ITV Emmerdale Rhona stars life off-screen including co-star husband

For over 20 years, Emmerdale fans have watched Rhona Goskirk’s life unfold on screen, after the much-loved vet first set foot in the village all the way back in 2001.

Throughout her time on the show, Rhona’s life has been far from quiet, with a number of gripping storylines having kept us on the edges of our seats over the years, including giving birth to son Leo, who was born with Down’s Syndrome and battling a dangerous painkiller addiction.

Rhona’s love life has also been far from straight forward, with numerous failed romances over the past two decades, including with fellow vet Paddy Goskirk, rapist Pierce Harris, murder victim Graham Foster and even with toy-boy lover Pete Barton.

After such a devastating track record, fans were delighted when it appeared that Rhona had finally found a stable and healthy relationship with Marlon Dingle, however that too could soon be in jeopardy in the coming weeks as she continues to dwell on baby Ivy, who was unlawfully conceived by her ex-husband Gus, using her frozen embryos.

While it’s safe to say Rhona’s life is definitely not short on drama, thankfully, the actress that plays her, Zoë Henry, lives a far more laid back life when the cameras stop rolling.

Here we take a closer look at Zoë’s life off screen, including her enduring marriage with her Emmerdale co-star husband…

Early Life

Zoë Henry first began her life in Essex on 3 September 1973, where she first developed a love for performing at a young age.

After completing her formal education, Zoë decided to pursue acting professionally and went on to study theatre at Manchester Metropolitan University.

It was while here that she picked up her first award, the 'Best Actress in a leading role’ gong for her impressive performance in Pygmalion back in 2002.

Before securing her role on Emmerdale, Zoë’s first acting gigs included roles in the likes of Cold Feet, Grafters, and Dalziel and Pascoe.

Zoë has also notably appeared in TV shows such as The Bill, A Touch of Frost, Doctors, and Casualty. Aside from Emmerdale, she's secured an impressive number of roles in other soaps including Coronation Street where she played the role of Casey Carswell in 2007.

Co-star husband

Away from our screens, Zoë is happily married to her co-star Jeff Hordley, who plays the role of Cain Dingle.

The pair first started dating when they were at drama school together, revealed the star as she previously explained: ”We got together at drama school.

"We've been together 28 years. With the connection on set, we were together for 10 years before that as well. We got together in 1994, I believe."

They tied the knot in 2003 during a quiet and low-key ceremony. The couple went on to welcome two children, a daughter called Violet Ava in 2004 and son Stan who was born in 2008.

Speaking out about what it's like working with her husband, Zoë previously said: "It's important to have a laugh in-between takes so upsetting stories don’t get you down too much.

"Working on the same show as Jeff, who plays Cain Dingle, also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand.”

Country home and animals

Zoë and Jeff’s life off-screen is deeply connected to nature and animals, with the couple’s rural home in the Yorkshire Dales inundated with an extensive collection of family pets.

Among their unconventional brood are 15 cats, eight dogs, and a 'large collection of pigeons’, with their garden also being meticulously well maintained to encourage more wildlife to flourish on their property.

In addition, the couple also maintain an allotment for growing fruits and vegetables, with everything from tomatoes to cauliflower and raspberries having been grown on their small patch of land.

As well as being good for the environment, the hobby also carried with it a mental-health benefit too, something Jeff found particularly useful during the pandemic.

Emmerdale continues weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV and ITVX

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