Emmerdale viewers will see Ruby’s mum Helen, played by Sharon Maughan, in tonight’s episode (Thursday December 12). She appears in flashback scenes to Ruby’s 16th birthday.
Helen was last seen on screen back in September where she appeared in two episodes. Ruby had not seen her mother in 30 years. However, when Helen was dying she wanted to reconnect with her estranged daughter before it was too late.
Here’s everything we know about Ruby and Helen’s relationship in Emmerdale as well as where you’ve seen Sharon Maughan before.
Sharon Maughan as Helen in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV)
What is Helen’s story?
Ruby’s estrangement from her parents was thought to be due to their disapproval over her relationship with Caleb.
Speaking about the past, William Ash, who plays Caleb explained: “They hated him because he’d come out of a care home, he didn’t have any family and thought he was beneath their daughter. So, Helen was really snobby and judgemental. Helen and Ruby’s dad gave Ruby an ultimatum. They basically said ‘look if you want to be with this boy then we don’t want anything to do with you’. They basically just cut Ruby dead.”
It has since turned out they kicked Ruby out when she fell pregnant at 16. And now her dad Anthony is in town, fans are speculating he abused Ruby and is actually Steph’s real dad.
Back in September, Caleb visited Helen in hospital after she repeatedly called Ruby. Helen was terminally ill, but still able to put up a fight. She eventually agreed to give Caleb £100k if he got Ruby to come to see her. However, unfortunately Ruby never got the chance as her mother died before she reached the hospital.
Ruby had no idea Helen had been in contact, nor that Caleb went to see her. But all of that came out at the will reading, when Ruby realised exactly what her husband had done. It looked like their marriage was over for a while, but Caleb begged and Ruby forgave again. But she will always wonder exactly what her mother had to say to her before she died.
It also turned out Caleb and Ruby’s estranged daughter, Steph, had been in touch with her grandma. Helen left everything to her in her will.
As Tricia in Holby City
What else has Sharon Maughan been in?
The 74-year-old actress definitely has longevity on her side and has been acting since the early 1970s.
Depending on your era, there are various things you could know Sharon from. One of her most famous gigs was as part of the Gold Blend couple alongside Anthony Head in the 1980s.
She has had a steady flow of work and appeared in episodes of many a TV show, including The Enigma Files, Dombey & Son, Inspector Morse, Murder She Wrote, Heartbeat and The Bill.
Her biggest job saw her star in over 100 episodes of hospital soap Holby City, where she played staff nurse Tricia Williams in the early 2000s, who was the mum of popular character Chrissie.
Tricia survived breast cancer, only to be involved in a car crash. Her family had opposing views on what to do, but ultimately they decided to switch off her life support machine.
Sharon Maughan with husband Trevor Eve (Credit: Splash News and Pictures)
Famous family
Her name doesn’t give it away, but Sharon Maughan has a famous husband – she is married to legendary actor Trevor Eve.
Most recently, you’d have seen Trevor in crime drama Unforgotten and spy drama Strike Back, but his most famous role came in Waking the Dead, where he played Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd throughout it’s nine-series run.
Sharon and Trevor married in 1980 and have three children together, one of whom, Alice, has also gone into acting.
In 2010, Trevor, Sharon and Alice all appeared in the film She’s Out of My League playing father, mother and daughter.
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.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
Emmerdale star Mark Charnock has taken on a new role and has shared the personal story behind his directing debut.
Mark, who has played Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale since 1996, appeared on Good Morning Britain today (Tuesday, December 3) to discuss his directorial debut.
The actor has stepped behind the camera to direct a heart-tugging film entitled ‘Life Long Fans.’ The short film accompanies GMB’s 1 Million Minutes initiative, which aims to combat loneliness. The idea is for viewers to pledge their time to charities that tackle the issues of loneliness.
Mark said he was honoured to be asked and revealed that he also has a personal link to the project.
He has played Marlon for nearly 30 years (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale star Mark Charnock’s directing debut
The actor appeared on Good Morning Britain, where he spoke to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls about turning his hand to directing.
The project is in partnership with GMB’s 1 Million Minutes initiative. Mark’s accompanying emotional short features clips of two friends going to watch football together through the years. Once they reach old age, one of the friends passes away, while the other friend is shown at the football looking sad with an empty seat next to him.
That fan is left feeling isolated and lonely and no longer enjoys watching the football without his mate beside him. But the video ends on a hopeful note when the man’s wife arranges for his family to join him in watching the football.
Susanna and Ed described the film as ‘moving,’ while Mark admitted it was an ‘amazing experience.’
Mark Charnock appeared on Good Morning Britain (Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Mark Charnock’s personal link
The Marlon star revealed that when he was asked to come up with the story for the film, he had to rack his brains, but then inspiration came to him.
