Where soaps’ most notorious bad boy stars are now from Sheridan Smith love triangle drama to Corrie hunk’s cancer battle

SOAPLAND is at its best when it’s full of drama, romance, violence – and sexy bad boys.

As much as we want to hate them, some of them are pretty hard to resist thanks to their chiselled jawlines and smouldering eyes.

BBCSerial killer Gray Atkins has finally been caught on EastEnders[/caption]

InstagramIn real life, Toby Alexander is going to focus on being a full-time dad for now[/caption]

Though sometimes their actions are so twisted that fans are desperate for them to get their comeuppance – as serial killer Gray Atkins finally did this week.

EastEnders fans rejoiced as the sick wife-beater – played by Toby Alexander-Smith – was carted off in a police car.

The star has said his life will become much calmer now he’s taking a break from Albert Square to take on full-time dad duties to three-month-old daughter Bonnie, who he shares with his Emmerdale girlfriend Amy Walsh.

But what ever happened to other famous bad boys from Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Corrie and EastEnders once they were inevitably killed off, arrested or banished? We find out where the actors are now…

Callum Logan – Sean Ward 

Sean Ward turned up in Corrie as Kylie Platt’s drug dealer ex Callum Logan in 2014, wreaking havoc on her and the Platt family.

He did everything he could to get custody of Kylie’s son Max, and even dated Sarah Platt to get close to the family.

But, a year later, his campaign of terror against the Platts ended when Kylie killed him as he was on the verge of raping Sarah – and he was then buried under the annex by the two women and David Platt.

Sean Ward played Callum Logan on Corrie – and is now an anti-vaxxer

After Corrie, Sean’s star was on the rise and he appeared in BBC’s Our Girl alongside Michelle Keegan.

But recently it’s faded. The former actor was arrested at a protest in London last year – and whinged his anti-vaxx views cost him his career and left him homeless, with his teeth and hair falling out.

Tony Gordon – Gray O’Brien

Gray O’Brien – who played Tony Gordon on Corrie – is a cancer survivor

Gray O’Brien is best known for playing Carla Connor’s murderous factory owner husband Tony Gordon in Coronation Street.

He joined the soap in September 2007 and won Villain of the Year at the 2009 British Soap Awards.

His character was eventually killed off in dramatic fashion in June 2010, after he took people hostage in the Underworld factory before setting it alight and dying in the blaze.

Nine years later, Gray shocked fans when he revealed he’d been battling cancer, sharing a video of himself ringing a bell in hospital to signify his treatment had ended.

When it comes to his acting, Gray has kept going – he’s currently starring in a theatre production of Catch Me If You Can, and is dating photographer Kate Scott.

Michael Moon – Steve John Shepherd 

Steve John Shepherd suffered a near-fatal internal haemorrhage after EastEnders

Steve John Shepherd was best known for playing Michael Moon on EastEnders from 2010 to 2013.

He was Alfie Moon’s psychopathic cousin, and even gave his villainous girlfriend Janine Butcher a run for her money.

After leaving the soap, Steve appeared in Bush Theatre’s production of Albion, playing the part of Paul Ryman in the political play.

Before taking on this role though, Steve suffered a near fatal internal haemorrhage and collapsed in front of his three children.

“I could feel myself dying,” he told the Evening Standard.

After recovering in hospital under the care of the NHS, Steve recuperated and returned to his craft as soon as he could, since starring in children’s drama Hetty Feather and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.

Brendan Brady – Emmett J Scanlan 

Emmett J Scanlan has appeared in Peaky Blinders since quitting Hollyoaks

Brendan Brady was the charming Northern Irish Hollyoaks villain we loved – despite the drug dealing, murder and abuse of his partner Ste Hay.

In the end, he was arrested for murdering his abusive dad – although it was actually his sister Cheryl who did it, but he took the blame.

Since leaving the role in 2013 after three years, Emmett J Scanlan has gone on to have an illustrious career, having starred in the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, Peaky Blinders and The Fall.

When it comes to his private life, Emmett married his Hollyoaks co-star Claire Cooper on 31 December 2015 and they have a 17-month-old son, Ocean, together, after sadly suffering a miscarriage the previous year.

Rob Donovan – Marc Baylis

Since leaving Corrie, Marc Baylis now lends his voice to video games

Marc Baylis’ Corrie character Rob Donovan is most famous for murdering Michelle Keegan’s character Tina MacIntyre in 2014.

He was on the street from 2012 to 2014 – when he was sentenced to 25 years in prison – and then on and off until April 2017, after he escaped.

But in reality, Marc has been continuing to act, most recently starring in the short film My Dad Marie in 2020 as a dad transitioning to a woman.

