18 September 2023 , 19:00
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His face swollen beyond recognition, Emmerdale’s Jacob Gallagher collapses after suffering a near fatal nut allergy on the popular soap. For actor Joe-Warren Plant it brought home the terrifying reality of anaphylaxis. Hundreds of thousands of people run the risk of it every day simply by eating.
"It is so awful for so many people who have a food allergy," says Joe. "They live in constant fear and I feel so sorry for them." Prosthetics emphasised the startling consequences of what can happen when a food allergy strikes. "They made my face so swollen I looked like a zombie," he adds.
Emmerdale’s producers have worked closely with the Anaphylaxis UK charity on the storyline. Some 350,000 people in Britain are at risk of anaphylactic shock and the producers hope the show sent out a clear message that adrenaline pens, also known by the trademark EpiPen, can save lives. Having two can be vital in case, as in Monday's episode, the first doesn’t work.
Joe says: "Carrying two pens helps saves lives and if this plotline helps one person, then it will have been so worthwhile to do." The star does not have a food allergy but recalls when he ate a crabstick aged six and felt ill. "Dad was so scared and frantically drove me to hospital. It makes you realise how scary food allergies are."
Jacob Gallagher collapsed on Monday at a tasting event after accidentally eating food containing nuts (ITV)Now 21, he has spent more than half his life on the show after joining aged eight. He feels lucky to have a job he loves... and lucky not to be burdened with thousands of pounds of university debt. Joe says he wouldn’t be working on the soap now had it not been for the amazing leap of faith taken by his parents, Warren and Steph, who let him sign up at such a young age.
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He says of Emmerdale: "I can’t remember what it was like before. This is home for me. I owe everything to Mum and Dad. They encouraged me to join a theatre school near our home in Blackpool when I was four to boost my confidence. They then pushed me to take up this role. They couldn’t have been more supportive and I don’t feel I’ve missed out at all. I am a normal person with a different job!"
Sadly, Joe’s mum died from liver complications aged 47 last November. He knows she would have been incredibly proud her son was about to be embroiled in a string of high-profile stories that will propel him firmly into the soap spotlight. Joe smiles: "Mum was so supportive and such an amazing person. I miss her a lot."
He recently bought a house in Blackpool with his girlfriend of two years, Anna Norton. He added: "We have a very normal relationship. She is not in the business. We are happy." He says she is incredibly supportive of his telly job that also led him to take part in Dancing On Ice in 2021.
Now 21, he has spent more than half his life on the show after joining aged eight (Joe's character Jacob pictured after an anaphylactic shock in 2010) (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Unfortunately that ended after just four weeks when both he and his skating partner, Vanessa Bauer, tested positive for Covid. Was he gutted to have left so early? He shakes his head, insisting he had an amazing time. "To learn a skill to that standard was worth it, let alone meeting the incredible people on set," he explains. "I feel pleased that I am now a comfortable skater and have totally fallen in love with the sport."
Keen to embrace everything that is thrown his way, Joe admits he would jump at the chance to take part on I’m A Celebrity. "I am not a very good cook, so I am not so sure about MasterChef," he chuckles. "But the jungle would be phenomenal. I am not putting too much pressure on myself though!"
Very family orientated, he tries to see his younger brother, Harley, 18, and sister, Natalia, 15, as much as he can, enthusing: "I like being an older brother and I see my sister as a little girl I want to protect, even though she’ll be taking her GCSEs next year!"
Hinting a new romance could also be on the cards for Jacob, you wonder if Joe plans to spend the next 13 years in the soap. "I am happy here and see myself here for the foreseeable future," he replies. "I never thought I would get to this point and I really want to reiterate how grateful I am. Sometimes when I look at pictures of myself over the years, I just think 'wow I have been here for 13 years'. It’s crazy but it is so much fun."
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV and ITVX. Find information on food allergies at www.anaphylaxis.org.uk.
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