Inside Emmerdale real-life couple's adorable love story and family life

16 October 2023 , 17:30

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They fell for each other as young drama students (Image: Getty Images)

Emmerdale's Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) are very rarely involved in storylines together, and so those watching may well have no clue whatsoever that the pair are actually married in real life. The loved-up soap stars first locked eyes as drama school students way back in 1994, and have been inseparable ever since.

The attraction was instantaneous, and, in a 2011 interview with Soaplife magazine, Jeff, 53, recalled: "I saw Zoe and realised she was the girl for me." Jeff joined Emmerdale in 2000, with Zoe cast just one year later. In 2002, Zoe earned the Manchester Evening News 'Best Actress in a Leading Role' award following her performance as Eliza Doolittle in a production of Pygmalion. Jeff marked this early achievement by proposing to Zoe, and she happily accepted.

Their wedding was attended by various Emmerdale cast members (WireImage)

They went on to welcome two children together (Getty Images)

In the summer of 2005, Jeff and Zoe said 'I do' at the medieval Hedingham Castle, near Sudbury, East Anglia, followed by a reception at the luxury Swan Hotel in Lavenham. As per a report in the East Anglian Daily Times, the ceremony was attended by a number of Emmerdale stars, including Emma Atkins, who plays Cain's ex Charity Tate, and Charley Webb, who plays his daughter Debbie.

The couple went on to welcome daughter Violet Ava, in 2005, and son Stan, in 2008. To support them in the early days of parenting, Emmerdale bosses ensured Cain and Rhona's storylines were filmed at separate times, allowing them to share childcare duties. In a previous interview with Lorraine, Zoe revealed: "We often do line learning together. This time, Jeff's been amazing. He's just taking the weight of what's going on at home. Obviously, we've got two kids, two dogs, we've got an allotment and he's just managing all of that. He's about to get busy as I sort of quieten down so we'll swap the baton then."

In a previous interview with The Sun, Zoe shared how she and Jeff will try and have a laugh together between takes, especially when shooting hard-hitting storylines. She explained: "It's important to have a laugh in between takes so upsetting stories don't get you down too much. Working on the same show as Jeff, who plays Cain Dingle, also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand."

EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.

Julia Banim