“Something so close to home, I almost missed it,” he said. He then shared his story, revealing: “I had two uncles, both of whom have passed away now. John and Michael. They were quite close in age and were like twins really. They did everything together and been going and watching Man United since the late 50s and all through the decades…
“Then quite out of the blue, the older brother passed away. And it broke my other uncle in half really. He lost half of himself. You know, he was OK, the years went by until he passed away, but those last 10/15 years he had without him, he was never really the same.”
He added: “Football gets a bad rap, but at its heart it’s a working class sport that brought people together.”
Sophie Powles is best known for playing Holly Barton in Emmerdale from 2009 to her on-screen death in 2016.
Despite her short on-and-off appearances, Sophie was embroiled in some very hard-hitting storylines during her time on Emmerdale.
These ranged from heroin addiction to a huge car crash which ended up killing off her on-screen father, John Barton.
But who is the woman behind the character? And what has Sophie Powles been up to since she left Emmerdale?
Holly Barton left the soap in 2016 (Credit: ITV)
Sophie Powles in Emmerdale
Holly Barton was the daughter of John Barton and Moira Dingle, the sister of Matty Barton, and the half-sister of Adam Barton and Isaac Dingle.
In July 2009, Holly and her family became the new tenants of Butlers Farm as they arrived in the Dales. She got a job at Home Farm, where she met Maisie Wylde. The pair grew close, and Maisie gave Holly drugs while on a night out.
Her dabble in the substance world led to a long storyline of drug abuse, which she got from Roz Fielding.
After a scary overdose, Holly fell into addiction. When Holly refused to stop doing drugs, John disowned her. Holly disappeared and was homeless for sometime, before she reunited with her parents.
Both John and Moira were having affairs, which rocked her world. Later, however, a car crash left her father dead. Blaming herself, Holly then she left for London.
In 2016, she returned to the Dales and fell into another bad episode of heroin addiction. After an uphill battle, Moira found Holly dead in her room after a heroin overdose.
The star had only been back on Emmerdale for six months, but quit suddenly. The death remains one of the most shocking and tragic Emmerdale has ever screened given no press was done before it.
Holly Barton actress Sophie in 2016 (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who is Sophie Powles?
Sophie is a British television actress who has starred over a variety of shows on the silver screen.
She is originally from a seaside town in North East Lincolnshire Cleethorpes. She is most known for her role as Holly Barton, but has branched out of soaps into other areas.
How old is Sophie Powles?
Sophie is currently 36 years old (born September 16 1988). She started acting in 2008, when she was just 15.
Emmerdale is Sophie’s best-known role, but not her only one (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
What else Sophie Powles been in?
Sophie has appeared in a host of other shows. Firstly, she had a role in the unsuccessful ITV drama series Britannia High.
She played Ronnie, and was the only one of the main cast who was not a student at the fictional school of performing arts. The character was created especially for Powles, as all the main cast were already in place.
Just one year later it was announced she’d be starring in Emmerdale as Holly Barton.
She has also guest-starred in dramas such as Holby City and Dalziel and Pascoe.
Post-Emmerdale and most recently, Sophie is currently working on a comedy film called Sober, which is expected to be released in March 2025. It is being written by Matthew Cooper, Tom Gibbons and Dean Smith, who worked across titles such as Hollyoaks and EastEnders.
She is expected to play Daisy and the film centres around a man who goes for a swift pint with his mates the day his first child is born.
The star now frequently models and works on behind-the-scenes projects including producing and directing. She also had a small role in ITV drama series The Long Shadow.
Sophie has two daughters (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Sophie Powles’ relationship and children
Having been off screens for around eight years, Sophie has been enjoying a quiet life with her friends and family.
She is in a relationship with Mark Waters, who is best known for his roles behind the camera. He is a director and producer, known for Mean Girls (2004), 500 Days of Summer (2009) and He’s All That (2021).
Sophie has also been working behind the camera on project with her partner.
While it is not known how long the pair have been together, they often shared pictures of beach holidays on social media.
Earlier this year, she announced the birth of her second child. Her first child was a daughter called Marli Ocean. She gave birth to her second daughter just before Christmas in 2023. They have not released her name to the public.
Sophie is also a keen poet and sells her poetry in the form of art prints online.
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.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
Nicholas Day arrives in Emmerdale this evening playing Ruby’s dad Anthony.
The veteran television actor is playing the newcomer, who arrives in Emmerdale and immediately stirs up trouble!
It’s clear there is a lot of history between Ruby and her father, not least that he and her mum, Helen, who died recently, wanted her to have a termination instead of giving birth to Steph.
So we’re looking forward to finding out more about Anthony and exactly why Ruby hates him so much!
“With so much yet to discover about Ruby, the arrival of her father and daughter will unlock her past and see Ruby and Caleb tested in ways we’ve never seen before,” teased Emmerdale producer, Sophie Roper.
