Emmerdale actor Asan N'Jie has spoken out for the first time since being sacked from the ITV soap following a violent altercation with Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas at the TV Choice Awards. The 25-year-old, who played Ellis Chapman, was dismissed for what bosses described as 'unacceptable behaviour' after he allegedly threatened to stab and kill Lomas.
In a tweet posted on Tuesday evening, N'Jie addressed the incident, writing: 'All the people who’ve reached out and had my back you’ll never know how much I appreciate you. I’ve learned, I’ve grown and now I’m working harder than ever to finish what I started. Keep you’re circle tight and always fall forward!' The message received mixed reactions, with some fans expressing support and others condemning his actions.
The altercation occurred when N'Jie, reportedly intoxicated, shouted at Lomas: 'Do you think you are a f*****g big man? I’m going to f*****g kill you. I’m going to f*****g knife you.' He was escorted from the venue after attempting to throw punches. The fight is said to have started after N'Jie made provocative comments about Lomas, who is the ex-husband of Kym Marsh.
Despite his sacking, N'Jie continues to appear in pre-filmed Emmerdale episodes, with his character Ellis set to remain on screen for another six weeks. A show source explained: 'There have been some meetings to decide what to do and this seems the most sensible option. We regularly have to rewrite scenes due to cast sickness and so it is not as unusual as it sounds to be suddenly re-writing storylines.'
Viewers have expressed mixed feelings about seeing Ellis on screen, with some criticising the decision to air the scenes. One tweeted: 'Ellis on tv..... tut tut Emmerdale... should of cut his scenes.' Another added: 'Didn’t think they were showing Ellis scenes.' The soap is currently filming storylines that will write out the character for good.
