Emmerdale recently introduced Joe Absolom as new bad-guy Ray. But it turns out off-screen Joe was desperate to make a good first impression with his co-stars.

Joe comes from a hugely successful acting background, so it seems strange to think he may get nervous going onto a new show. But that seems to be exactly what happened. And he wanted to make friends so much that he even lied so that he could bond quicker.

One of the first people Joe met on the Emmerdale set was Robert Sugden actor Ryan Hawley – who has just recently returned. And when Ryan asked Joe questions about his life in Cornwall, Joe was so desperate to bond that his answers were mainly lies.

Joe wanted to impress Ryan (Credit: ITV)

Joe Absolom ‘lied’ to Ryan Hawley

Appearing on Loose Women on Wednesday (July 2) Joe was asked about his first few days on set.

On his second day, he was working with Ryan, who was trying to make him feel welcome and get to know him.

Joe revealed: “It was my first few days and I was trying to impress. He asked where I lived and I told him Cornwall. He then asked if I surf, and I was like ‘yeah, I surf’.”

However, that isn’t necessarily the truth as Joe just wanted to sound impressive.

He told the panel: “I have lived in Cornwall for 11 years and I have been surfing maybe three times. And even so it wasn’t ever properly. I just had a board and fell off it.”

But the conversation continued, with Ryan asking about the beach breaks that happen in Cornwall. And Joe just found himself going along with whatever he said.

Despite the lie, Joe confirmed that everyone on the set has been lovely to him. But explained joining a soap was very different to starting a TV drama.

He said: “When you start a TV drama, everyone is new and so everyone is trying to get to know each other. But when you join something that’s been going for that long, you literally turn up and they give you a pass. I spent the longest time speaking to the security lady because you don’t know who to speak to.”

Joe admitted one of the struggles with working on Emmerdale is that he doesn’t live nearby, like many of his co-stars.

He explained: “It’s a strange existence at the moment because I just turn up and sit in the hotel. Then I go to work.”
Joe and Ryan worked together on his first day (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale Robert sold the drugs to Ray

Joe Absolom having one of his first filming days at Emmerdale with Ryan Hawley isn’t that surprising.

When he appeared on our screens earlier this week as villain Ray, he was determined to get Mack to follow through on the drug deal.

But when Mack refused, Robert Sugden secretly stole all of the drugs and sold them to Ray as part of his own plan.

Joe’s character Ray will be seen again and has been teased as a “complex character”. But it seems his dark streak will come to our screens quite a lot.

And with a huge storyline coming up for Mack and Aaron, it looks likely that Ray will be a part of that.