Emmerdale star James Thornton has filmed his final scenes as farmer John Barton, and he took to Twitter to describe his “emotional” exit from the show.

James, who’s played the role of John since 2009, tweeted, “Just finished my last scene in the Woolpack before I leave! Very emotional.”

He also posted the above picture, which of course shows him behind the bar of the iconic Woolpack.

James – who’s married to Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page – announced that he would be leaving the show last year, and later said that he “won’t be leaving in a taxi!” hinting that his departure storyline will be an exciting one.

His character has of course been through the mill over the last few months, what with trying to save the farm from financial ruin, and his wife Moira (Natalie J Robb) having an affair with bad lad Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley)…

And though the show’s producer has intimated that John and Moira may reunite, if they do, it’s to be a short lived arrangement.

While explaining to the PA why he’s leaving the show, James cited that he wants to be nearer his wife Joanna who lives at their home in London, and because he wanted to leave the character of John “on a high.”

And apropos of characters being on a high, the show’s series producer, Stuart Blackburn, says that the character Chas Dingle – who’s played by Lucy Pargeter – has some big storylines coming up this year.

He told the Daily Star, “Chas is going to be looking around wondering whether life has passed her by.

“But she’s not a woman to sit back and let that happen.”