It’s been twelve years since Emmerdale's Viv Hope was tragically killed in the Post Office explosion which also claimed the life of Terry Woods.
Wife to Bob Hope, Viv was a Dales icon, having starred in the long-running ITV soap from 1993 until her soap death in 2011.
Actress Deena Payne appeared in a staggering 2,037 episodes of the Yorkshire drama, with her character initially married to Reg Dawson before giving birth to children including Donna Windsor, Cathy and Heath Hope and Scott Windsor.
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Appearing in a number of dramatic story-lines over the years, even ending up in prison, the Daily Star reports. After leaving the soap, Deena starred in a number of pantomimes, and was recently in an episode of Doctors.
Away from the limelight, here's what Deena is up to now - as well as some confessions from her time on Emmerdale.
'Creepy' co-star
Though Viv and Bob’s chemistry throughout their romance was unrivalled by any of his subsequent partners, Deena admits she found actor Tony Audenshaw ‘creepy’ at first. The actress begged ITV bosses not to hire Tony to play her on-screen hubby, but things didn’t work out as she wanted them to.
Speaking on the Soap From The Box podcast, she explained: "The truth being there were six people auditioning for Bob and the producer came up to me and said, ‘Look, did you have any feelings about any of them?’
"And I said, ‘Look, just not number six because he was really creepy’, and that was Tony. Anyway, bless him, not that anyone told him, and he got the job."
She added: "In retrospect he was so right. He used to backcomb his hair like Viv did. They were too peas in pod, they really were."
Famous ex husband
Deena’s love life has been nowhere near as dramatic as Viv's, though she left her first marriage aged just 24. She left her ex, famous percussionist Frank Ricotti, who played with Elton John among others.
Speaking to The Mirror, she explained: "My husband was a lovely man, Frank Ricotti, a very well-known percussionist who played with Elton John. I just wanted my independence. It was a classic situation, really - I was too young to be settled down.
"We're still friends, but back then I wanted to be off, travelling and seeing the world, so I just shifted a gear and moved out."
In 1989, after her divorce, Deena went on to romance The Sweet musician and current partner Steve Grant, with whom she shares a son, William.
Career change
After a long stint in Emmerdale, Deena now runs a dance school, with lessons from £6. Deena was initially taught to dance by none other than Strictly Come Dancing star Arlene Phillips, eventually ending up performing in West End shows before Emmerdale came along.
On her website Dance With Deena, Deena wrote: "My soul expression is dance! I am inspired by music, in fact, I love it! I’ve danced since the age of two. There's no greater gift than passing on my passion to anyone who wants to give it a go."
She is also a qualified aromatherapist, and practises Tarot and other wellness techniques.
Could she return to Emmerdale?
Deena admits to being "hurt" by Viv’s death in the Dales - but hasn’t ruled out a return for her character. She hit out at TV bosses back in 2011, calling her character's final scenes an "anti-climax".
She told The Mirror: "I was very disappointed with my departure. And I think the viewers will be, too. Having followed Viv for so long and travelled with her on her ups and downs, I think they’d want a better build-up so they could really get into it and give her a good send-off."
However, with Viv’s dead body never seen on-screen - and her remains instead carted back down south to be with the rest of the Windsors - there is potential for her return. She teased in 2021: "You didn’t see the body, did you?"
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