6 soap stars who dated and found love with actors from rival shows

They may work on different soaps, but that didn’t stop love from blossoming between these stars of Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks! While many famous soap couples found love while working together, romance was sparked for these couples through chance encounters at awards shows, and a shared understanding of what it’s like to work on one of the country’s leading soaps. Take a look through the gallery to see who found love with their soap star rivals, and who is still together…

Jane Danson and Robert Beck

A long-serving cast member on Coronation Street, Jane Danson met her now-husband Robert Beck at the first ever British Soap Awards in 1999, when he was starring as Gavin Ferris in Emmerdale. The actor is also recognised from his role as Peter Harrison in Brookside, but even had a stint working alongside his wife on Corrie in 2008, where he played Jimmie Dockerson. The couple married in 2005 and are parents to two sons, Harry and Sam.

Kym Marsh and Jamie Lomas

Corrie actress Kym Marsh started dating Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas in 2009, and she fell pregnant with their first child the following year, but sadly their baby boy Archie died just minutes after being born. The couple welcomed their daughter Polly in March 2011 and married in September 2012. However, their marriage was hit by allegations of infidelity, and the pair called it quits in 2014 after two years of marriage.

Michelle Keegan and Anthony Quinlan

Long before she settled down with Mark Wright, former Corrie star Michelle Keegan dated Emmerdale’s Anthony Quinlan, who you may also recognise from Hollyoaks. The pair reportedly dated for two years before their split in 2008, and while Michelle is now married, Anthony was most recently in a relationship with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Dianne Buswell.

MORE: Soap stars who are currently planning their weddings

Gemma Atkinson and Cleveland Campbell

Former Hollyoaks actress Gemma Atkinson dated Emmerdale actor Cleveland Campbell, who played antiques dealer Danny Daggert, in 2005. She has gone on to find love with Strictly pro Gorka Marquez, with whom she is expecting her first child this summer.

RELATED: Hollyoaks' real-life romances

Sammy Winward and James Sutton

Although they were technically co-stars on Emmerdale when they started dating, Sammy Winward’s ex-boyfriend James Sutton is probably best known for his role as John Paul McQueen on Hollyoaks – which he played from 2006 to 2008, and again from 2012 to 2017, before returning in March for a one-off appearance. The couple dated for several months before parting ways, and vowed to remain friends.

Liam Fox and Nicole Barber-Lane

There was another Emmerdale and Hollyoaks relationship crossover when James’ on-screen mum Nicole Barber-Lane was married to Liam Fox, who is known for playing Dan in Emmerdale. However, the former couple met long before either of them landed their soap roles, and married in 1999. Nicole and Liam have two children together, but announced their decision to split in 2015 after 16 years of marriage. Liam has recently announced his engagement to Joanna Hudson.