Soap actress announces temporary exit from Emmerdale to focus on motherhood duties
Isabel Hodgins Takes Maternity Leave from Emmerdale
Isabel Hodgins, the beloved actress who plays Victoria Sugden on the popular British soap opera Emmerdale, has announced that she will be taking a break from the show to focus on motherhood. She revealed that she and her husband Adam Whitehead are expecting their first child early next year [1].
After 19 years on Emmerdale, Hodgins is ready to devote her life to being a mum. While she expressed that she will miss the show, there are no specific details about how the show's writers plan to handle her absence or how it will affect Victoria Sugden’s storyline. It is common in soaps for characters to be temporarily written out or given reduced screen time during an actor’s maternity leave, sometimes with off-screen visits or plot devices explaining their absence [1].
Hodgins intends to stay connected, implying a planned return after maternity leave. However, there is no detailed information on the long-term future plans for her character in the show during or after her maternity leave. Given her long tenure and positive remarks about the show, it is reasonable to expect she plans to return after her break.
The actress's wedding took place at Castlefield Rooms in Manchester earlier this year. The guest list included 63 people, many of whom were her co-stars. Hodgins confirmed that she did her own speech at the wedding [1].
Several of Hodgins' co-stars congratulated her on her pregnancy, including Eden Taylor Draper, who was a bridesmaid at Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward's wedding in 2020. Danny Miller, Mark Jordon, Laura Norton, Jeff Hordley, and Zoe Henry were all in attendance at that wedding [1].
In other soap news, Beth Cordingly, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan on Emmerdale, announced her love for her co-star Ian Kelsey in 2024. Meanwhile, Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward were introduced through mutual friends, gave birth to their daughter Willow in December 2016, and got married in 2020. Lesley Dunlop and Chris Chittell, who play Brenda Walker and Eric Pollard on Emmerdale, got married in 2016 and have clear home-work boundaries.
Laura Norton and Mark Jordan, who play Kerry Wyatt and Daz Eden on Emmerdale, met on the set in 2014 and have two children together. Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed got engaged in 2018 and have two children together. Anthony Cotton and Peter Eccleston have been in a relationship since 2005, with Peter working as an assistant props buyer on Corrie. Sally Carman and Joe Duttine, who play Abi Franklin and Tim Metcalfe on Coronation Street, got married in July 2022.
Max and Kris, who play different characters on Emmerdale, fell in love after meeting on set in 2020 and got engaged in 2022. Jane Danson and Robert Beck tied the knot in 2005 and share two children together. Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley, who play Rhonda Goskirk and Cain Dingle on Emmerdale, have been together since meeting at drama college in 1994.
[1] Source: Various online publications and official cast announcements.
Science: As Isabel Hodgins takes a break from Emmerdale to focus on motherhood, she might find resources on health-and-wellness during pregnancy useful.
Entertainment: Fans of Emmerdale and celebrity parenting may follow Isabel Hodgins' social media for updates on her new role as a mother, after she returns from maternity leave.