There’s two new faces in town (Credit: ITV)
Who plays Anthony Fox, Ruby’s dad in Emmerdale?
Anthony is played by actor Nicholas Day.
He will be a familiar face to television viewers because he has a long CV with starring roles in many top-rated dramas and comedies.
He’s even been in dictionary corner on Countdown!
Here’s what he’s been up to before he arrived in the Dales.
Nicholas’s acting career
Nicholas starting acting back in the 1970s, with small roles in many television shows including Monty Python’s Ripping Yarns.
In the 1980s, he appeared on spy drama Harry’s Game among many others, before in 1991, he landed the role of DS Morley in Minder.
He starred in many other shows throughout the 90s, including The Bill. Anthony’s new on-screen daughter Beth Cordingly, who plays Ruby, also starred in The Bill. He even played Jack the Ripper in an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart.
Anthony has also been in New Tricks, where he played Donald Bevan, in Rosemary and Thyme, Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, Doctors and Poirot.
And recently he’s played Jim Prior in The Crown.
Not everyone is pleased to see Anthony (Credit: ITV)
Nicholas’s personal life
Nicholas is very private when it comes to his personal life so we don’t know if he is married or if he has children. But we do know that he’s enjoying being part of Emmerdale.
“I’ve been made so welcome in the Emmerdale family,” said Nicholas. “My screen family is great to work with, the scenes just fly. No kidding – I feel blessed.”
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.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Of course, telly icon Denise is best known now for her role as a panellist on Loose Women. But she’s no stranger to soaps, either, having appeared in Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.
Here’s the lowdown on her other soap roles.
Natalie had an affair with Sally’s husband, Kevin (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Natalie Barnes (also known as Natalie Horrocks) in Coronation Street
Coronation Street icon Natalie was the reason fan-fave couple Sally and Kevin split!
She took over son Tony Horrocks’s share of the garage, back in 1997. And she was soon having a steamy affair with Kevin Webster!
When Sally found out, the residents of Weatherfield were firmly on her side. Natalie was very unpopular for a while. But she got a job behind the bar at the Rovers, and began making friends locally.
She also found love with Street bad boy Des Barnes. The pair got married but just four weeks later, Des was killed when he was defending Tony from some drug dealers.
Natalie was devastated, but she picked herself up, and eventually bought the pub and became the latest in a long line of legendary Rovers landladies!
A romance with Vinny Sorrell followed, and everything seemed rosy, until Vinny ran off with Natalie’s sister, Debs Brownlow!
Natalie decided it was time to move on and she left Weatherfield for good. Later viewers discovered she’d had Vinny’s baby.
Alison Slater came to Walford briefly (Credit: BBC)
Alison Slater in EastEnders
Back in 2016, Stacey Slater was shocked to discover that her late dad, Brian, had a whole other family that she, brother Sean, and mum Jean, had been kept in the dark about.
Stacey thought she was being stalked when Kyle came to the Square, but it turned out, he was her half-brother. There was a bit of trouble at first when Stacey didn’t believe Kyle was who he claimed to be.
But when he revealed he was born Sarah Slater and was transgender, the pair smoothed out their differences. Chef Kyle got a job with Ian Beale and settled into Walford.
Denise Welch played Alison Slater – Kyle’s mum. Alison had struggled to accept Kyle’s identity.
Hoping to build bridges, Stacey contacted Alison and invited her to Walford. But despite her efforts, Alison and Kyle couldn’t put their differences aside.
Trish came to Hollyoaks to catch up with daughter Maxine (Credit: Lime Pictures)
Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks
Maxine and Mitzeee’s mum Trish was played by actress Paula Wolfenden for occasional appearances between 2010 and 2012. When she moved to Hollyoaks in 2021, the role was recast and Denise Welch joined the cast.
Dance teacher Trish had a rocky relationship with daughter Maxine. But when Maxine’s estranged dad Dave Chen-Williams arrived, things changed.
Dave’s rejection of Maxine, led to Trish telling him exactly how proud she was of her daughter. Maxine overheard and the pair made up.
Sadly, it was just minutes before Trish left the village to stay with Mitzeee in LA, but it was the perfect ending for the character!
Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road
Denise played modern foreign languages teacher Steph from series one of Waterloo Road until series five. She came back for a guest appearance in series six.
And now it’s been reported that she’s due to make a comeback in the new season of the school-based show.
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.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Beth Cordingly joined Emmerdale as Caleb Milligan’s wife, Ruby, in January and she has certainly made her mark. And as she’s set to be thrust into the spotlight again in the coming weeks with the arrival of her estranged daughter and father, we’re going to see a whole lot more of Ruby Fox-Miligan before the year is out.
Well, she’s a soap stalwart, who’s appeared in other long-running drama faves, and she is even dating a former Emmerdale heartthrob.
Sharp-tongued Ruby has made her mark on the Dales (Credit: ITV/ Composite EI!)
