Many Emmerdale fans will remember turning the soap on to see Verity Rushworth on their screens.
Verity Charlotte Rushworth is best known for her role of Donna Windsor in ITV Emmerdale from 1998 to 2009, with a guest appearance in 2014. The role of Donna was originally played by Sophie Jeffery until 1997, before Verity took over the role in 1998.
Donna was the third longest running character on Emmerdale when she left the soap in 2009. Donna had a rocky time in the village however, in her first year alone she had to be rescued when the stables when a plane crashed into the village and caught fire after being struck by falling wreckage.
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She has been injured on a tractor ride, shot in the head with a BB gun and sentenced to community service following a hit and run accident - all before starting a relationship with Marlon Dingle - though it isn't all plain sailing.
Affairs, accidents, surrogacy and much more happened in the years Donna and Marlon were married, Marlon eventually ended the marriage and throws her out after she has an affair with a colleague, she left the village convinced she needs a fresh start.
It was later announced in January 2014 that Rushworth had decided to reprise her role as Donna for five months. She returned in March 2014 with her four-year-old daughter, April, when it was revealed that Donna was terminally ill with lung cancer - she committed suicide on August 14, 2014, after throwing herself from a multi-storey car park to her death.
The scene of Donna's emotional goodbye from Emmerdale was awarded "Spectacular Scene of the Year" at The British Soap Awards 2015.
But Emmerdale isn't Verity's only TV role, she has played many theatre roles throughout the UK, including two leading roles in West End theatre productions.
Most recently, Verity has appeared in the BBC medical soap opera, Doctors, as Lily Walker rom 2020 to 2021 - Lily was a temporary receptionist in the show. This was Verity's last role on TV or theatre.
Family life
Verity married Dominic Michael Shaw in 2013, the couple have two children, a daughter, Amelie Iris, who was born in August 2016 and their Son, Ethan, who was born in July 2019.
The mum-of-two shares lots of snaps of her family on Instagram, although is very private at the same time.
Donna says she is enjoying being a working mum and is continuing with TV and theatre roles.
As ever, we'll continue to bring you the big Emmerdale news about what is happening in the village and away from it. You can visit our Emmerdale homepage to find the latest gossip about the soap and its stars.
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