gruesome. The car is on its side so Natalie is above me inside the car just hanging from her seat belt. 'She looks like a mannequin, hanging unconscious. It's quite a creepy image.' However, while James admitted he was in his 'element' as he was able to drive the vehicle himself, the dramatic stunts got 'a bit too much' at times. He added in an interview with...

Emmerdale's John Barton leaves estranged wife Moira stunned in tonight's episode by admitting that he doesn't want a divorce after all. Moira (Natalie J Robb) is keen to get on with the legal proceedings after being rejected by John (James Thornton) time and time again, so she heads to her solicitor to make the initial arrangements. However, just as Moira is preparing for a fresh start, it becomes clear that John is starting to struggle with the speed at which (more)...

Natalie J Robb has revealed that she was injured filming next week's Emmerdale car crash stunt. The Moira Barton actress told the Daily Record that she suffered bruises to her ribs after the first night of filming the expensive scenes with on-screen husband James Thornton (John Barton). After rekindling their love for each other, the couple set off for a night at a hotel, when their Land Rover hits an ice patch on a country road, skidding at high speed before falling onto its side. Robb explained that parts of the Land Rover crash were filmed inside a mechanism to simulate the effect. "It (more)...

Natalie J Robb suffered bruising on her rib cage after filming Emmerdale's dramatic car crash. The 37-year-old actress - who plays Moira Barton in the ITV1 soap - will see her alter-ego and her on-screen husband John Barton (James Thornton) fighting for their lives after their Land Rover hits a patch of ice and lands on the edge of a ravine. While the Scottish star wore a harness to make it look like she was hanging from her seatbelt as the vehicle plunges off the road, she admitted the experience left her feeling 'claustrophobic'. She said: 'It took three nights and it was a big budget. They bought five Land Rovers, stripped them and painted them the same colour. Some...

Natalie J Robb suffered bruising on her rib cage after filming Emmerdale's dramatic car crash. The 37-year-old actress - who plays Moira Barton in the ITV1 soap - will see her alter-ego and her on-screen husband John Barton (James Thornton) fighting for their lives after their Land Rover hits a patch of ice and lands on the edge of a ravine. While the Scottish star wore a harness to make it look like she was hanging from her seatbelt as the vehicle plunges off the road, she admitted the experience left her feeling "claustrophobic". She said: "It took three nights and it was...

Emmerdale's John Barton and Chas Dingle continue to grow closer in Thursday night's double bill of the soap. Wanting some alone time with Chas (Lucy Pargeter), John brings her home to the farm as he knows they'll have the place to themselves for an hour or two. Both are keen to head upstairs to the bedroom, and it's not long before they end up in a passionate embrace. But can John (James Thornton) (more)...

Emmerdale's Chas Dingle starts to play hard to get with John Barton in tonight's episode of the soap. Chas (Lucy Pargeter) is still keen on John despite yesterday's clash with Moira (Natalie J Robb) at The Woolpack. However, she decides that if she's receiving aggro over her love life, it has to be for something that's worth it. When Chas joins John (James Thornton) outside the pub following a busy day at work, she rejects his attempts to kiss her as she wants (more)...

John Barton is set to bow out of 'Emmerdale' in a tragic car crash. The hunky farmer - portrayed by actor James Thornton - will be killed off the ITV1 soap in sensational scenes, which will see his car roll down a sheer cliff in the middle of the Yorkshire moors in the dead of night. Despite 'Emmerdale' bosses said to be "desperate" to keep the details of the dramatic storyline a secret, the stunts are set to be some of the biggest seen throughout the whole of 2012. An insider told the Daily Star newspaper: "Everyone's putting a lot of time...

Emmerdale stayed well above the 7m mark on Wednesday evening as John Barton faced an uncertain future, overnight figures show. Emmerdale pulled in 7.52m (34.8%) at 7pm as John prepared for the worst following his grilling from the police over Cain's attack. The ITV1+1 screening was seen by 137k (0.6%) an hour later. Hollyoaks, meanwhile, attracted 1.22m (5.9%) on Channel 4 at 6.30pm as the Maddie, Callum and Tara love triangle continued. Nancy's (more)...

Emmerdale's John Barton is forced to swallow his pride and beg for Declan Macey's help in tonight's episode of the soap. In the aftermath of his grilling from the police, John (James Thornton) accepts that he's likely to be charged with murder if Cain doesn't pull through - so he starts making plans for the future. Although John is continuing to protest his innocence, he is concerned over what might happen to the farm if he's sent (more)...

