Will Rhona Escape Pierce’s Clutches?
Zoe lets us in on how Rhona feels about her recent crisis
Just hours into her marriage, Emmerdale’s Rhona suffered a brutal attack at the hands of her husband, Pierce.
Everyone thought the pair were enjoying a romantic honeymoon in Scotland but the truth was very different. Terrified after the events on her wedding night, Rhona instead fled to Cornwall with her son to think about her future and decide what to do next.
“Their relationship has broken down,” explains Zoe, who plays village vet Rhona Goskirk. “She fled in fear, in panic. She’s utterly ashamed and feels what happened is her own fault.
“She also feels very alone. Let’s not forget she pushed her friend Vanessa away, so it’s hard to bring her back in. I think Rhona will struggle to tell people what happened.”
Determined to get her life back on track, particularly for her son Leo, we see Rhona head once more to rehab to deal with the re-emergence of her addiction to pills.
“Recent events have forced her back to her old coping mechanism – painkillers. She is utterly desperate but at the same time, determined to fix things and get her life back.”
However, after the brutal assault on Rhona’s wedding night, Zoe admits she’s not sure where this “very dark storyline” will lead…
“After what happened on the wedding night, Rhona worries about what Pierce is capable of. She’s worried about her friends and family being hurt by him – Pierce has already threatened Vanessa’s child in the past. This is part of the reason she’s struggling to confide in anyone – she doesn’t want them in danger.
“She knows if Paddy knew the truth, he might struggle to control his emotions. There’s potential danger for everyone involved with Pierce.”
With Rhona in crisis we all hope Paddy will come to her rescue – could we see the pair get together again?
“Paddy was the love of her life,” says Zoe. “In fact, if he hadn’t had an affair, they’d still be together. In the beginning Pierce was a tonic, he made her laugh. Could Paddy and Rhona ever get together again? I’m not sure, maybe they could repair things – but I think that’s a long way off if it happens.”
Zoe, who was part of the Emmerdale cast for a brief period in 2002, returned to the role full time in 2010. Since then she’s been part of some major storylines, including her character’s painkiller addiction three years ago. Does she find it easy to switch off after a day on set?
“Yes, I do. Being a mum, the normality of home life is a distraction from storylines at work. We have a good balance, not all about work. “We’re both into keeping fit. Jeff and I also love cooking and spend a lot of time on our allotment which keeps us busy over the summer. We grow tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, and my pride and joy – celery!”
They live just half an hour from the Emmerdale set but love to travel further afield as a family when they can.
“We’re just back from a holiday in the US and in August we’re heading up to Scotland to visit family. In between we’re in Essex to visit my lot, and we’ve a few festivals lined up too!”
“Rhona feels very alone and also ashamed and thinks it’s her fault”