Ruby in Emmerdale
Ruby swept into the village earlier this year described as a “force of nature” by show bosses – and she certainly is that! She is the on/off wife of Caleb and mum to Nicky and Steph Miligan. The latter we have only recently found out about and is due on screen next week.
Her marriage to Caleb is dysfunctional to say the least. They both cheat, lie and betray, but always find their way back to each other in the end. It’s sort of romantic, isn’t it?
Caleb’s most recent betrayal was not telling Ruby he had seen her mum before she died. Nor that he blackmailed her for £100k. Ruby seems to have forgiven him after he organised a holiday for her to visit son Nicky.
But when she returns she will come face to face with Steph, who she hasn’t seen in years. There’s definitely beef between mother and daughter and Steph wants nothing to do with Ruby. It all comes to a head with a slap in the face and then Ruby’s dad, Anthony, turns up as well. He disowned Ruby when she chose to marry Caleb.
But he seems to have changed and wants to reconcile. Will Ruby forgive him? And can she get her daughter back on side?
Beth Cordingly as Ruby Fox-Miligan in Emmerdale
Ruby is played by Beth Cordingly. She is from Brighton and is 47 years old.
PC Kerry Young in The Bill met a tragic fate (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Where do you recognise Beth Cordingly from?
Beth’s big break came in Channel 5 soap Family Affairs. She played Sara Warrington, a lapdancer who blew her wages on her cocaine habit. She left the soap after a year to move into theatre.
Then in 2002 she came back to TV screens to play PC Kerry Young in The Bill. Prior to playing Ruby it is probably her best-known TV role. She stayed until 2004 when Kerry was raped by evil PC Gabriel Kent. He was then revealed as the Sun Hill sniper. Gabriel shot Kerry and she died – but he was devastated to learn she was pregnant with his baby after the attack.
Beth has appeared in all sorts of other TV hits though, including Casualty, Doctors, and Merlin. She also played Shirley Carter’s prison cellmate in EastEnders, and she’s an experienced theatre actress.
Ian is an Emmerdale alumni (Credit: ITV)
Beth Cordingly and Emmerdale star Ian Kelsey
Beth is in a relationship with former Emmerdale star Ian Kelsey, who played Kim Tate’s lover Dave Glover. He also played Vinny Ashford in Coronation Street, a dodgy business associate of Pat Phelan, who ended up one of the serial killer’s victims.
The couple have been together for three years. Last Christmas they shared a motorcycling adventure around Normandy and documented their travels in a video on YouTube.
Beth and Ian first met 20 years ago, but both married other people and lost touch. When they reconnected in 2021, they got together and have been loved-up ever since.
“I am very in love with Ian and very happy,” Beth told The Mirror earlier this year. “I think it really does work him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic.”
When Beth was offered the part of Ruby in Emmerdale, she asked Ian for advice. And, he was all for it.
“Ian was really supportive and wanted me to do it, which is lovely,” she confessed.
Beth lives in the south of the country and has one daughter, who she describes as her “best little person”. Beth is commuting to Leeds for the part of Ruby. She regularly shares her travel on Instagram as the trains have been a bit of a nightmare for her!
However, she revealed Ian completely understands the struggle.
“There is that thing as an actor where you are always taken away from home. But he totally gets it,” Beth said. “He knows a lot of the crew and cast and so it’s lovely to be able to share what I’ve been up to, knowing he understands. That’s important when you are away and he is always keen to find out how filming has gone each day.
“We are both very supportive of each other’s careers which is important when it is such a competitive industry,” she added.
Actress Beth has many strings to her bow (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Beth’s charity work
As an ambassador for ChildLine, Beth is committed to raising awareness and funds on their behalf. She ran the London Marathon in 2004 for the charity.
In 2009, she was given an award at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for her outstanding contributions to the NSPCC.
She’s a writer too!
Beth has added another string to her bow by being a published author. She has a creative writing MA from Birkbeck, University of London.
In 2009 she wrote a short story which was published in an anthology of short stories called Dancing with Mr Darcy. She has also won other short story competitions.
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.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
In Emmerdale spoilers were told that Steph is due to make a shock appearance, which will have tough repercussions for the Miligan family. But, who is actress Georgia Jay? Where have you seen her before?
Ruby’s family are coming to stay (Credit: ITV/EI)
Who is Georgia Jay?
Georgia Jay is no stranger to the silver screen, as she has made plenty of appearances on several UK shows.
Also known as Georgina Philipp, the star has a pretty low-key life off screen as shown on her social media. She has around 270 followers and frequently shares photos of her modelling around London.
The star is thought to be in her early 20s and her biggest feature so far was for the BBC.
Who will Georgia Jay play on Emmerdale?
