Emmerdale's Matty star says 'I'm so proud' amid emotional connection to soap wedding after own transition

Emmerdale star Ash Palmisciano has shared his pride at being involved in a soap first as he's set to tie the knot on-screen. Ash, who plays Matty Barton in the ITV soap, is the first-ever transgender actor to appear on Emmerdale and his character is also the first character written into the show to have transitioned.

Ash, who was assigned female at birth and decided he wanted to transition in 2012, wasn't originally cast in the role of Matty. He was called in by the soap to consult on the upcoming transgender storyline, however, after catching the producer's attention when he said he was an actor, he was asked to audition for an on-screen role instead and, as we know now, he got it.

He made his debut in the ITV soap in 2018 when he took over the role from Grace Cassidy, who portrayed Hannah Barton from 2009 to 2012, before the character's transition to Matty.

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Now, Ash is getting to experience another 'first' in soap as Matty marries girlfriend Amy Wyatt, played by Natalia Ann Jamieson. Ahead of the scenes airing on Wednesday night (April 17), the 34-year-old told the Manchester Evening News and other press what the storyline means not only as a love story but also as a representation of the trans community.

"It’s been a long time coming," Ash told us of Amy and Matty's wedding. "They’ve been friends in the past and then they’ve come together, they were going to get engaged and life got in the way and stuff but I think it was nice for these two characters to have that moment and you’ll see what it means - especially in