Former Emmerdale heartthrob Ben Freeman is reportedly set to star in a major US TV role, 16 years after leaving the ITV soap.
Ben, 43, is best known for his role as Dales hunk Scott Windsor, which he played from 1998 to 2007.
Now, Ben is said to have been snapped up to star in the new series of US hit Outlander, where he is expected to play Corporal Woodbine.
Outlander airs on Starz and is based on the series of novels by Diana Gabaldon, about a Scottish Second World War nurse who in 1945 finds herself transported back in time to 1743 where she marries a Highland warrior and becomes involved in the Jacobite rising.
The series is a hit with viewers and stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.
A source told The Sun: "It’s a great role and fans will be delighted to see him in the show.
"Ben’s done a lot of stage work recently and his fans will love seeing him back on screens."
Since leaving the soap, Ben has had small roles in EastEnders as villain Caleb Malone in 2021, Doctors and Matilda the Musical, and this year played Athos in a new film adaptation of The Three Musketeers.
As Scott Windsor, he was involved in storylines including having an affair with his own stepsister Kelly, and fathering Zoe Tate's child before leaving the village under a cloud.
Emmerdale fans have recently been hopeful of a comeback for Ben as Scott, thanks to the return of a closely related character.
Scott's younger sister Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) took a break from the Dales earlier this year as she was suffering from mental health problems, and Scott called to invite her to stay with him in the Lake District.
However, soap bosses have confirmed that Cathy will be back, leading to hopes that Scott might return with her.
Outlander is currently airing the first part of its seventh season, with the second part due to air in 2024 – although it isn't clear when Ben's reported character could come into the storyline.
Ben would not be the only former soap star to make it big in the US – EastEnders stars Robert Kazinsky and Michelle Ryan have both had success across the pond after leaving their soap roles.
Ben is also set for a sci-fi role in The Dark Channel later this year alongside Mark Williams.
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