ITV have revealed her new character Steph Miligan will inherit both the best (and worst) traits of her parents, including their desire to win over anything else…
Commenting on her joining, Georgia said: “I am thrilled to be joining the cast of Emmerdale. The cast and crew have all been so welcoming and I’m very excited to see what lies ahead for Steph, given her intriguing backstory.”
Emmerdale producer Sophie Roper said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Nicholas and Georgia to Emmerdale as part of the Miligan family. With so much yet to discover about Ruby, the arrival of her father and daughter will unlock her past and see Ruby and Caleb tested in ways we’ve never seen before.
“With two actors of such great calibre, they’re certainly set to make their mark on the Dales.”
We wonder how Ruby will react to the shock arrival, especially so soon after her mother’s death? Will she be welcomed with open arms? Or will Steph reject her parents, who she hasn’t seen for a decade?
Ruby is sure to be shocked by the arrival of her daughter (Credit: ITV)
What else has Georgia Jay been in?
Georgia currently has three accredited jobs on IMDB, mainly in television.
She is perhaps most known for her role as Dianne Vickers in BBC’s Giri/Haji.
The actress also appeared in Glow & Darkness (2021) and The Devil Sits on Both Shoulders (2018).
Glow & Darkness was a 2021 television historical drama which saw Georgia appear in 7 episodes. She acted alongside legend Joan Collins.
While new to Soapland, Georgia is sure to hit the ground running with a complicated family storyline. What more could you ask for in Emmerdale?
Georgia Jay’s real-life away from Emmerdale
Little is known about Georgia’s life away from Emmerdale, but the British actress is no stranger to sharing photos with her friends.
She shared a few backstage shots back in 2020 during her time working on BBC’s Giri/Haji. Sharing a screenshot of herself wearing a red dress in the show, Georgia penned: “Don’t mess with the one in Red.”
Another time she uploaded a snap in an old fashioned dress and pinned up hair. Hopefully, the star will start sharing some pics from the Dales rather soon…
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Emmerdale Michael Parr made his shock comeback to the famous village tonight (October 28) as Ross Barton
Michael Parr first joined the soap in 2013, playing Ross – and he quickly became a hit with fans. In 2018 though, Michael said his goodbyes. However, this week Ross was back on screens after five years away.
But which Emmerdale co-star did Michael date? What was his ‘normal’ job before TV fame? And what was the real reason he left the ITV soap in the first place? Keep on reading to find out…
Ross is back in the Dales (Credit: ITV)
Who is Michael Parr
Michael Parr is best known for playing Ross Barton on Emmerdale. As well as his Emmerdale stint, Michael has starred in the likes of Hollyoaks and Casualty.
Michael was born in Saint Helens in Merseyside – but he has a dual nationality as his mum’s side of the family hails from the USA. Back in 2015 he appeared on Lorraine and spoke talk about his family history. He shared: “My grandad fought in Vietnam and came to the UK where he met my nan.
“They moved back to America and because he was in the airforce they moved around a lot and my mum was born in Oregon. I still have an uncle living in New York who I try to visit every summer.”
He was involved in several big storylines (Credit: ITV)
Michael Parrr on Emmerdale
Michael became a firm favourite with Emmerdale viewers over the years as Ross, after joining in 2013.
Ross is the son of James and Emma Barton. He is the brother of Pete and Finn, and half-brother of Adam Barton. Ross is father to Moses Dingle, who he shares with Charity Dingle.
Ross left the Dales in 2018 to start a new life with Rebecca White in Liverpool following a horrific acid attack. And it’s fair to say the actor’s exit left fans gutted.
Michael said on his X account at the time: “Yes I’ll be leaving the soap soon. Have had the best few years at Emmerdale but it’s time to move on and explore other avenues.”
In an interview with Digital Spy in 2018, Kate Brooks addressed Michael’s decision. She said: “Michael Parr will leave Emmerdale later this year at the end of his current contract. His decision to pursue other acting opportunities has given the writing team the opportunity to create an intriguing storyline for his exit.”
Michael has an American family (Credit: ITV)
Michael Parr’s job before acting fame
Prior to becoming an actor, Michael worked as teaching assistant in a school for teenagers with learning difficulties.
Michael spoke about his past job in 2015. revealing he “learned a lot” from it. He told Digital Spy: “Playing Ross is a walk in the park compared to that job.
“Working with kids with special needs required a lot of patience. Every day is new to those guys, but I learned a lot from them.”
What is Michael Parr doing now
Following his Emmerdale exit, Michael went on to star in a 2020 episode of Bulletproof, as well as the 2021 movie Evan Wood. He also played Paul Hughes in the ITV drama The Long Shadow.
In 2018, he revealed his huge career change and plans to land acting roles stateside.
He told the St Helens Star: “My mum’s family are from Brooklyn and I have two passports, so I thought now is the right time to give it a go. I will be heading to LA but I’ll be spending time between there and New York.”
