There’s no escape from the bullies. I’d hate to be a teenager now
Zoe Henry on checking her kids’ social media and how Emmerdale’s online bullying storyline turns violent
Emmerdale viewers have recently seen young April in turmoil as the show explored the damage online bullying can do. And for star Zoe Henry, who plays April’s stepmum Rhona, the story felt quite close to home.
“What my kids are up to online is a worry for me. I’m constantly checking in,” said the actress. “I want to check that they’re not badly behaved, as well as checking that no one is behaving badly towards them.
“Whether it’s wrong or right, I do. My daughter is nearly 17, my son is 13and-ahalf. It’s hard for them to take responsibility, they’re too young for it, so I need to do that.”
As a star of a high-profile soap, Zoe, 48, is more aware than most of the darker side of social media.
She said: “I was aware of its pitfalls. I am not particularly great on it – I’m a little bit of a grandma.
“But I’ve always known the ugly underbelly exists. That those little boxes on Instagram are presenting what people want you to see, not what they don’t want you to see. I say to my kids it’s important to remember that.
“If I’d been a teenager now, I wouldn’t have survived. I’m glad I’m an adult. When I was a kid, if I was being bullied at school, I got home, I shut the door and it ended there. But now it doesn’t – it’s in your bedroom at 3am because it’s constant. I think that’s why it’s been such an important story to tell because it’s horrible.” The storyline comes to a climax this week, as April’s friend Cathy reveals she started the bullying. Zoe said: “Rhona is fuming and chasing Cathy up the street. She’s trying to grab Cathy and her mum Brenda intervenes. It’s definitely not intentional but there’s a scuffle and Brenda ends up falling on the floor. Brenda says Rhona pushed her and hit her, which she didn’t.” Off-screen, Emmerdale is a family affair for Zoe, with her husband Jeff Hordley having played Cain Dingle for over 20 years. Actors have been filming with social distancing in place, so there was one aspect of this story Zoe grabbed with both hands. “Lesley Dunlop (Brenda) and I isolated so we could do this tussle. I literally hugged her for a whole day I was so excited to touch someone.”