Emmerdale Ross Barton star's life off-screen - gorgeous girlfriend to body transformation

Emmerdale's Michael Parr is poised for a sensational comeback as Ross Barton on the popular ITV soap.

Almost six years since his departure, it's been revealed that the character adored by fans is set to stir things up once again in the village.

Parr first made his mark in 2013, with his portrayal of Ross earning notoriety through explosive storylines involving Donna Windsor (portrayed by Verity Rushworth) and Debbie Dingle (played by Charley Webb). The plot thickened when Ross had a clandestine tryst with Debbie's mother, Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins), which led to the birth of Moses.

Discussing his anticipated return, Michael enthused: "I'm over the moon to be returning to Emmerdale. Ross is a character I'm extremely fond of and I'm excited to explore what he's been up to over the past five years."

The actor further teased fans, stating: "After seeing the scripts, I can't wait for the audience to see what's in store. One thing I can say is Ross's return will no doubt create fireworks.", reports Leeds Live.

While he's been absent from the small screen, off-set Michael has found romance with his girlfriend Isabelle Du Plessis, going public with their relationship via a charming Instagram post in July, showing the duo sharing a close moment in a photo captured in Santorini.

This personal update arrives following Michael's past relationship with Isabel Hodgins, who plays Victoria Sugden on Emmerdale. According to reports, the two previously enjoyed a discreet romance before parting ways after a three-year liaison.

Michael has been keeping busy with romantic trips and a dedicated fitness regime during his time away from Emmerdale, even flaunting the fruits of his gym labour online. In 2022, he celebrated his 36th birthday by posting transformation photos on Instagram.

Alongside them, he captioned: "36 today. And what a year it was. From hurting back back in November the day before I was supposed to move house and 2 days before I was set to fly to Morocco for a job."

"You can see in the 2nd pic that I was in pretty bad shape. My hips were all off line. Ciatic nerve was trapped and I damaged my C2andC3. I thought it was gonna hurt forever."

"I quit the gym and now have just been working out with dumbells at home and I feel better and stronger than ever. Good diet. Fasting. Cold showers and just everything in moderation."

What will Ross's return to the village bring, and how will Charity respond to the reappearance of Moses' dad?

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX