Joseph-Warren Plant Joins Emmerdale

Joe-Warren Plant, born on 12 April 2002 in Blackpool, is a British actor best known for his role as Jacob Gallagher in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He has played Jacob since 2010, beginning his time on the show at the age of eight. His portrayal has earned him three nominations for Best Young Performance at the British Soap Awards in 2014, 2019, and 2021.

Raised in Poulton-le-Fylde with his parents, Steph and Warren Plant, he developed an early interest in acting and was enrolled at Scream Theatre School in Blackpool from the age of four. He later attended Baines School. His talent was recognised by Scream Management, whose agency division secured him his role in Emmerdale. His character, Jacob Gallagher, was introduced alongside his parents, Justin, played by Andrew Langtree, and Alicia Gallagher, played by Natalie Anderson. Over the years, Jacob’s major storylines have included discovering he was adopted and that Leyla Harding, played by Roxy Shahidi, is his biological mother, as well as being at the centre of a controversial grooming storyline involving Maya Stepney, played by Louisa Clein.

Beyond Emmerdale, Plant has also appeared in the US action film Broken Hearts, in which he played Harri Hart. In 2020, he announced that he would take a six-month break from the soap to compete in the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice in 2021.

On Dancing on Ice (season 13), Plant was partnered with professional skater Vanessa Bauer. At 18, he became the youngest contestant to ever take part in the show. However, in February 2021, both he and Bauer tested positive for COVID-19, forcing them to withdraw from the competition. Despite being asymptomatic and completing the required isolation period, ITV producers decided against reinstating them, stating that allowing them to return might disrupt the competition. In an official statement, ITV thanked them for their dedication and performances, while Plant expressed his disappointment at having to leave the series early.