# Adam Thomas

Adam Gordon Thomas (born 11 August 1988) is an English actor, known for his roles as Donte Charles in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road (2006–2009, 2023–present) and Adam Barton in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale (2009–2018). He has also appeared as a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2016) and Strictly Come Dancing (2023).

## Early life

Adam Gordon Thomas was born on 11 August 1988 in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. He is the twin brother of Scott Thomas, who appeared in Love Island in 2016 and the younger brother of Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas. He is of English, Indian and Caribbean heritage. His paternal grandfather is from Mumbai, India, and emigrated to Manchester, England, in 1947. His paternal great-grandmother was a West Indian who had Caribbean ancestry.

## Career

Thomas began his television career in 2002 with a guest appearance on the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors. It was another four years before Thomas launched to fame in his breakthrough role as Donte Charles in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road of which he was an original cast member upon its inception in 2006 until 2009. The role of Donte led Thomas to enjoy guest appearances in popular hospital drama Casualty in 2008 in which he played a boxer, as well as a second appearance in Doctors in 2007. He also appeared as himself on ITV gameshow All Star Family Fortunes alongside his older brother and fellow actor Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in the soap opera, Coronation Street.
Following his departure from Waterloo Road in 2009, Thomas signed on for his third appearance on daytime soap Doctors, this time playing a character called Ben Hamilton. The episode aired on 26 May 2009. It was announced on 21 May 2009 that Thomas had landed the role of Adam Barton in the long-running ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, and would appear on screens from July 2009. Thomas left Emmerdale in early 2018. In November and December 2016, Thomas was a contestant on the sixteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and finished in third place. He became a property executive for the Kamani Property Group in 2018 alongside former Emmerdale co-star Marc Silcock. Adam also made his stage debut in 2018 when he appeared as The Hollywood Producer from 31 October to 4 November when Nativity! The Musical toured to Liverpool. In February 2019, he portrayed the role of Rob in an episode of the BBC drama Moving On. On 19 October 2019, it was announced that Thomas would be co-hosting I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp. In September 2019, Thomas opened a bar/restaurant with his school friend, Scott Graham. The restaurant, named The Spinn, was situated in Gatley, Stockport, but it later closed. Thomas's historic and publicly documented alcoholism led to him resigning as director of the limited company as early as mid-2022.
In late 2021, it was confirmed Thomas was returning to the role of Donte Charles in recommissioned return of Waterloo Road. In August 2023, Thomas was announced as one of the contestants on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing. He exited the competition in week 7, (4 November) with his professional dance partner, Luba Mushtuk. This followed their dance off against Angela Rippon and her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington.

## Personal life

In September 2014, Thomas and his long-term girlfriend, Caroline Daly, welcomed their first child, a son named Teddy. The couple have been together since 2008. On 27 August 2017, Adam and Caroline married in Delamere Manor, Cheshire. In May 2018, the pair welcomed a second child, daughter Elsie-Rose. The couple took part in All Star Mr & Mrs in August 2016. In August 2020, Thomas admitted that he and his twin have a drinking problem; he vowed to get sober like his brother who celebrated six months of sobriety at the time.

## Filmography

As actor :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Doctors | Declan | Episode: "Losing Control" |
| 2004 | Casualty | Jamie Ridderford | Episode: "Love Bites" |
| 2006–2009, 2023–present | Waterloo Road | Donte Charles | 65 episodes |
| 2007 | Doctors | Rohan Jameson | Episode: "Growing Pains" |
| 2008 | Casualty | Jake Shepherd | Episode: "To Thine Own Self Be True" |
| 2008 | Rock On, Troglodyte | Man In Distress | Episode: "Trog In Bognor Regis" |
| 2009 | Doctors | Ben Hamilton | Episode: "Hamilton Is Out" |
| 2009–2018 | Emmerdale | Adam Barton | 971 episodes |
| 2018 | Nativity! The Musical | The Hollywood Producer | Stage musical which he appeared in from 31 October to 4 November |
| 2019 | Moving On | Rob | Episode: "By Any Other Name" |
| | Pitching In | Jase | Main role |
As himself :
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2009 | Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow | Himself; guest; audience member |
| 2014 | All Star Family Fortunes | Himself; guest; 1 episode |
| 2016 | Lorraine | Himself; guest; 1 episode |
| 2016 | This Morning | Himself; guest; 1 episode |
| 2016 | Good Morning Britain | Himself; guest; 1 episode |
| 2016 | I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! | Himself; contestant (series 16) |
| 2019 | I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp | Himself; presenter |
| 2020 | Don't Rock The Boat | Himself; contestant |
| 2021 | The Chase Celebrity Special | Himself; knowledge-free contestant |
| 2022 | Britain's Foulest Smells | Himself; Consulting Smell Enthusiast |
| 2022 | Royal Television Society North West | Himself; presenter |
| 2023 | Strictly Come Dancing | Himself; contestant (series 21) |
| 2024 | Loose Women | Himself; guest; 1 episode (10 January 2024) |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2010 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Newcomer | Emmerdale | Won |
| 2011 | Inside Soap Awards | Sexiest Male | Emmerdale | Nominated |
| 2013 | Inside Soap Awards | Sexiest Male | Emmerdale | Shortlisted |
| 2023 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Drama Star | Waterloo Road | Nominated |