RHONA’S NOT TO BLAME

Zoe Henry on how strong women like her Emmerdale character can fall victim to domestic violence

Even the most hardened Emmerdale viewer would have found last week’s rape of Rhona Goski rk almost too harrrowing to watch. Rhona had just married Pierce Harris when he forced himself on her after a blazing row. The camera panned away but Rhona, in her wedding dress, could be heard pleading, ‘I don’t want this.’

Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona the village vet, admits the previously strong- willed and independent woman, ‘may never be the same. It will alter the way she looks at life.’

Smooth- talking Pierce, whose wife Tess had been cheating on him with Rhona’s then husband Paddy Kirk, wormed his way into Rhona’s affections before abusing her. ‘It’s been exhausting. I was bruised after some scenes,’ admits Zoe.

Zoe hopes her hard work has been worth it to show a different side to domestic violence. ‘Strong women, professional women, mothers – they all find themselves in these situations,’ she says. ‘It makes it relevant.

‘If Pierce had started off controlling and aggressive, Rhona would have told him where to go, but they fell in love, and his true colours crept in. People are saying on social media how stupid Rhona is, but the reality

is that she’s found herself in a situation that didn’t start out like that.’

Last week was the third time Pierce has raped Rhona, and Zoe feels that Emmerdale has a duty to explore the issue. ‘In earlier episodes, some people thought Pierce didn’t cross a line because they were in a relationship,’ says Zoe. ‘But non-consensual sex is rape.’

Mum- of- two Zoe – who has daughter Violet, 12, and son Stanley, nine, with co-star Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle – admits Violet will soon need to be aware of the issue of consent, but she still didn’t let her watch last week’s scene. ‘In the next few years she’ll be growing up and moving on,’ says Zoe. ‘It’s more relevant than ever for me now. My kids haven’t watched the epi-

sode, because I’d find it difficult. But I’ll talk Violet through it.’

As a busy mum, Zoe, who’s 43, says there’s no time to allow the scenes to play on her mind. ‘ The minute I get home it’s homework and “What’s for dinner?”’ she says.

Zoe made her TV debut in Cold Feet, before landing the role of Rhona in Emmerdale in 2001, leaving in 2002. ‘I would have stayed,’ she admits, ‘but it wasn’t meant to be.’

After spells in Coronation Street and EastEnders, Emmerdale came calling again in 2010. ‘I couldn’t believe it,’ says Zoe. And this time she hopes Rhona is in for the long haul. ‘I love being here. If they gave me a ten-year contract I’d sign it today. Let’s hope they read this!’