DANNY Miller has quit Emmerdale after 13 years.
The 30-year-old, who has played Aaron Dingle on the ITV soap since 2008, made the decision to exit ahead of appearing on I’m A Celebrity.
A source said: “Danny has been on the soap for a very long time and had been thinking about leaving.
“When I’m A Celeb came up he knew it was the perfect opportunity and would leave him financially secure.
“Becoming a dad to Albert has really changed his perspective on things.”
The actor became a first time dad last month when fiancée Steph gave birth to their son Albert.
He admitted he debated long and hard about whether it was the right time to leave his new family behind.
The family unit have been quarantining together in a Welsh cottage ahead of Monday’s launch show when Danny will go it alone.
He said: “Steph and I had a long discussion about me taking part in I’m A Celebrity.
“We were due to start IVF earlier this year and that would have meant the baby would have been due next March, so it wouldn’t have mattered.
“But then a miracle happened and Steph fell pregnant (without IVF). I knew my baby would only be about a month old when I went into the Castle. I was worried about leaving the baby with Steph on her own but she is a midwife and I know our baby will be in perfect hands.
“She has been incredibly supportive and she knows what a great opportunity this is to take part.
“And so after lots of discussions, I’ve said yes! I’m A Celebrity is the biggest show in the country and I want to show people what I am like as Danny rather than as Aaron. It will be nice for people to see me not crying but having a laugh! I am a fun guy at home and I’ve been known as Aaron now for 13 years – it’s good to step outside your comfort zone.”
Danny previously quit Emmerdale in 2012 but returned in 2014 to reprise his role.
Some of his notable storylines have included being involved with the criminal McFarlane family, making a romantic advance towards his best friend Adam Barton (Adam Thomas), coming to terms with his homosexuality, his relationship with Jackson Walsh (Marc Silcock), and dealing with Jackson’s suicide.
When Aaron returned to the soap it was part of a heist storyline involving Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth) and Ross Barton (Michael Parr).
Since then his relationship with Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) has been his main focus point.
He also revealed that he was sexually abused by his father when he was a child, reunited with his estranged half-sister Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele) and become her guardian.
There was also a prison stint for GBH, and a break up and marriage to Robert.
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