Former Hollyoaks star David Ames has revealed that he had to make an emergency hospital dash after waking up in extreme pain.
The actor, 41, played twisted headmaster Carter Shepherd on the Channel 4 soap for a year prior to his exit in 2024.
The sinister character got his comeuppance after kidnapping John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) and attempting to baptise him in a murky lake.
JP was previously in a secret relationship with Carter, who was repressing his sexuality and practising conversion therapy on students Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) – who was coming to terms with the fact he is gay – and Ro Hutchinson (Ava Webster), who had told his parents he is trans.
After subjecting poor Lucas to months of wicked ideologies, his actions were exposed during Pride week when he attempted to abduct the teen.
Despite being arrested, he was hellbent on revenge, and employed one of his cronies to bundle John Paul into the back of a van.
David – who is no stranger to soapland having portrayed Dominic Copeland in Holby City for eleven years – shared the news of his ill health on Instagram yesterday.
‘Waking up in absolute agony with possible kidney stones is not how I planned to start my day’ he wrote, alongside a picture of his arm hooked up to a number of tubes.
‘But here we are.’
In a further snap, he seemed in good spirits as he shared a picture of some water soluble lubricating jelly and joked: ‘Didn’t even buy me a drink…’
Later, he thanked fans for supporting his fundraiser in memory of friend Allison and charity Breast Cancer Now, ahead of running this year’s London Marathon.
‘I’m so moved by your messages of support and donations’ he said.
‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
Last year, upon his ‘Oaks exit, he thanked co-stars and crew for their support over his 12 month stint – and praised the soap’s writers for tackling conversion therapy.
‘Just over a year ago, I was approached to have a meeting about playing Carter Shepherd in Hollyoaks’ he began.
‘I was informed he would be a troubled character and that over the course of 12 months, he would become darker, more sinister and ultimately a big ol’ villain.
‘We took on the controversial subject of conversion therapy. Something our present Conservative government STILL have yet to ban.
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‘A heinous, damaging practice of using religion, pseudo-psychology and other questionable ‘therapies’ to attempt to reprogram someone, specifically those in the LGBTQ+ community.
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‘This is quite a feat in a soap as the subject is so nuanced and heavy. But I’m incredibly proud of what we managed to achieve.’
He concluded: ‘Thank you to everyone at Hollyoaks for being a welcoming environment from the start. [Executive producers] Hannah, Angelo and everyone at the helm. Costume, makeup, art dept, everyone!
‘I had a blast and I miss working with you all.’
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