Emmerdale actor, Jay Kontzle, 28, has only been a character on the soap for two months but now the rising star has revealed his previous career in teaching. Speaking on ITV’s morning show Lorraine, Jay discussed his career and admitted he wanted to do something different after he was formerly part of boyband The Mend, who appeared on The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. The actor revealed he previously took some time out from music and became a support assistant for a school. Jay said: “I initially took so much time out I went and worked at a school, and did that for a year.
“I was a learning support assistant. I was working with kids with SEN (special educational needs), and behaviour issues.”
He continued: “I was helping kids out and making sure they were getting back on track. I really enjoyed doing that. I just wanted to take a few years out and set myself up.”
But he admitted his plan was to always get back into acting because it is his “passion”.
Jay said: “My intention was to get back into acting. My agent contacted me and said we’ve got a casting for Emmerdale. It came out of nowhere.
“I obviously went for it and put my all into it. When you’ve got a passion for something, you need to just go for it.”
Speaking about his music career, he said: “It was a great experience. For me, it was life experience – everything positive and negative has had a huge impact on where I am today.”
Jay appeared on the show alongside his co-star Asan N’Jie, (Ellis Chapman) who plays his half-brother on the soap.
Viewers have witnessed the growing tension between the brothers, since Billy arrived in the village over Christmas following a stint in prison.
ITV soap fans may recall the brothers’ rivalry heated up last month, after Billy viciously attacked Ellis, who later reported the incident to the police which led to his brother’s arrest.
However, this prompted their mother Jessie Dingle (Sandra Marvin) to lie to the police to avoid her son being sent to prison again.
The pair have been embroiled in a bitter feud on the show and things quickly escalated in a recent episode after Ellis attempted to run his brother over in a van.
He did not kill but their dramatic face-off may have some dramatic consequences for their mum Jessie.
After, hearing what happened between her sons, Jessie ends up leaving her step-daughter April (Amelia Flanagan) home alone as she went to sort out the issues with the brothers.
She tells them both: “If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself. Or you.”
Fortunately, April was fine and had popped to the shops to buy a gift for her step-mum.
Emmerdale continues tonight at 7pm on ITV.