Darwen council worker to appear on Emmerdale tonight (From Chorley Citizen)

Darwen council worker to appear on Emmerdale tonight

9:23am Friday 16th September 2011 in TV By Chris Gee, Reporter

A DARWEN council worker who combines his full-time job acting is set to appear in tonight’s episode of Emmerdale.

Tim Paley, 53, who works for Blackburn with Darwen Council as a public transport co-ordinator, will play an electrician in the episode.

It’s not the first time Tim, who has been carving out a second career as an extra, has appeared on the soap – he previously played a farmer.

And he said his route to fame has proved rather unusual.

“I actually started as a bus driver and ran Darwen Coach Services while taking part in amateur dramatics with the Darwen Library Players,” he said.

“We did things like Blithe Spirit and various pantos.

"I was with them around five years.”

Things took off for Tim when detective series Hetty Wainthropp was filmed nearby and he was contracted to drive a bus in one scene.

“I got myself an agent, did some work, took some acting classes and turned semi-professional in 2000,” he said.

“I’m one of only three actors in the country who holds a PSV licence which has helped me get a couple of acting jobs and flexitime is very useful for helping me juggle my commitments.

“I’ve appeared before in Emmerdale as a farmer, in Heartbeat as a coal worker and Phoenix Nights at the pub quiz.

“Locally I’ve shot films Diary of a Bad Lad and Bar Stewards which may be released in cinemas later this year.”

When he’s not filming, Tim, who lives in the Marsh House area, manages public transport.

Among his duties are monitoring school bus contracts and making sure transport infrastructure such as bus shelters and signs are up to scratch.

The episode featuring Tim is set to be broadcast at 7pm.