Natalie Ann Jamieson isn’t keen on splashing cash on a wedding despite featuring in a historic ‘Emmerdale’ marriage storyline.
Natalie Ann Jamieson isn’t keen on getting married despite her ‘Emmerdale’ character’s historic wedding storyline
The 36-year-old actress’ Amy Wyatt character is preparing to walk down the aisle with her trans partner Matty in what will be the ITV soap’s first transgender wedding – but she has insisted she and her real-life boyfriend Ali Ward, 36, won’t be doing the same due to the crippling costs of putting on their big day.
She told the Daily Mirror: “When people tell me how much they have spent on a wedding, I think, ‘You could probably go around the world twice with the amount of money involved’. And Ali and I would definitely prefer to do that.
“We’ve been together ages, 14 years, and getting married is way down on the priority list. We are just very happy as we are.”
The actress admitted she had passed up on the chance to propose to him on this year’s Leap Day this year when Ali suggested she take advantage of the tradition of women asking men to marry them on the date.
She said: “It’s funny as Leap Day fell on the day before I was filming my ‘Emmerdale’ wedding. I replied, ‘They’ve just been saying on the news how it’s a really outdated tradition.
“Besides, I am getting married tomorrow at ‘Emmerdale’. One wedding is enough for now.’”
Looking back at the TV wedding, Natalie Ann revealed the cast began to treat her like a real bride.
She recalled: “Everyone was treating me as if it was my own wedding, it was so bizarre. Everyone was like, ‘Have you got butterflies?’
“Even on the morning of filming, my boyfriend Ali asked if I was excited my character was getting married. I was like, ‘Guys, remember this isn’t real’.
“It was the same in the run-up, too. I had dress fittings, a trial make-up another day. It was really fun, though.”
Amy will get hitched to Matty Barton, played by transgender actor Ash Palmisciano, 34, on ‘Emmerdale’ next week.
Natalie Ann said about her off-camera relationship with Ash, who came out as transgender in 2012: “Ash is the best. We live really close together in real life and it’s nice working with him as we just chat all day.”