Emmerdale's John Barton faces his worst nightmare as he is arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in tonight's episode. John (James Thornton) finds himself in the frame over Cain's attack this evening when Moira (Natalie J Robb) tells the police that he punched the bad boy shortly before the shocking incident. Soon afterwards, the detectives turn up at Butlers Farm demanding to speak to John down at the station - while they also have a warrant to search the (more)...

Emmerdale has now aired its highly-anticipated 'Judgement Day' episodes, which saw Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) finally get his comeuppance as one of his enemies brutally attacked him. A recent Digital Spy poll saw our readers predict that John Barton would be the culprit, but now we're keen to see whether the dramatic episodes have changed people's opinions. Emmerdale bosses have named John (James Thornton), Moira (Natalie J Robb), Jai (Chris Bisson), Charity (Emma Atkins), Amy (Chelsea Halfpenny) and Zak (Steve Halliwell) as the main six suspects - but who took matters into their own hands by carrying out the ultimate revenge? Viewers won't find out the (more)...

Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page has revealed that she feared her husband James Thornton would die as he tried to rescue their dog from drowning. The actress watched with horror as Thornton, who plays John Barton in ITV soap Emmerdale, got into trouble after diving into the River Aire to retrieve their Jack Russell, Daisy. "I honestly thought he was going to die," she told The Mirror. "It could have been an episode from Emmerdale. James ripped his trainers off and did a full-on dive into the water. "Luckily he caught Daisy but couldn't swim against the current. They were both swept away. I was running along the top of the river, screaming." Thornton required hospital treatment (more)...

Emmerdale fans remain convinced that John Barton will be revealed as Cain Dingle's attacker in the New Year. The soap launches a mystery storyline tonight as one of Cain's many enemies carries out the ultimate revenge, using a metal object to brutally beat him before leaving him for dead. A Digital Spy poll which invited readers to crack the case last week had John neck-and-neck with Amy Wyatt (Chelsea Halfpenny), with only 0.5% between them. However, John extended his lead over his fellow suspects in the past week, giving him 26.3% in the final result. Amy took second place with 19.9%. Speculation that John would be the attacker recently intensified following the announcement that James Thornton, who plays him, is leaving the soap. The full and final results of our 'Who Will Attack Cain?' poll were as follows: 1. John Barton (26.3%)

2. (more)...

Emmerdale's Dingle and Pollard families have been named by bookmakers as the top suspects in the soap's forthcoming Cain Dingle mystery. Cain, played by Jeff Hordley, will be brutally attacked later this week when one of his many enemies decides to get their revenge after being pushed to the edge by his antics. Bookmaker Victor Chandler has now opened a book on who could be the culprit, making any member of the Dingle family the joint 5/2 favourite alongside members of the Pollard family. Members of the Sharma family have odds of 7/2, while the Bartons are next at 4/1. Victor Chandler spokesperson Charlie McCann commented: "John Barton is the obvious candidate given he gives Cain a smack for bedding Moira on Thursday night, but we are convinced he is too obvious to be the attacker, although that doesn't mean it is not one of his family! "My (more)...

Emmerdale star James Thornton has revealed that he quit the soap to spend more time with his wife Joanna Page. The actor, who plays John Barton in the ITV1 soap, has been living in Leeds during the week and only sees the Gavin & Stacey star when he returns to London at the weekend. He announced last month that he will be departing Emmerdale, despite pleas from show boss Stuart Blackburn to stay, the Daily Star Sunday reports. "When I first joined I signed for three years but it took me a while before I got it into my head that I would be staying that long," he said. "But then once I started doing it, the people and the atmosphere, I really, really enjoyed it. The main problem has been the logistics - I still live in London. "It's been hard. (more)...

Emmerdale star James Thornton has promised that his character will have a "gripping" exit storyline. Earlier this week, the actor announced he is leaving his role as John Barton and will bow out at the beginning of next year. "It will be very dramatic and gripping. He doesn't leave in a taxi, let's just put it that way," he told Pa. "I know what happens. It's hard to not say anything. It's tricky not to give anything away. Me leaving the show ties in really nicely (more)...

