Emmerdale star Anthony Quinlan’s famous lovers including soap star romances
In Soapland, everyone dates everyone and most characters in our favourite shows have been romantically involved in one way or another.
And, when it comes to the actors behind the beloved characters themselves, things might not be so different. For example, Anthony Quinlan - who played Pete Barton in Emmerdale - who has had his fair share of soap relationships.
The 38-year-old has been in a relationship with Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson, who previously dated Coronation Street star Danny Young.
Anthony and Nikki were first linked together earlier last year and have been going from strength to strength ever since.
In March, he wished her a happy birthday with a sweet photo of the two holding cocktails.
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He shared a sweet birthday post in March (Instagram/ @anthonyquinny)"Happy Birthday @niknaksanderson cheers to you my beaut!" he said. "I hope this year is as special as you are and that it’s one of the best yet. Love you lots."
He posts a lot of content about the two, including their gym sessions and nights outs.
Before confirming their romance, he and Nikki kept coy about the fact they were dating. However, it was confirmed they were an item when Anthony told OK! magazine last year: "The rumours are true. I'm just really, really happy. I've known Nik for a good few years – I said a good few years, probably 20 years now, it's around that.
Spilling on how they met, the actor turned personal trainer revealed he slid into Nikki's DMs.
"I think there were rumours we actually bonded or started dating over a gym session or something, there's no truth in that believe me there isn't," he said. "As much as they like to make a bit of a romance in that there's no truth in that what so ever.
"It was more the traditional I slid into the DMs and we went on a date and the rest is history."
But before he found love with Nikki, Anthony enjoyed a romance with Corrie actress Michelle Keegan, who is now married to Mark Wright.
From 2006-2008, soap legends Anthony and Michelle were deeply in love before they called it quits in a split they claimed was 'amicable'.
Anthony Quinlan has dated a host of stunning soap stars (Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Hollyoaks star Nikki Sanderson had been single since 2020 (Getty Images)But reports at the time suggested Anthony, who starred in Hollyoaks at the time, was the one who pulled the plug.
In 2010, he told OK!: "Yes, we see each other every now and then. We were together for a couple of years. We're still good friends."
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By 2017, Anthony had moved on with Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell.
But when she was paired with YouTube sensation Joe Sugg on the BBC dancing show in 2018, rumours emerged that she'd succumbed to the Strictly 'curse'.
Anthony and Dianne were together for ten months (Manchester Evening News)And sure enough, after almost one year together, Anthony and Dianne confirmed they'd gone their separate ways.
However, Anthony dismissed rumours they broke up due to the Strictly curse and said it was because of their long-distance relationship.
Anthony told the Daily Star: "We're still really good friends - it's just distance played a part."
Speaking of the so-called curse, he added: "There were all these rumours about the Strictly curse but it wasn't that. I'm actually rooting for Joe and Dianne.
Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg were paired together on Strictly (joe_sugg/Instagram)"They're doing absolutely amazing in Strictly and I still think the world of the girl. We were really close, it just wasn't meant to be."
But rumours intensified that Dianne and Joe were more than friends, with a source telling The Sun: "Everyone on set's been discussing how close they'd become. It did not go unnoticed by Anthony.
"She's having a lot of fun with the show at the moment and is enjoying spending time with her dance partner Joe."
In response, Anthony said cryptically: "Take from it what you will. People are always going to speculate. That's certainly out of my hands. There's nothing I can do about that.
"All I can do is crack on and do what I do. But I wish them both all the best. They're doing absolutely amazing on the show."
Michelle Keegan dated Anthony back in 2006 (Getty Images for Bauer Media)
Anthony has reportedly found love after revealing his wish to get married and start a family (SIPA USA/PA Images)Months later, Dianne and Joe went official - and they're still going strong to this day.
They even recently splashed out on a luxury home together in Brighton after Dianne made comments about wanting to start a family.
Then single, Anthony expressed his wish to meet "the right person" and to get married and have a family - but he added there was "no rush".
He departed Emmerdale in 2020 and threw his hat in the ring for some reality shows, before creating his very own health supplement company and becoming a personal trainer and lifestyle coach.
And now Anthony has reportedly found love again - this time with Nikki Sanderson, who plays Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks.
She had been single for a year after splitting from her boyfriend of five years, Greg Whitehurst, in lockdown.
Nikki and Greg had started dating in 2015, just ten months after his wedding to another woman - which Nikki had attended.
But in July 2020, Nikki confirmed they had broken up, telling reporters: "Sadly Greg and I have decided to separate. We remain friends and wish the best for each other in the future."
By 2021, unlucky-in-love Nikki and Anthony bumped into each other at the gym and bonded over their shared interest of buffing up.
The rest was history, and they're said to be thinking about going public with their romance very soon.
A source told The Sun: "Nikki and Anthony go to the same gym and are really into fitness, so they bonded over that.
"Nikki has been having a bit of a tough time lately, and Anthony has been a great support for her."
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