Isabel Hodgins, known for playing Victoria Sugden on Emmerdale for two decades, has confirmed she will return to the ITV soap later this year. The actress took maternity leave earlier this year, with her on-screen exit airing in early 2025.
Hodgins, 31, welcomed her first child, daughter Georgie Grace Whitehead, on 11 February with husband Adam Whitehead. She has been sharing updates on motherhood via social media, but fans have been eager to know when she would reprise her role.
In a recent TikTok video, Hodgins responded to a fan query about her return, stating: 'later this year x'. She also liked a comment asking if she would be back, confirming her plans.
Her character Victoria left the Dales for Portugal with son Harry after the fallout of killing John Sugden in self-defence. The storyline involved Joe Tate blackmailing Robert Sugden, leading Victoria to seek a fresh start.
Hodgins previously said she felt ready for a break, citing exhaustion from commuting between Manchester and Leeds for filming. She described her final scenes as less emotional than expected due to pregnancy.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.
