Emmerdale star addresses upcoming break from soap after 19 years

Emmerdale actor Isabel Hodgins has spoken about her upcoming break from the ITV soap.

The Victoria Sugden actor announced this week that she and husband Adam Whitehead are expecting their first child together, and that the little one is expected to arrive early next year.

Having first joined Emmerdale in 2006, Hodgins' maternity leave marks a rare break for her.

"I will miss it," she told The Mirror. "I love the people there, but I've worked there for 19 years, so I feel like I've done what I've wanted to do and been selfish with my career.

"Now, it's time to devote my life to being a mum, that feels right to me. But there's still FaceTime, so they won't forget me!

The couple tied the knot earlier this year, after announcing their engagement in 2023.

They eventually realised that they were both actually born in the same hospital (which no longer has a maternity ward so their baby can't complete the hat-trick) and went to the same school, but in different years.

"It's a weird story to tell people, the fact that we went to all these places and never knew each other until further down the line," she added. "It's something nice to tell the kids."

ITV

Hodgins isn't the only Emmerdale star to announce some heartwarming pregnancy news this week.

Paula Lane, who played Ella Forster between January 2024 and April of this year, announced that she and her husband Tom Shaw are expecting a child.

"Some special news to share from us. Christmas just got a bit more magical. Our baby boy due December 2025," she wrote in an Instagram post alongside an ultrasound scan and 'Big Brother' and 'Big Sister' cards.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX and YouTube.

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