Will Ash made his first appearance as Caleb in December 2022 (Image: ITV)
star has had fans on the edge of their seats since he made his debut as at the end of 2022.
Recently, Caleb discovered that his childhood sweetheart and wife Ruby Fox-Miligan (Beth Cordingly) had been sexually abused by her father as a teenager. The horrific abuse resulted in Ruby falling pregnant with her daughter Steph (Georgia Jay), whom Caleb believed to be his up until now.
It was confirmed that Ruby’s father Anthony (Nicholas Day) is Steph’s biological father. During Tuesday night’s (January 21) episode, Caleb drove Anthony to a secluded barn and demanded he admit what he did to Ruby, all while holding him at gunpoint.
A flash-forward showed that Anthony will be murdered by another resident in the village – but is it Caleb who pulls the trigger?
Away from the ITV soap, Will, 48, leads a starkly distinct life from his character in the Dales.
Will’s original dream was to be a professional footballer (Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
The actor hails from Chadderton, close to Oldham, born to a father working as an engineer and a mother employed as a police civilian.
The performing arts captured his imagination early on, eventually leading him away from his initial childhood ambition of being a footballer.
“My dad played a lot of football and played semi professionally and that is what I wanted to do, be a footballer, until I was 16/17,” he shared with in 2012.
During their school days, Will made friends with Jeff Hordley, who portrays his half-brother on , long before their paths crossed on the soap.
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The actor has been close friends with co-star Jeff Hordley for years (Image: ITV)
Speaking to the Daily Star, he recalled: “We both went to the same school, North Chadderton Comprehensive in Oldham and had a really inspirational drama teacher called Colin Snell who not only inspired us but the likes of Nicola Stephenson and then went on to another school with Jonas Armstrong and Jenna Coleman.”
Although there was an age gap, Jeff, 54, and Will shared the stage in a play, cementing their lasting friendship that has endured for decades.
Will’s acting ambitions led him to an early role on at just 10 years old, where he appeared as a character named Spike for a single episode in 1987.
Following that debut, he landed several one-off roles in popular TV series throughout the ’90s, including Heartbeat and secured a regular spot on Children’s Ward from 1989 to 1991.
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The soap star appeared in Coronation Street when he was 10 (Image: ITV)
As he progressed, Will obtained multiple regular television roles in acclaimed series such as Beck, Where the Heart Is, Soldier Soldier, Burn It, and Clocking Off.
By the 2000s, Will had solidified his reputation as a respected actor, popping up in several renowned shows, not least the beloved series Doctor Who.
In 2009, the soap star landed a role in the popular drama Waterloo Road, starring as troubled school’s deputy head teacher Chris Mead until 2011.
He has also appeared in ITV’s serial killer drama, The Loch in 2017 and played the role of Marvin in a British TV drama series, Wanderlust.
Will starred as Chris Mead in Waterloo Road from 2009 until 2011 (Image: Shed Productions/BBC)
Will is the cousin of Coronation Street star Peter Ash (Image: Kate Green/Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Acting clearly runs in the family as Will’s cousin is star Peter Ash, who played Paul Foreman on the ITV soap.
Peter made his debut as Paul in 2018, but his character tragically passed away last year, nearly 18 months after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Peter is also known for his role as Darius Fry in Footballer’s Wives between 2003 and 2006.
When asked about his cousin entering the world of soaps in 2023, Peter said: “He’s doing great work. I’m loving it. I’m loving it, go on the Ash’s.”
Outside of his role, Will tends to keep his personal life private, avoiding the spotlight and social media. However, he is a proud father of two and reportedly resides with them in Greater Manchester.