Emmerdale’s Moira Dingle star Natalie J. Robb’s hidden EastEnders role exposed

Emmerdale enthusiasts were left utterly flabbergasted after clocking that soap

stalwart Moira Barton – played by Natalie J. Robb – has been in another soap altogether.

Since taking on the role of the iconic Moira in 2009, the 49-year-old actress has become a massive hit with fans, bagging a

Moira’s rollercoaster life in the village has seen her tie the knot with the notorious Dingle family and deal with the heartbreak of her daughter’s drug overdose, not to mention her string of sizzling love affairs.

Recently, the character was rocked by the bombshell diagnosis of a brain tumour, sending shockwaves through her on-screen family.

Before she became a household name in Emmerdale, Natalie had already flexed her acting muscles in various TV shows and movies. Back in 2001, she stepped into the world of soaps as Jude Carlyle on BBC’s daytime drama Doctors, marking the start of her soap opera journey, reports the Mirror.

Emmerdale fans minds’ blown over Moira Dingle star’s forgotten EastEnders role

Natalie J Robb is best known for playing Moira Dingle (Image: ITV)
But what’s causing a stir among Emmerdale fans is the revelation that Natalie had a stint on the rival show EastEnders – where she acted opposite a Walford icon. In July 2006, she appeared as Gemma Clewes, the secret lover of Max Branning (played by Jake Wood).

The discovery was made on an Emmerdale Facebook fan page, where a user posted snaps of Natalie from her EastEnders days, leaving fellow fans gobsmacked by her past role, cheekily captioning it: “Max’s bit on the side.”

EastEnders

“None other than the woman who plays Moira Dingle now in Emmerdale. I didn’t even remember it,” they added. Someone else joined the convo, replying in the comments with: “What the heck,” plus a mind-blown emoji.

Another was just as shook, writing: “I had to look twice to make sure it was her.”

Emmerdale

Natalie starred as Max’s bit on the side (Image: BBC)
And over on Twitter, a viewer exclaimed: “Watching old episodes of #Eastenders and Moira Dingle is s******g Max Branning?!! Soaps are so messed up.”

After Natalie J Robb’s stint in EastEnders back in 2006, she popped up three years later in Waterloo Road playing a school counsellor. Then in 2009, she landed the legendary part of Moira in Emmerdale and has been there ever since.