Inside Emmerdale Isabel Hodgins' private life – co-star split after 'secret soap fling'

Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins has played the role of troubled farmer’s daughter Victoria Sugden since she was 12 years old.

The popular character has been involved in several hard-hitting storylines in the programme.

Taking on the role from previous actresses Jessica Heywood and Hannah Midgley in 2006, the actress has certainly left her mark as the adult version of Victoria on the show.

During the casting process, Isabel almost missed out on playing the part of Victoria as producers were looking for someone a lot older at the time.

Now aged 28, Isabel has grown up on the soap and has also shared an off-screen romance with co-star Michael Parr.

As Victoria finds herself in danger at the hands of killer Meena Jutla, Daily Star has taken a deeper look into her life away from the cameras and her past romances.

Life before Emmerdale

Although she was bitten by the acting bug at a very young age, Isabel almost decided to give up on her acting career at the age 11 after she suffered from severe homesickness at a theatre school located in London.

Speaking to The Mirror in 2019, the Emmerdale resident discussed her previous woes.

She explained: “I struggled, I was so homesick so I was going to leave at the end of the year.

“Then I got the ­audition for Emmerdale and every northern girl in my year went for it and I got it. It was perfect.”

The legend also believes that it was fate when she was offered the part of Victoria Sugden in the Dales.

Off-screen romance

While working on the popular evening soap, Isabel had shared an off screen romance with co-star Michael Parr.

The actor first joined the soap in 2013 playing the role of Ross Barton which led the pair to get rather close with one another in real life.

Initially, the couple decided to keep their relationship private and away from media attention for two years.

In 2016, the the stars shared an on-screen kiss during an episode when Ross tried his luck with Victoria. But despite his best efforts, he ended up with a slap on the face.

In the soap, Michael’s character Ross was the half-brother of Adam Barton, who was also married to Isabel’s character Victoria.

Later on, the couple decided to announce that they were officially an item in 2016 and shared pictures from the same location during a trip to Paris.

Rumours of a fling

Although things were going well for the happy couple at first, they later took a turn for the worst when cheating rumours emerged.

Tongues started wagging when reports claimed Isabel had a fling with her other co-star Danny Miller.

During the time the supposed fling took place, The Sun reported that ITV declined to give comment on the matter.

Neither of the three parties involved addressed the claims directly.

Although it had been reported that cheating had previously taken place, Isabel and Michael stayed together until 2019.

However, in 2019 Michael left the UK and headed to America to pursue new opportunities and the couple split.

A source told The Sun at the time: “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’ holiday and she is focusing on work, they’re both young and want to follow their dreams.”

Hobbies

The Emmerdale resident spoke frankly to Daily Star in 2015 about her hobbies and pursuits away from the camera.

At time, the star was involved in a dance group which she’s been participating in since she was four years old.

Speaking openly on this, she said: “I am into going to the gym and I’m part of a dance school that I’ve been going to since I was four.

“I only get to go once a week but I go straight back to Manchester and we put on shows every other year.

“We have all grown up together and we’re all really good friends, so it is nice to be part of that and have that going on outside of work.”

She also expressed that even though she is not as good as she used to be, she would love to go on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

“Oh, don’t! I would love to appear on Strictly! It would make my life!” she exclaimed.

Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV at 7pm

For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk