ITV Emmerdale’s Michelle Hardwick breaks silence on Vanessa return and teases love triangle storyline

Emmerdale fans were in for a shock on Friday night as Vanessa Woodfield made a surprise return to the ITV soap.

The fan favourite returned in huge scenes as Rhona Goskirk arrived at a cottage desperate for her best friend’s help with baby Ivy. Rhona has been struggling after her ex-husband Gus used the embryos they had frozen in the past to have a baby with his wife Lucy. However, Lucy sadly died and Gus has been struggling since.

Gus has made a decision to move to France for a new start with baby Ivy, but Rhona has been left horrified by it all and is doing all she can to keep her daughter Ivy with her, despite not having any legal rights over the baby. On Friday’s episode, it showed Rhona hiding in a cottage as her family back in the village worried about her whereabouts.

Emmerdale fans were in for a shock on Friday night as Vanessa Woodfield made a surprise return to the ITV soap ( 

Image:

ITV)

As Rhona got settled in, there was a knock at the door to which Vanessa and her son, Johnny, appeared at the door after flying over from Canada to help her. Vanessa was understandably left both concerned and confused to see Rhona with a baby as the episode ended.

Talking about her return, Vanessa actress Michelle Hardwick, who was last seen on the ITV soap back in 2022 and has been on maternity leave, said: “It is absolutely fabulous. I’ve not realised how much I’ve actually missed the place”, adding: “I’m loving it and it actually feels like I’ve never been away, even though it’s 14 months. I was worried about not being able to learn lines but luckily they have gone back in.”

Soap fans will recall that prior to Vanessa’s exit, she had a blossoming on-off romance with Suzy Merton. However, in Vanessa’s absence, a connection has been teased between Suzy and Rhona’s mum Mary Goskirk. Talking about Vanessa and Suzy, as well as a potential love triangle with Mary, actress Michelle said: “Vanessa’s back now and where we left it, relationship wise, we left it on a on a very positive note with Suzy.

Soap fans will recall that prior to Vanessa’s exit, she had a blossoming on-off romance with Suzy Merton

“Even though they weren’t together, they left and had a little kiss, it was all very lovely. Obviously, Vanessa’s coming back to the village and Vanessa is totally unaware of maybe a potential relationship between Suzy and Mary, who Vanessa sees as a mother figure.

“Vanessa is totally oblivious to this. I think Vanessa’s going to try and maybe get her relationship back on track with Suzy, whether Suzy wants to or not, you know, we’ll just have to wait and see.”