ITV Emmerdale star fired over stab threat seen filming Hollywood movie alongside A-List actors
Actor Asan N'Jie has come a long way since his dramatic exit from the cast of Emmerdale in 2019, with the former soap star now filming movies alongside Hollywood legends
Former Emmerdale actor Asan N’Jie, who was famously sacked from the ITV show, has been spotted filming his latest movie role five years on from his dramatic soap exit.
Asan, 29, has bagged himself an impressive role in an production, with the former soap star set to star alongside Hollywood legends like former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan.
The actor, known for his portrayal of Ellis Chapman on Emmerdale, faced dismissal four years ago after a controversial altercation with Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas at the 2019 TV Choice Awards.
But Asan hasn’t been short of work since leaving the ITV soap in disgrace. The actor, who got his big break on Waterloo Road back in 2011, has been busy filming in Leeds for upcoming movie Giant – a boxing biopic about the life of Prince Naseem Hamed and his trainer Brendan Ingle.
Asan, who hails from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, plays the role of Tom in the production, while actor Amir El-Masry takes on the part of the former professional boxer. Bond legend Pierce takes on the role of trainer Brendan. The synopsis for Giant currently reads: “Inspired by the real-life story of Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed, a British-Yemeni boxer, and his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a world champion and his training under Brendan Ingle who played a crucial role in his success.”
Despite leaving the cast of Emmerdale under a cloud of controversy, Asan has still be able to enjoy a successful career over recent years. In June, Asan celebrated securing a part alongside Hollywood icon John Travolta in the Christmas flick The Shepherd, an adaption of Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 book of the same title.
Executive produced by John Travolta, The Shepherd tells the tale of a fighter pilot lost on Christmas Eve. The British short film The film was released on Disney+ on 1st December after premiering at the HollyShorts Film Festival in August. Asan excitedly shared a snapshot from IMDB on his social media last year ahead of the film being released, revealing that he would be joining forces with Steven Mackintosh of Dalgleish fame and Millie Kent from The Split.
The former Emmerdale actor was spotted filming scenes for the new boxing biopic in Leeds (
SplashNews.com)
The film, called Giant is about the life of Prince Naseem Hamed and his trainer Brendan Ingle (
SplashNews.com)
Away from Disney movies, Asan has also appeared in BBC1’s Bloodlands with James Nesbitt and BBC2’s Industry since his tumultuous Emmerdale exit. The incident that led to his sacking involved a heated exchange with Jamie Lomas at the 2019 TV Choice Awards, where Asan was recorded threatening: “I’m going to f*****g kill you” and attempting to throw a punch during the awards ceremony.
Prior to his departure, his character in Emmerdale was embroiled in a storyline featuring a knife attack, which added a layer of unwanted irony to the real-life events. Footage from the night of the fracas showed Asan in a confrontation, saying: “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.”
In the aftermath of the punch from the then Emmerdale actor, Malique Thompson-Dwyer stepped in to separate Jamie and Asan. An ITV spokesperson addressed the incident speaking to MailOnline, stating: “Emmerdale suspended Asan N’Jie pending further investigation into an incident at a central London hotel.” The spokesperson continued: “ITV executives have met with him this morning and as a consequence Asan’s contract has been terminated with immediate effect.”
Asan expressed remorse for his actions, saying in a statement: “My behaviour at the TV Choice Awards was completely unacceptable and very much out of character. I sincerely apologise to everybody who has been affected, especially Jamie Lomas, the whole Emmerdale team, our audience, ITV, my family, and the organisers of the TV Choice Awards. I am devastated, accept full responsibility for my actions and I am determined to learn from this.”
