BREAKING Career Bombshell As Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh And EastEnders’ Toby‑Alexander Smith Team Up On A HUGE New Project Across Both Soaps
Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh and her husband, former EastEnders actor Toby-Alexander Smith, have announced their latest venture away from the world of soap operas.
Amy, 38, is renowned for her role as Tracy Robinson, while Toby, 34, is known for his portrayal of Walford’s villain Gray Atkins.
The couple, who share a daughter and tied the knot in 2023, have recently launched acting classes in Leeds.
The Walsh Academy was originally founded in London in 2021 by Amy’s sister Sally, but the pair have now expanded to open a drama school in the North of England, aiming to nurture new talent.
“The Walsh Academy North will open on 2nd June 2025 and provide speech and drama classes for children aged from 7 to 16,” Toby announced when they first revealed their new project.
Amy and Toby have launched a new drama school in Leeds (Image: Amy Walsh / Instagram)
Amy added that she and Toby will be the acting coaches, stating that their goal isn’t to turn every child into a TV star, but rather to create a safe environment where they can express themselves, make new friends and enjoy themselves.
Following the launch of the acting classes, Amy and Toby expressed their delight at their first session, describing it as “amazing”.
On Instagram, they shared a video reel of their inaugural class, highlighting their experiences alongside their students, reports Belfast Live.
They posted: “What an amazing first session and launch at @thewalshacademynorth. Thank you to all the wonderful and brave students who threw themselves completely into.
“A lot of fun was had and plenty of smiles all round. We can’t wait to meet more of you next week!”
Amy made her debut on Emmerdale in 2014 (Image: ITV)
Amy expressed her gratitude by saying: “Special shout out to our amazing friend Kayley @snapboxwedding_eventhire who provided this awesome display and managed to capture some of the highlights for us. Thank you.”
Emmerdale’s Ruby actress Beth Cordingly was among the soap stars showering the newlyweds with good wishes in the comments section, penning: “This looks AWESOME. So exciting. Thrilled for you and very proud X.”
Ash Palmisciano, famed for his role as Matty Barton in the ITV soap, commented: “Amazing, well done, guys.”
Lorraine Stanley, formerly Karen Taylor in EastEnders, enthused: “This is AMAZING! ! ! ! Well done guys!”
EastEnders’ Gray Atkins was played by Toby-Alexander Smith (Image: BBC / Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Toby-Alexander Smith famously portrayed the complex character Gray Atkins from 2019 to 2022. Initially depicted as charming, Gray became central to a distressing domestic violence storyline, eventually revealed as a serial killer.
Gray’s storyline concluded on EastEnders with his arrest and jailing once his heinous acts were exposed to daylight.
Meanwhile, since 2014, Amy has brought to life the character of Tracy Robinson in Emmerdale, whose storyline recently escalated when her husband Nate, played by Jurell Carter, was discovered dead.
