Nicola Wheeler
The Emmerdale star tells Julie Lordan how Nicola’s dramatic storyline could split the King family family in two
All seemed very calm in the life of Nicola King and her husband, Jimmy, in Emmerdale. But of course, that wasn’t going to be allowed to continue and now Nicola is facing into a troubled time. The source of her problems is her husband and his son, Carl. Nicola has been a mother to Carl since birth, so the family’s troubles could cause huge trauma for her too.
Trouble comes in the form of Carl’s birth mother, Juliette, who has not been around since Carl was born, but now suddenly makes an appearance and is determined to be part of her son’s life. But is this really going to be as problematic for Nicola as she seems to think? “Well,” says Nicola, “initially, she was reticent to let Carl and Juliette form a bond, but then she obviously gave in, which partly came from an understanding as a mother that Juliette and Carl have needs and rights. But unfortunately, Juliette didn’t play ball and now Nicola’s attitude has changed dramatically. She feels that they should keep their distance from each other and she and Juliette are very uncomfortable around each other.” While viewers can see both sides of the situation, Nicola loves Carl and is determined to do what she can to safeguard that relationship. “She was there when he was born and then she was very much his mum when Juliette abandoned him, which is basically what she did when she was having a breakdown and gave Carl to Jimmy. But Nicola has never officially adopted him. It was just the assumption that Juliette would never be seen again and Carl was theirs,” says Nicola.
And it’s not as if Nicola is ignoring Carl’s feelings in all this. She knew that Carl would be curious and she was okay with them seeing each other, but now Carl has become very confused and unhappy. “Currently, Nicola’s attitude is we tried, let’s just leave it, it didn’t work out. Try again maybe in 10 years’ time when he is grown up,” says Nicola.
But that doesn’t seem to be how Juliette sees the situation and there is a possibility that it could turn into a nasty custody battle. Is Nicola at all concerned about this? “Initially, no, but then she gets the letter from Juliette’s solicitor which makes it clear that Juliette is the birth mother and she has rights. Before that letter, it was more casual,” says Nicola.
And to make matters more sinister, it becomes clear that a private detective has been hired to spy on Nicola and Jimmy, possibly in an effort to discredit them as good parents. They are unaware that they are being watched and photographed until they receive some pics which shows them quarrelling. “Oh, they didn’t know anything about the private investigator at all. They are also shocked at the solicitor’s letter because Juliette had agreed to back away and to give more time and space to Carl to come to terms with his mother being back. And also, they thought that Juliette herself wanted more time to get used to being back in his life again,” says Nicola.
Now that Nicola feels threatened, how far does Nicola think her character will go to ensure that Carl stays with them? “I think they
“Nicola’s back up and now she is going into battle with all guns blazing and an attitude of ‘you can’t have him’
are reluctant, initially, to turn it into a custody battle, but Nicola is determined that Carl will be staying with them. Maybe if Juliette had been a little more open and honest, Nicola may have been persuaded to facilitate visits with set dates etc., but because Juliette has been so sneaky, it has gotten Nicola’s back up and now she is going into battle with all guns blazing and an attitude of ‘you can’t have him’”, she says.
As viewers know, Nicola is not someone who will want to lose if she takes on a fight. She is working in a café where her attitude to customers is not always what you would expect from the hospitality industry. Nicola agrees but defends her namesake’s behaviour. “Well, some people think she is funny, and yes, rude sometimes. But I think most people see that Nicola says what they are thinking but says it out loud. She’s one of those characters who gets away with saying things that are often rude and hurtful. But in real life, I could never be mates with someone like Nicola, nor could I ever be married to someone as dull as Jimmy! I mean, I would not want to be close to Nicola and be in her firing line. She is one of those people that is loyal, though, so maybe she would be a good friend. A friend but an arm’s length friend!” she says.
Stemming from these events, Emmerdale has hinted that it’s going to be a big year for Nicola and Jimmy and while we can’t give too much away, here’s a little teaser from Nicola. “As we all know, a solicitor doesn’t come cheap and a custody battle could be expensive. If they can’t find an honest path to make money, well, do they take an alternative road, and where will that lead?”