He’s even lent his voice to video game Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.

Trevor Royle/Rick Neelam – Greg Wood

Greg Wood was so good at playing the villain he did it in Corrie and Hollyoaks

Greg Wood is so good at playing the villain, he’s done it in Corrie as Rick Neelam and Hollyoaks as Trevor Royle.

Greg joined Corrie as Rick in 2009 for a short time, before popping up again briefly in 2012.

But then, in 2013, went over to Hollyoaks to play gangster Trevor – where he remained until 2016, causing havoc across the village.

In 2019, he went back to Corrie, but his character was killed off soon after by Gary Windass.

Since then, Greg has been cast in a leading role in The Best Man with the Walnut Street Theatre.

And Greg’s personal life is just as dramatic as his soap characters’.

In 2015, Sheridan Smith revealed she’d dumped Greg and suggested his Hollyoaks co-star Tamara Wall may have had something to do with it.

The Sun on Sunday reported Greg’s ex-wife Catherine had suggested an affair with Tamara – who plays Grace Black on the show – was the woman at the centre of THEIR split too. Tamara denied this was the case.

Carl King – Tom Lister

Tom Lister headed to the West End after playing Carl King on Emmerdale

Tom Lister played nasty Carl King – who killed his own dad – in Emmerdale, from 2004 all the way up to 2012, when he became Cameron Murray’s first victim in the live 40th anniversary episode.

Since leaving the show, Tom has appeared in Doctors.

He also made his musical theatre debut in the world premiere of The Water Babies at the Curve in Leicester in April 2014 as Grimes, before appearing in the West End revival of 42nd Street a few years later.

Cameron Murray – Dominic Power

Dominic Power is playing a much nicer character on Hollyoaks than on Emmerdale

Speaking of Cameron Murray, back in 2011 the serial killer – played by Dominic Power – joined Emmerdale, shacking up with Debbie Dingle. 

But when Carl King found out Cameron was having an affair with Debbie’s aunt Chas and threatened to spill the beans, he snapped and bashed his brains in with a brick. 

He went on to kill his best mate Alex Moss and Gennie Sharma – after they both found out his secret. 

But Cameron’s final act came in 2013, when he orchestrated a siege in the Woolpack – and ended up electrocuting himself on a wet light bulb. 

After Emmerdale, Dominic went on to write and direct a four-part film, Blinds, highlighting the complex nature of mental health.

Most recently, the 48-year-old actor has been seen in Hollyoaks as Dave, the dad of the Chen-Williams family, the soap’s newest brood.

His character also happens to be the long-lost father of Maxine Minniver – played by Nikki Sanderson.

Ross Barton – Michael Parr

Michael Parr quit Emmerdale for Hollyoaks and is about to star in a US feature film

Ross Barton – played by Michael Parr – graced our screens in Emmerdale from 2013 to 2018, and was quite the ladies’ man during his time on the farm.

Despite his knack for breaking hearts, he stole ours when he bonded with little April Windsor after his ill-fated relationship with her terminally ill mum Donna.

Since leaving the show for Hollywood, Michael has starred in Sky drama Bulletproof, alongside Ashley Walters.

He’s also due to appear in an upcoming US film Our Home, which follows a young writer called Rachel Woods who returns to her hometown while looking for inspiration.

Sean Slater – Rob Kazinsky

The nation fell in love with Rob Kazinsky as Sean Slater on EastEnders

The nation fell in love with Rob Kazinsky when he joined EastEnders as Stacey Slater’s brother Sean in 2006.

The ladies’ man charmed and fought his way around Albert Square until he left in 2009.

He’s returned a couple of times in recent years, but since quitting the soap, Rob has been successful Stateside.

He’s played Chuck Hansen in Pacific Rim, Macklyn Warlow in the sixth season of True Blood and Jimmy Pritchard in the Fox television series Second Chance.

Rob even had a part in Captain Marvel.

Calvin Valentine – Ricky Whittle 

Ricky Whittle has been very successful over in Hollywood since leaving Hollyoaks

Ricky Whittle shot to fame on Hollyoaks in 2006 as hunky policeman Calvin Valentine, and had everyone swooning.

But a man that good-looking is always going to break hearts, and Calvin was eventually killed in 2010 by Theresa McQueen at his wedding to her cousin Carmel McQueen – because he’d secretly got her pregnant and told her to have an abortion.

Calvin has been very successful since leaving the show.

The actor – who finished second on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009 – crossed over to American television, and was in The 100 from 2012 to 2014.

As of 2017, Ricky is the lead role of Shadow Moon in Amazon show American Gods.