Mark Jordon ‘holding on to hope’ of Emmerdale return after being cleared of attacking pensioner

Ex-Emmerdale star Mark Jordon has admitted he is holding on to the hope that he may return to the ITV soap after he was found not guilty of attacking a pensioner in a pub.

 The 54-year-old was found not guilty of affray, unlawful wounding, and assault by beating after he bit OAP Andrew Potts. Jordon, who played Daz Spencer in the Yorkshire-based soap, told the jury he bit Mr.

Potts in self-defense but in his first interview after the court trial he has admitted that he loves the ITV studios and that ‘the opportunity possibly to go back is something I am holding dear to’.

Mark was written out of the ITV soap in January after his character Daz landed a delivery job in Croydon. But for the last year, he has been awaiting trial after being accused of biting the OAP.

‘It was a long year,’ said Mark, ‘because of quiet dignity, you can’t fight back.’ ‘It was the weirdest time of my life, and as an old man to reach that age and suddenly realise this year had turned upside down… I might be very boring but I have a reputation as a good character and to be labeled villainous it turns you upside down,’ he added.

The trial lasted for seven days and his Emmerdale co-stars and friends including Nick Miles, Sammy Winward, and Chris Chittell appeared in the public gallery during the trial to support him.

‘I feel very blessed,’ said Mark, speaking on Good Morning Britain.

‘The people around you you take for granted but this year has been incredible to see who supports you.

Laura and my relationship is stronger than ever, and friends and colleagues committing to coming to court? It’s been an eye-opener.’

Mark is engaged to Laura Norton, who plays Kerry Wyatt in the soap, and Mark revealed that she was left hugely concerned during the last 12 months as the stress began to affect him.

‘Laura would say I was shouting in my sleep, and I had hives, the stress accumulates,’ he revealed.

During his trial, Mark told the jury that the attack was ‘not planned, regretful and in the moment’.

‘It was pure instinct.’ The court heard the row broke out outside the Farrars Arms on 1 July when Ms O’Neill commented: ‘I hope they are using protection’; the jury was told Mrs O’Neill apologised when Jordon confronted her, but Mr Potts responded: ‘I wouldn’t let my daughter act like that in front of me.’

CCTV footage showed him having to be held back from Mr Potts, who threw some punches at him.

The former Heartbeat actor said one of the punches caused his nose to bleed, however, Mr Potts said he did not hit his nose and alleged he had been taking cocaine, which the actor denied.

Mr Potts then claimed that Jordon was dragged back from him as he screamed: ‘I’ll f****** kill you, you old bastard.

He said they left the pub and had walked down the road when a taxi pulled up in front of them and Jordon got out and pushed Mrs O’Neill to the floor.

‘He then came towards me and he was still screaming and shouting and his face was… it was just horrendous, he was growling like a mad dog,’ he added.

Source: metro.co..uk