Michael also set the record straight about his exit and said: “The nature of the beast is that I don’t know what’s coming, but I’m excited to see what could happen.
“I would like to do more character acting like Gary Oldman who completely transforms into the people he is cast as.”
Michael Parr’s jaw-dropping transformation
In 2022, Michael revealed his incredible fitness transformation which he achieved after “quitting the gym”.
As seen in Express, the actor shared a before and after snap to Instagram and revealed he managed to achieve it after “quitting the gym” and now feels “stronger than ever”.
He said at one point in the caption: “I quit the gym and now have just been working out with dumbbells at home and I feel better and stronger than ever. Good diet. Fasting. Cold showers and just everything in moderation.”
He made his soap comeback this week (Credit: ITV)
Michael Parr returning to Emmerdale
In September, it was confirmed that Michael was heading back to Emmerdale to reprise his role as Ross. And this week, the soap hunk made his comeback to the ITV soap.
Ross’s return has tied in with Billy Fletcher’s new storyline about illegal fighting. During Monday’s episode (October 28), released early on ITVX, Ross was revealed as Billy’s opponent in a fight.
Victoria actress Isabel and Michael previously dated (Credit: ITV)
Michael Parr ‘secret’ romance with Isabel Hodgins
Michael found love on Emmerdale as he ended up dating his on-screen sister-in-law Isabel Hodgins, who plays Victoria Sugden.
The pair kept their relationship a secret but went Instagram official for the first time in 2015 on a romantic trip to Paris. However, as Hello reports, a year later, he was quizzed on his ‘secret’ girlfriend and if she would miss him, following his soap exit.
“Maybe. But I’m not saying who she is. It’s no one else’s business. Social media for relationships can be detrimental.
“We’re happy so we don’t need to show off. But if we were to break up it would only be worse when the papers get hold of it,” he told The Mirror.
However, later in the interview, Michael slipped up when answering another question. He was quizzed about his diet and he said: “I keep it controlled. But I had two Pop-Tarts for my breakfast. Izzy bought me some.” He then added: “Oops. I mean, my good friend Isabel.”
Michael and Isobel split
In 2019, Michael and Isabel split after three years of dating. A source at the time told The Sun: “They drifted apart and felt it was better to be mates.
“He has been throwing himself into his social life and has just been on a lads’ hol and she is focusing on work, they’re both young and want to follow their dreams.”
Michael is now in a relationship with Isabelle Du Plessis. The couple went public in a sweet Instagram post from July this year of the pair posing during a holiday to Santorini.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think!
There must be something in the water at Emmerdale, given the number of real-life couples that the soap has produced. Love has blossomed between several of the soap’s co-stars over the years.
Although some have just been short-term relationships, others have developed into marriage and babies!
Here’s a look at 10 couples whose eyes first met across the famous village…
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop have been married for eight years (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale couples: Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Who knew Eric and Brenda were a real-life couple? Chris Chittell is Emmerdale’s longest-serving actor, and has been entertaining audiences with his portrayal of scheming Eric Pollard since 1986. Lesley Dunlop joined the soap in 2008 as Brenda Walker, and it wasn’t long before she and Chris became an item.
The couple, who both have two children each from their previous marriages, got hitched in June 2016. Their wedding took place at St Peter’s Church in the coastal village of Coverack in Cornwall.
Despite living and working together, Lesley and Chris have a policy not to talk about Emmerdale once they get home. But that might have been broken a few times over the years seeing as their characters have had an on/off romance.
We think they make such a gorgeous pair.
Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley are childhood sweethearts (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
Jeff Hordley is known to millions as Emmerdale bad boy Cain Dingle, who’s bedded just about every woman in the village. But there’s only one woman for Jeff – his co-star, Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona Goskirk.
This handsome couple go way back. They first met in 1994 when they were students at drama school. Jeff proposed after Zoe won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Manchester Evening News’ theatre awards. They got married in 2003.
Two years later, Zoe and Jeff welcomed their daughter, Violet, who was followed by son Stan in 2008. The family live in Yorkshire and are keen gardeners, who grow their own produce at their allotment.
Zoe and Jeff have been a couple for 30 years and have spent the last 14 of them both working at Emmerdale. However, don’t expect to see a Rhona/Cain storyline any time soon because they rarely have scenes together.
Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden announced their split in 2023 (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden
Despite the fact they’re no longer together, Charley and Matthew are still Emmerdale’s most well-known real-life pairing.
Their love story started back in 2007, a year after Matthew joined the soap as David Metcalfe. Charley was already established in her role as Debbie Dingle.
In September 2009 the couple announced they were expecting their first baby, and welcomed son Buster the following spring. Charley and David went on to have two more sons – Bowie, in December 2015, and Ace came along in July 2019.
