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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Megan Shaw & Kate Lally

ITV Emmerdale Moira Dingle actress's real life as popstar, EastEnders role and co-star relationship

She's best known for playing Moira on Emmerdale, but Natalie J Robb has featured in a number of UK soaps over the years.

Since joining the Yorkshire-based soap in 2009, she has become a firm favourite with fans.

Moira Dingle has found herself at the centre of many dramatic story-lines, including losing her daughter, Holly, to a drug addiction, and her on-again-off-again relationship with village bad boy Cain.

READ MORE: Coronation Street's Victoria Ekanoye supported by fans after cancer battle

She joined the show with the rest of the Barton family, who were created and introduced as part of an overhaul by the series producer Gavin Blyth, Leeds Live reports.

The family took over the running of Butler's Farm and they were described as being "sexy, modern and contemporary".

Moira is a typical farmer's wife, feisty and protective over her family.

The actress was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards. The following year, she was shortlisted for "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 16th National Television Awards.

Away from the camera's Natalie's life is very different, here's everything we know about Natalie J Robb.

The Scottish actress and singer was born on December 3, 1974 as the youngest of three.

As a child, Natalie attended weekend drama groups in Glasgow, where she was discovered by director Alan Macmillan, later going to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

She made her screen debut as a nine-year-old, starring in an STV docudrama alongside Tom Conti.

Rival soaps

In 1991, Natalie was cast in the role of Trish McDonald in the Scottish soap opera Take the High Road.

The job quickly thrust her into the limelight and kick-started her varied and colourful TV career.

It's hard to distinguish Natalie from her much-loved Emmerdale character Moira nowadays but she was actually first appeared on the soap scene in rival show EastEnders.

In July 2006, she arrived in Walford as Max Branning's mistress, Gemma Clewes.

And Natalie's soap career doesn't end there, she has also previously appeared in Doctors and The Bill.

Life as a popstar

Before finding fame on Emmerdale, Natalie tried her hand at being a pop star with a band called The Kinky People.

She also sang I Will Be There by a group called Absolutely, and in 1997 she released a single called Keep Your Love with a dance group called Partizan.

Relationship with Emmerdale co-star

Natalie J Robb was previously dating Emmerdale co-star Johnny McPherson, who plays Liam Cavanagh on the ITV soap.

The two Emmerdale actors announced they had parted ways last summer after surprising fans with their relationship only several months previous.

Natalie and Johnny shocked fans when it emerged they were dating and had moved in together during the first coronavirus lockdown.

But sources later revealed that the former couple called it quits after their year-long relationship ran its course.

Since the split, Jonny has moved into his own boat - along with his new dog Molly.

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