In tonight’s episode of Emmerdale, viewers bid a shell-shocked goodbye to Suzy Merton as actress Martelle Edinborough was killed off during the soap’s opening scenes. Smashing her head as one of the two limousines crashed into an icy lake, Suzy’s was the first life to be claimed by the Valentine’s Day disaster.
With Liam and Vanessa confirming her death moments later, it’s clear that Suzy’s time on the soap is done. But how much do we know about actress Martelle Edinborough, who plays Suzy?
Here’s all you need to know about the departing Emmerdale star, from past roles to inside her private life.
How long has Martelle Edinborough played Suzy on Emmerdale?
Martelle joined the soap in 2022, when producers cast her as newcomer Suzy Merton. Introduced as a new love interest for Vanessa Woodfield, Suzy initially clashed with the village vet after she almost ran her over.
The pair settled their differences long enough for a date – cementing their chemistry. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but they twice reconciled and have become one of the soap’s strongest couples.
What else has Martelle Edinborough been in?
Martelle appeared in a 8 episodes of Coronation Street, in smaller roles. She also appeared in three episodes of Hollyoaks and the popular TV shows Doctors and Cold Feet. Prior to taking the role of Suzy, she also appeared in a 2018 episode of Emmerdale as a nurse.
In 2023, she appeared in the British horror film Evie… directed by her Emmerdale co-star Dominic Brunt (and which also featured his real-life wife, Joanne Mitchell).
How old is Martelle and where is she from?
Born on September 27 1978, Martelle is 46 years old. Celebrating her birthday in 2023, Martelle left fans shocked when she revealed her true age in an Instagram post at the time – sharing a grinning selfie with the caption: “45 And still I Rise!!”
By contrast, her character Suzy is eight years younger, being born in-universe on September 29, 1986. Born in Yorkshire, local woman Martelle was only a stone’s throw away from the studio when she began filming in 2022.
“I was absolutely over the moon and overjoyed. What actor from Yorkshire doesn’t want to work on Emmerdale?” she told The Express.
She continued: “I think it’s one of those dream jobs. I am from Yorkshire and I live in Leeds and it’s just on my doorstep, it’s perfect!”
Health issues and near-death experience
Earlier this month, Martelle marked the 4-year milestone of surviving a near-fatal hemorrhage. Writing on Instagram, she explained: “Happy Life Day to Meee! 2/2/2020.
“Today marks 4 years since I suffered & survived a subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm 🧠The survival rates of a ruptured aneurysm are pretty bleak & so every year I celebrate just how blessed & lucky I am to still be here.”
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A subarachnoid hemorrhage is described by the NHS as a life-threatening kind of stroke which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain occurs. Doctors subsequently diagnosed her with rare vascular disease – the root cause of the hemorrhage – and she underwent surgery to prevent it from happening again.
Why did Suzy leave Emmerdale?
With Suzy’s death coming as something of a shock (although your mileage may vary if you had her marked to die tonight), neither Martelle nor the soap have revealed why she’s left the soap.
Whether she chose to leave or Suzy was killed off remains to be seen. For now, she’ll have to be content with making Emmerdale history as an integral part of one of the soap’s most chilling episodes of all time.
Read more: Caleb to drown Cain in frozen lake amid limo crash? New fan theory prediction!
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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