Emmerdale fans have picked out John Barton and Amy Wyatt as the most likely suspects in the soap's upcoming Cain Dingle attack storyline. The pair, played by James Thornton and Chelsea Halfpenny respectively, are currently neck-and-neck in a Digital Spy poll which invites readers to crack the case. Cain (Jeff Hordley) will finally get his comeuppance next week when one of his many enemies decides to take the ultimate revenge, carrying out a brutal attack and leaving him for dead. John is currently the front-runner in our poll with 23.0% of the vote, while Amy follows closely behind with 22.5%. Speculation that John will be the attacker intensified today when it emerged that James Thornton will be leaving Emmerdale next year. Meanwhile, Chelsea Halfpenny recently told Digital Spy that Amy should not be ruled out after the way Cain (more)...

Emmerdale star James Thornton has announced that he is leaving the soap. The actor will bow out from his role as John Barton early next year after portraying the character since 2009. Thornton commented: "I have had a fantastic time playing John for the past three years, but it's the longest I have ever played one part and the time now feels right to move on. "I have decided to leave on a high with a big exit storyline in 2012, which I'm really excited about. I will miss all my colleagues at Emmerdale and have many very fond memories of my time in the Dales." Emmerdale's series producer Stuart Blackburn added: "James has created a truly memorable character in John and he will be greatly missed, but his decision to leave has enabled us to play a hugely gripping and (more)...

Emmerdale star James Thornton has predicted tough times ahead for the Barton family. The actor, who plays John Barton in the ITV1 soap, said his character will struggle to forgive wife Moira (Natalie J Robb) for cheating on him with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley). Cain winds John up by dropping hints about the affair, leading John to confront Moira and discover what really happened. "John is very black and white. He thinks it's over," Thornton told Inside Soap. "He's made the decision that what she's done is so bad that (more)...

Emmerdale's John Barton leaves his family and employees stunned this evening as he begs them to take on a huge amount of unpaid overtime. When Declan (Jason Merrells) refuses to accept a late rent payment, John resorts to desperate measures and admits that everyone will have to work extra hours for free to meet the supermarket deadline. John (James Thornton) promises that his team will be rewarded once (more)...

These pictures show Emmerdale stars James Thornton, Rik Makarem, Tom Lister and Kelvin Fletcher on the set of EastEnders after cycling 224 miles to reach the iconic Queen Vic pub. The actors - better known as John Barton, Nikhil Sharma, Carl King and Andy Sugden on the soap - took on the gruelling challenge in a bid to raise £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Joined by Emmerdale's executive producer Steve November and a group of professional cyclists, the foursome set off from the ITV1 show's village set on Friday evening with the aim of reaching EastEnders within 24 hours. However, as we reported on Saturday, the stars smashed their target by completing the challenge in little over 20 hours. Upon arrival at EastEnders, the Emmerdale team were greeted by Walford cast members Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale), (more)...

Emmerdale actors James Thornton, Kelvin Fletcher, Tom Lister and Rik Makarem have completed a 224-mile bike race in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The soap foursome - better known as Carl King, John Barton, Andy Sugden and Nikhil Sharma - celebrated on Twitter after successfully riding from the ITV show's set to EastEnders' iconic Queen Vic pub in little over 20 hours. The group, who were joined by executive producer Steve November and a gang of professional cyclists, have so far raised for Macmillan almost £43,000 of their £100,000 target. "We have only gone and bloody Done It," Thornton wrote. "224 (more)...

Emmerdale stars Tom Lister, Rik Makarem, James Thornton and Kelvin Fletcher will tomorrow begin a gruelling endurance bike ride, aiming to cycle from the show's village set to EastEnders in under 24 hours. The actors - better known as Carl King, Nikhil Sharma, John Barton and Andy Sugden on the ITV1 soap - are undertaking the 224-mile challenge in a bid to raise £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Joined by the show's executive producer Steve November and professional cyclists, the cast members will set off from The Woolpack in Emmerdale Village tomorrow evening at 6pm, before cycling continuously throughout the night. They are aiming to arrive at EastEnders' iconic Queen Vic pub on Saturday evening. Upon arrival, the participants will be greeted by members of the EastEnders cast who will congratulate them on (more)...

Joanna Page has revealed that she couldn't join her husband James Thornton on Emmerdale, as they would laugh too much. The Gavin and Stacey star's husband plays John Barton in the soap, and she explained that she couldn't "take it seriously" if they appeared on screen together. "I don't think we'd be able to film together because we'd probably start laughing," she told What's On TV. "We've done panto together and we couldn't get through that without giggling. I know him so well, so looking at him and pretending that he was someone else would just make me giggle. "I'd think, 'I know you're not John Barton the farmer from Emmerdale because I was washing (more)...