ITV Emmerdale viewers stunned as soap legend FINALLY returns amid harrowing kidnapping horror
MARLON Dingle and Mary Goskirk have been desperate to find Rhona after she kidnapped baby Ivy and left the Dales.
Tonight, the Emmerdale vet was seen ready to go on the run with the tot and they were joined by another soap icon.
Rhona Goskirk (portrayed by Zoë Henry) has been struggling to cope with the knowledge she may never see baby Ivy again.
In recent weeks, the fan favourite character bonded with Ivy, unable to deny the pull she felt towards her.
When former husband Gus Malcolms (Alan McKenna) was in need following the tragic death of his wife Lucy, Rhona stepped up to help him – but this only made it harder for her to let go.
Gus eventually regained his strength and made the decision to leave with Ivy for a fresh start in France.
But before he could, he allowed Rhona to spend a few last moments with Ivy and she made a run for it during last night’s (Thursday, February 8, 2024) episode of the long-running soap.
Tonight, her mother Mary and husband Marlon Dingle (respectively played by Louise Jameson and Mark Charnock) went above and beyond to find the pair.
Their time ran out when Gus showed up, demanding Ivy back in time to catch a ferry that would drop them off on the other side of the Channel.
Meanwhile, Rhona was seen in a nearby cottage alone with Ivy and she was clearly over the moon to be in her presence.
The episode ended with Rhona packing her belongings as she heard a firm series of knocks at her door.
In the same moment, Marlon was arguing with Gus outside another cottage as the latter was gearing up to call the police to report the kidnapping.
However, Rhona opened the door to a huge surprise for soap watchers as Vanessa Woodfield was standing on the front doorstep with her son Johnny who has clearly had a growth spurt.
Viewers were left with their jaws dropped and swarmed over to social media, happy to see the vet finally find her mark in the eponymous village again.
One fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Omg Vanessa!!”
Another added: “Oh my god VANEESSSAAAA!!!!”
And a third said: “OMG! Vanessa is back!! Just in time to save Charity?!?!”
Actress Michelle Hardwick was last seen in the role of Vanessa Woodfield in late 2022.
As regular viewers of the Yorkshire-based program will recall, Vanessa left the Dales for a job opportunity in Canada, breaking off her relationship with wedding planner Suzy Merton (Martelle Edinborough).
This left enough time for Michelle Hardwick to make the most of her maternity leave.
The 47-year-old, who has been portraying Vanessa since December, 2012, is married to Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks.
Kate and Michelle tied the knot during a ceremony at Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee on September 10, 2019.
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More than a year later, Michelle left Emmerdale for her maternity leave a first time, giving birth to their son, Teddy, on October 9, 2020.
She and Kate Brooks announced her second pregnancy on Instagram in July, 2022.
Michelle gave birth to her daughter in November of that same year, and shared the happy news with her 128k followers on Instagram.
The soap star posted a photo of her baby girl shortly after her birth, captioning: “Introducing Betty Brooks to the world!”
“Betty made a cheeky early appearance on Tuesday 15th November weighing 5lb 10ozs. We all love you so much our beautiful Betty B.”
With Vanessa back in the village, many viewers are hoping to see her rekindle her romance with Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins), particularly as Suzy is due for her own love story with Mary Goskirk.
But will it play out as fans are hoping?
Emmerdale airs weeknights from 7.30pm on ITV.
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