Isabel Hodgins has played Victoria Sugden – née Barton – on ITV soap Emmerdale since 2006.
The 27-year-old has grown up on screen, debuted her daring new haircut to her adoring fans, gotten married and divorced in Soapland.
Her character Vic was initially played by Jessica Heywood as a baby, before being replaced by Hannah Midgley from 1996 until 2006, when Isabel reprised the role.
But her life is a lot different when the cameras aren’t rolling. From her relationship with her co-star ex Michael Parr to her lookalike siblings, it thankfully looks a lot more drama-free.
With her character Vic currently embroiled in a storyline involving boyfriend Luke’s role in killing his brother Lee – which could potentially get Vic’s brother Robert a lighter prison sentence – it’s all going on in the Dales for Victoria.
But we take a look at her life away from the soap.
Lookalike siblings
Isabel left her 126,000 Instagram fans speechless when she debuted snaps of her doppelgänger brother and sister to her social media account.
Isabel shared one snap of her brother Adam on his 30th birthday, writing alongside the sweet snap of Adam with his two children: “Happy 30th birthday to my big brother Adam!
“Who did big brother things like attempted to teach me how to play the drums, introduced me to Guitar Hero, educated me about bands like Slipknot, Metallica and Orange Goblin – not that it stuck, I’m a pop girl through and through.
“Then when I bought my place did the heavy lifting and ripped up floor boards for me. You will always be the best cook ever! I love you very much.”
(Image: Instagram)
Fans were struck by the resemblance between the two, with one even commenting: “I genuinely thought that was you with a Snapchat filter making you look like a bloke! You are the spit of each other!”
Someone else echoed: “God you are so alike.”
While a third fan posted: “You are the double of each other, minus the beard!”
(Image: isabelhodgins/Instagram)
Isabel’s sister Charlotte is also the spitting image of her, as Isabel demonstrated when it was her sister’s 31st birthday.
“A daughter, a sister, a mother and a wife,” she captioned the sweet snap of the pair with their arms around each other. “Happy birthday Charlotte. Love you.”
“Forgot you had a twin!” one fan joked in the comments section.
Co-star ex
Romance actually bloomed between Isabel and her former Emmerdale co-star Michael Parr, who played Ross Barton in the Dales.
They dated for four years before eventually making the decision to split in 2019.
Things first went public between the loved-up pair in 2015, when they shared a sweet snap of themselves on a holiday abroad, with Michael flashing a cheeky triangle of chest in a navy blue Hawaiian shirt.
Isabel, meanwhile, was rocking a khaki t-shirt and necklace, with her makeup done beautifully and her then-long hair trailing past her shoulders.
However, with Michael’s move to the US to pursue an acting career away from Soapland, the pair reportedly “drifted apart”.
(Image: isabelhodgins/Instagram)
A source told The Sun: “They drifted apart and felt it was better to be mates.
“He has been throwing himself into his social life and has just been on a lads’ hol and she is focusing on work, they’re both young and want to follow their dreams.”
The insider added: “They had a meaningful relationship and they’ll remember the good times.”
Isabel sparked fresh dating rumours last year, when she was spotted out with her on-screen boyfriend Max Parker, who plays Luke on the show.
But it appears they were just rumours, as Max is currently loved up with his own boyfriend Kris Mochrie, who played his on-screen brother Lee.
Strictly dreams
(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Isabel has said in the past that it is her “dream” to compete on Strictly Come Dancing.
She told The Mirror in 2019: “Strictly is the dream. I’d live for the glamour, the sequins, fake tan, everything.”
She’s been part of a dance school since she was just four years old, and had initially planned to appear in the West End.
But it looks as though she fell in love with Soapland, as she told Daily Star in 2015: “I remember my first day like it was last week but, because I’ve grown up here, I can’t imagine my life without Emmerdale.”
Adorable pooch
(Image: isabelhodgins/Instagram)
Her siblings aren’t the only important part of Isabel’s family – she also has an adorable pet pug, Pierres.
On the pup’s 10th birthday, Isabel shared 10 adorable pics of him growing up, including one sweet snap of the duo having a cuddle on the swings.
“Ten pictures for the ten years Pierres has been alive. A whole DECADE!!!!” she wrote.
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“I have never and will never deserve you,” Isabel continued. “And yes it takes a village to raise a child/fur baby so thank you to everyone that’s been part of Pierre Michelangelo’s wonderful existence.
“Happy birthday Peewee, do me a favour and let’s make it another 10.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
