Emmerdale fans have done a double-take after spotting former soap star Sebastian Dowling looking seriously different just a year after his emotional exit from the show.
The actor, best known for playing Heath Hope since he was a baby, recently posted new photos on Instagram showing off a dramatic transformation.
With a noticeably more muscular frame and a fresh haircut, Sebastian looked nothing like the sweet village kid fans watched grow up on screen. He captioned the post ‘Have you missed me’ and the comments quickly flooded with fans offering their compliments.
Sebastian spent 17 years playing Heath Hope, the son of Bob and Viv Hope, and twin brother to Cathy played by his real-life sister, Gabrielle Dowling.
He was born during a dramatic moorland birth in 2007 and became part of the furniture in the Dales, a familiar face as he navigated childhood, family drama, and village life.
But in a shock twist that aired on New Year’s Day 2024, Heath’s story came to a tragic end. The teen was killed in a car crash after he, Cathy, and Angelica King stole Wendy’s car to go to a party.
The group lost control and crashed, and while Cathy and Angelica escaped with injuries, Heath was trapped inside. Despite Wendy’s desperate CPR attempts, he sadly died at the scene.
The episode marked one of the show’s most emotional goodbyes in years and fans were heartbroken to see him go. It also sparked a big twist. At first, viewers thought Cathy had been driving, but it was later revealed that Angelica was behind the wheel, adding a whole new layer of tension to the village.
Sebastian took to Instagram after filming his final scenes, thanking the cast and crew with the message: ‘Thanks to everyone @emmerdale for such a fun time filming over the 17 years ❤️.’
While Heath may be gone from Emmerdale, it’s clear Sebastian is thriving post soap and judging by the response to his latest pics, fans are definitely keeping an eye on what he does next.
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