Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DALE’S ZOE ON
As an actress on our TV screens every night of the week, Zoe Henry knows that her looks will be scrutinised, especially in a society that is so obsessed with image.
But Zoe, 45, who plays Rhona Goskirk in Emmerdale, has vowed not to bow to the pressure to go under the knife – for the sake of her children.
The star says being a mum is far more important than being an actress. And she thinks growing old gracefully sets a good example for her children Violet, 14, and Stan, 10, who she shares with her husband, Emmerdale co-star Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle in the ITV soap.
She explains: “Getting older is not great. I don’t love the ageing process but, that said, I am not prepared to do anything about it in terms of cosmetic surgery, because I’m terrified.
“I have a daughter and a responsibility to her to not starve myself, not inject things into my face. I want to be a good role model for her and for my son.
“My most important job is my children. I love this job, I love being an actor and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. But my main job is being a parent, so I have a responsibility to my son and my daughter. It is not a road I would go down. There is a lot to be said for just going with the flow.”
Despite her commitment to grow old naturally, Zoe is aware of the pressures that her children face. She says: “Had I been at school now, I wouldn’t have coped well with social media – Twitter and Instagram... any of those things would have finished me off.
“I am aware that my daughter is on social media and I am mindful that I have to do more than my bit to keep her on an even keel. It is terrifying.”
Zoe first appeared on Emmerdale as Rhona for a few episodes in 2001 and returned in a more central role in 2010.
While she’s happy to embrace ageing, the Essex-born star is determined to do all she can to stay fit and healthy, including devoting herself to her allotment and, crucially, giving up booze.
It wasn’t a conscious decision to go teetotal but, after ditching alcohol for dry January last year, the weeks became months and she hasn’t looked back.
Chatting to Zoe between filming on the Emmerdale set, she reveals: “The benefits just keep on coming. I usually do a few dry months a year – January, February and March. Then last year I thought I would go through to summer.
“I got to June and I just felt amazing, so I thought, I am going to reintroduce something I am actually not really missing. I don’t see the point. I’m going to push through till Christmas.
“I had a glass of red wine on Christmas Day that I couldn’t finish, so I gave it to Jeff. I never had a problem with alcohol – it had a problem with me.
“It just didn’t make me feel very good. My hangovers are epic. I can get a hangover off two glasses of wine.”
She adds: “It just doesn’t suit me, so I have removed it, for now. I haven’t said I am never going to drink again, as that puts the pressure