Dominic Brunt "shakes" before every 'Emmerdale' scene because he is "petrified".

Dominic Brunt

Dominic Brunt

While the 48-year-old actor has played vet Paddy Kirk for more than 21 years on the ITV soap, he still gets nervous about acting out scenes, and finds it "quite sobering" that so many people tune in to watch the show.

He said: "I am loyal to the show and it still frightens the life out of me.

"I still shake before every scene because it's petrifying.

"You put eight million people on a hillside watching each episode, that's quite sobering."

Dominic is aware his 'Emmerdale' run will not last forever, but when his Dales days are over he will remember his time on the soap as the best years of his life.

He said: "Of course, it will happen one day. And that'll be the end of that, it's just the nature of the job. But I would just turn around and say, 'Well that was the best 20 years of my life.'

"I will probably never achieve that ever again. I love it and adore it."

The 'Adult Babies' star is still best mates with 'Emmerdale' co-star Mark Charnock - who plays Marlon Dingle - after meeting him on his first day on set, and admits he "adores" the 50-year-old actor.

He added to the Daily Star newspaper: "I walked into the green room on my first day and all these people off the telly were just sat there.

"I didn't know where to put myself. Then Mark comes bounding over like Bambi and says, 'Hi, I'm Mark Charnock. Who are you?'

"I knew from that moment we'd be best mates. And he still makes me cry laughing every day. I adore him."