The couple gave their friends and family an unforgettable surprise in 2018 when they invited them to Charley’s 30th birthday, which turned out to be a secret wedding. Lucy Pargeter, who plays Charley’s on-screen aunt, Chas Dingle, acted as their bridesmaid.
Sadly after five years of marriage Matthew and Charley announced their separation in 2023. In a joint statement on Instagram they said:
“It is with love and respect that we have decided to separate. We remain friends and our priority is the love for our children.”
Chelsea Halfpenny and James Baxter are proud parents to a daughter (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
She was the first actress to play Amy Wyatt, between 2010-2013 before Natalie Ann Jamieson took over the role. While James played the character of Jake Doland from 2007 to 2009.
The couple went Instagram official back in October 2018 and shared some adorable shots with their pet dog.
An engagement announcement followed on June 13, 2021, and in 2023 Chelsea and James revealed they were expecting their first baby. Their little daughter arrived last June.
Emmerdale real-life couples: Natalie J Robb and Johnny McPherson
Natalie and Johnny, who play Moira Dingle and Dr Liam Cavanagh respectively, enjoyed a whirlwind romance.
They went from colleagues to lovers after spending time together doing a charity trip to Lapland in December 2019. Just three months later the world was plunged into lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. Natalie and Johnny decided to fast forward their relationship by moving in together.
The couple managed to keep their love under wraps until June 2020 when they appeared on a Zoom chat together.
Johnny and Natalie stayed together for a year before deciding they were better off as friends. The exes have appeared in Emmerdale scenes together since their split, but have both said there’s no awkwardness there.
Dominic Brunt and wife Joanne Mitchell are both in the business (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale real-life couples: Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell
Paddy’s love life has been chaotic to say the least, but thankfully that’s not the case for his alter-ego, Dominic Brunt. The popular Emmerdale star is happily loved up with wife, Joanne Mitchell – who also happens to be an actor.
Dominic has portrayed village vet Paddy since 1997, but Joanne has played no fewer than four different Emmerdale characters.
Her first role was as DS Karen Barnborough, who investigated Zoe Tate’s rape allegation against Scott Windsor in 2003. Three years on, Joanne played Midwife Yeo and this was followed up by two stints as CAFCASS officer, Susan Davies.
But fans will probably remember her best as Liv’s mum, Sandra Flaherty, who she played intermittently from 2016 to 2022.
Dominic and Joanne met when they were both students at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. They married in 2003 and are parents to their sons, Mickey-Joe and Danny Lee.
It was love at first sight for Fiona Wade and her former co-star Simon Cotton (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Fiona Wade and Simon Cotton
People often meet their other-halves at work, and that’s what happened for Fiona Wade.
The actress, who is best known for playing Priya Sharma between 2011 and 2023 met her husband, Simon Cotton on the set of Emmerdale. Simon had a short stint as Home Farm Estate client Hugh Bryant in August 2017 and says it was love at first sight.
The couple got engaged at the end of 2018 and married in December 2019. Fiona and Simon exchanged vows in a Bahá’à Faith ceremony at Euridge Manor and Orangery, surrounded by their family and several Emmerdale co-stars.
Since leaving Emmerdale, Fiona has gone on the road in a touring production of 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Emmerdale real-life couples: Max Parker and Kris Mochrie
Max Parker and Kris Mochrie were another couple who fell in love on the set of the ITV soap.
On-screen, the actors played brothers Luke (Parker) and Lee Posner (Mochrie). The day they first met was actually Kris’s last filming on the set of Emmerdale. Max was instantly attracted to his co-star, and decided to slide into Kris DMs after spotting his profile on Tinder.
They got together in July 2020, and were engaged by January 2022 after Max popped the question.
Mark Jordon and Laura Norton have been a couple since 2015 (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Laura Norton and Mark Jordon
Laura is best known for playing Emmerdale motormouth Kerry Wyatt, while Mark played Daz Spencer. Some viewers may also remember him for his iconic role of PC Mark Bellamy in the ITV teatime drama, Heartbeat.
They’ve been together since 2015, and met on the set of Emmerdale.
Laura and Mark are parents to three-year-old son Jesse, and daughter Ronnie, two, both of whom have been diagnosed with Usher Syndrome. The rare genetic condition affects hearing and vision and can lead to blindness.
The couple are united in their mission to help find a cure for the disease, and are working hard to raise both awareness and funds.
The Emmerdale couple are married with two children (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Emmerdale real-life couples: Michelle Hardwick and Kate Brooks
Love isn’t just amongst the actors on Emmerdale. Michelle Hardwick, who plays vet Vanessa Woodfield, is married to Coronation Street producer Kate Brooks.
The couple first met when Michelle was working as a producer on Emmerdale, and went public with their romance on National Coming Out Day in September 2017.
The following year, Michelle popped the question to Kate. They had an intimate wedding at Elvis Presley’s iconic Graceland home in Memphis, followed by a big party back home for their family and friends.
