Today’s very sad news!! This is what happened to Daniel Coll after the show ended. It’s tragic.
Emmerdale star left penniless and living on streets after horrific car accident
The Emmerdale star opened up about becoming penniless and homeless and struggling with PTSD.
The actor starred in Emmerdale (Image: ITV)
Beloved Emmerdale star Daniel Coll, who played DI Frank Blackmore on the ITV soap, was left destitute and without a roof over his head after his life unravelled following a distinguished 30-year career. The actor, also widely recognised for roles in Braveheart, Gentleman Jack and Coronation Street, saw his world turned upside down after he was involved in a devastating car accident in 2015.
His daughter sustained serious injuries, while Daniel himself battled Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as he struggled to cope with everyday life. In 2018, his film production company collapsed, and after falling behind on rent, Daniel was evicted from his flat and forced to live in a tent in Sheffield.
Holme Valley based actor Daniel Coll starred in Emmerdale (Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
He told The Big Issue in 2020: “I lost everything. I had absolutely no money, and I couldn’t afford to pay my rent, and my stress levels went crazy, and I then started getting severe PTSD. I went to the NHS to try to get some help, and at that point, there was a waiting list of nearly 12 months. I was penniless, facing homelessness.”
“When you become homeless, your mental health deteriorates even more, and I couldn’t get any work. I didn’t tell my family because I was ashamed, and I was in a tent for two months and had just about enough money to survive – eat food, camp or sleep in my car.”
Daniel revealed that, despite his thriving acting career, his earnings per role were modest, leaving him with precious little in savings to fall back on. He continued: “I’d done some big stuff, but contrary to popular belief, actors don’t get paid a lot of money unless they’re superstars. And they are few and far between. And that’s not why I was in the business anyway, I was in it because it was a passion.
“When I told my family, they came and helped, and I’d encourage anyone in that situation with family to talk to them, don’t let the shame get to you. It’s very difficult being in this position when you’re in your fifties, struggling to get a deposit together and not having anywhere to live.”
Fortunately, Daniel managed to turn his fortunes around, scraping together sufficient funds to secure a place in student accommodation while enrolling on a master’s degree course in filmmaking.
He returned to television in 2020, appearing in Dan and Paddy’s Bucket List, in which he and Paddy Doherty embarked on a journey across Kyushu, Japan.
