Vanessa Woodfield made a big return to Emmerdale just before Christmas and now things are really hotting up for the village's vet. The character, played by Michelle Hardwick, made her debut in the soap in 2012 when she was hired by Rhona Goskirk, an old friend from university, to work as a locum.
In her first eight years in the Dales Vanessa faced her fair share of trials and tribulations - from being tied up and held hostage by murderer Pierce Harris and being stabbed by arsonist Donny Cairn to having a son from a one-night stand and being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
In May 2020 Vanessa, and the actress who plays her, disappeared from screens after she discovered her girlfriend Charity Dingle was caught kissing another man. But in real life, Michelle was taking time off to welcome her first child.
READ MORE: Charley Webb forced to deny pregnancy after mistaken 'gender reveal' gets thousands of messages
Since returning to Emmerdale in December, Vanessa has settled back into the village left, helping best pal Rhona after her abusive ex Pierce got in touch and his son, Marcus, showed up and has even got a new love interest in newcomer Suzy after it almost looked like a reunion could have been on the cards with Charity.
Away from her days playing Vanessa, Michelle is happily married and is mum to son Teddy. The soap star first met her now-wife when she was a producer on Emmerdale. The pair had been dating for while before they announced their romance in September 2017, months after Michelle's split from ex-wife Rosie.
Michelle and her ex-wife dated for three years before saying 'I Do' in April 2015. But Michelle revealed they had split a year later in 2016 but were to "remain good friends". Speaking to the Daily Star in February 2017, Michelle said she had kept the break-up secret from her Emmerdale castmates until they spotted she wasn't wearing her wedding ring.
"It was one of those unfortunate things where we did drift apart. We had the big fairytale wedding and I still love that day, it was brilliant. It’s just really sad and one of those things that happen," she said. "I don’t know how else to explain it. I grew out of love and she became more like my best friend."
Michelle, 46, then announced her new relationship on National Coming Out Day. Sharing a black and white image of herself and her girlfriend wrapped up warm in coats and hats, she wrote: "It will all work out in the end #behappy #nationalcomingoutday #loveislove @thekatebrooks."
But Michelle and Kate ditched a big wedding in the UK and kept their nuptials just between the two of them, flying off to Elvis Presley's iconic Graceland in Memphis, before confirming their marriage by posting pictures of their big day on Instagram.
The couple now share their one-year-old son, Teddy, after Michelle gave birth in October 2020. She announced their baby boy's safe arrival with a black and white snap on Instagram which showed Michelle beaming in her hospital bed with the little boy snuggled beside her wrapped in a towel and wearing a knitted hat.
A second photo, which was in colour, showed the then-newborn under a rainbow blanket as Michelle gazes down adoringly at him. The actress captioned the post: "On Friday 9th October, this handsome little chap entered the world. Edward 'Teddy' Peter Brooks we are so in love with you #ourlittleTeddyboy.."
As part of their IVF journey, the couple chose the donor to be Teddy's biological dad after reading about the characteristics of the candidates, their family life and values. Michelle carried the baby while Kate donated the egg.
"When Teddy is 18 he can find out who his dad is and we’d massively back him," Michelle recently told OK Magazine. "I’d love to meet him just to say, 'Thank you so much for allowing us to be parents and giving us the most beautiful little boy.'"
Michelle and Kate also opened up about the possibility of having another child. "We’d definitely love Teddy to have a brother or sister. And if we’re lucky enough, fantastic – for him as well, not just for us," Michelle said.
Michelle came out in 2013 and has spoken out about the horrific trolling and death threats she has received. "The root of it all is always because I’m gay, I’m a gay woman. And it’s like, ‘Lesbians shouldn’t be on this Earth, just burn in hell and die,'" Michelle told OK!
Kate, 39, also shared her shock. "It’s all pretty horrific, isn’t it? The majority of people are really wonderful and supportive, but, you know, as great as social media can be, there is this real dark side to it as well."
Prior to landing the role of Vanessa in Emmerdale, Michelle had notable roles in Heartbeat and Coronation Street. In the ITV soap, the Leeds-born star played two different role - Sheila Dixon in 1997 and Naomi Russell in 1998.
Her biggest role, however, came when she was cast as receptionist Lizzie Hopkirk (Kennoway) in ITV series The Royal, the 1960s-set hospital drama which was a spin-off from Heartbeat and soon gathered popularity on its own account. In 2012, she also had a minor role in Hollyoaks as D.I. Parker, who arrested established character Mitzeee, played by Rachel Shenton.