They are now parents to son, Teddy, who Michelle gave birth to in October 2020. And they completed their family with the arrival of daughter Betty in November 2022.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
Tina Dingle is back in Emmerdale after decades away, but the role has been recast. Tina is now played by Ackley Bridge and Brassic star Samantha Power.
Tina’s not been seen in the village since Christmas Day in 1996, when she left for the bright lights of London! Back then she was played by Jacqueline Pirie, who went on to star in Coronation Street as Linda Sykes.
Jacqueline waved goodbye to her soap career in 2001, and she’s now enjoying a whole new life on the other side of the world.
Here’s the lowdown on her life before and after Emmerdale.
Jacqueline Pirie’s early life
Jacqueline was born in Stirling in Scotland and moved to Birmingham with her family when she was five.
She had a few roles on television, until in 1994, when she was just 19, she landed the role of Tina Dingle in Emmerdale.
Her time in Emmerdale was short, but memorable (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who was Tina Dingle in Emmerdale?
Tina was the daughter of Zak and Nellie Dingle, making her the sister of Sam Dingle, and the late Ben and Butch Dingle. She’s also Cain and Belle’s half-sister, though as far as we know she’s never met Belle – and she’s hardly ever mentioned on screen.
She was best friends with her cousin, Mandy Dingle, whose first appearance in Emmerdale was at Tina’s doomed wedding to Luke McAllister.
Tina and Luke McAllister
Speaking of which!
Tina’s family were horrified when she seemed to hit it off with Luke McAllister, because they believed he was the man responsible for her brother Ben’s death in a fight.
Ben had a heart condition that killed him when Luke and he fought, but the Dingles always blamed Luke.
Much to the disgust of the Dingles, Tina grew close to Luke and the pair started a relationship.
Tina fooled everyone – especially fiance Luke (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Wedding disaster
Tina announced she was pregnant and with the news of a baby, the family began to come round -Â Nellie was especially excited that her daughter was going to be married to a doctor.
But when Tina and Luke got to the altar on their wedding day, Tina announced the whole thing was a fake. She didn’t want to marry Luke, and there was no baby. It had all been a complicated revenge plan. Ouch!
Humiliated Luke decided to leave, but not before he took Tina on a terrifying drive round the village in Dave Glover’s van. Tina managed to throw herself from the moving van just before Luke crashed, and died.
Businesswoman Tina
Stricken with guilt after Luke’s death, Tina reinvented herself as a businesswoman, working for Frank Tate and starting a romance with Steve Marchant.
But Frank began to have feelings for Tina and proposed. She turned him down, but Frank wouldn’t take no for an answer and harassed her. Fed up with the unwanted attention, Tina left Emmerdale to live in London.
Linda was marrying Mike but having an affair with his son, Mark (Credit: Photo by Kevin Holt/Daily Mail/Shutterstock)
Who was Linda Sykes in Coronation Street?
In 1998, Jacqueline joined Coronation Street as machinist Linda Sykes.
She became one of Corrie’s most iconic characters, thanks to her romance and later marriage to factory boss and much older man, Mike Baldwin.
But Linda also fell for Mike’s son, Mark Redman, and they started an affair. As the wedding day approached, Linda chose Mike and ended things with Mark. But her lovestruck ex refused to give up. On the big day, he proposed to Linda as Mike waited in the church – and Linda said no.
After the ceremony, Mark revealed the truth to his shocked dad. But to his dismay, Mike threw Mark out and decided to make a go of it with Linda.
What happened next?
Mike and Linda’s marriage wasn’t great – no surprise there! Mike was looking after his ex-wife Alma, who’d been diagnosed with cancer, and Linda had another affair.
When Linda rowed with Alma shortly before her death, Mike said he’d never forgive her and asked for a divorce.
Linda didn’t want to go, though, until Mike set her up by arranging for Mark to come back to the Street and then walking in on the cheating pair.
Actress Jacqueline Pirie (pictured in 2000) has a completely new life now (Credit: Shutterstock)
Jacqueline’s new life!
After Jacqueline left Corrie, her life changed completely. She married fellow actor Simon Chadwick and settled down.
After deciding she didn’t enjoy the fame that came with life as a soap star she turned her hand to other ventures.
She began teaching, opening a drama school in her hometown of Stirling.
Then the couple and their family relocated to Canada, where she set up another branch of her acting school – the Jacqueline Chadwick Academy.
And she also proved she had more than one string to her bow when she wrote a series of crime novels. In The Still, Briefly Maiden and Silent Sisters feature criminal psychologist Ali Dalglish.
The mum of two recently turned 50 and according to her Twitter bio lists herself as ‘joyfully single’. She also states she is a woodworker and links to a craft website called Elizabeth Adam. The website states every item is handmade by her and the collection includes chairs, stools, chopping boards and risers.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
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