After Two Decades in the Dales: Isabel Hodgins Opens Up About the Relief of Leaving Emmerdale

For nearly twenty years, Isabel Hodgins has been a fixture on British television screens as Victoria Sugden in ITV’s long-running soap Emmerdale. She joined the show at the tender age of twelve, stepping into the fictional village of Emmerdale with little acting experience and a lifetime of memories ahead. What began as a childhood role grew into a defining chapter of her life—one filled with dramatic storylines, loyal friendships, and the relentless rhythm of soap opera filming. Yet in early February 2026, the 32-year-old actress revealed something surprising: she feels genuinely relieved to be stepping away from the show that shaped her career.

The announcement came in an exclusive interview with The Sun, published on February 8, 2026, just days before Victoria Sugden’s dramatic exit scenes aired on Thursday. Far from the tearful farewell many fans might have expected, Isabel described a sense of readiness and even liberation as she filmed her final episodes in December 2025. The reason? A life-changing personal milestone: she is expecting her first child with husband Adam Whitehead, a teacher she married in a fairytale ceremony in April 2025.

From Child Star to Soap Stalwart

Isabel’s journey with Emmerdale is one of the longest continuous tenures in modern British soap history. Introduced as Victoria Sugden (née Barton) in 2006, she arrived as the youngest member of the Sugden family—a bright-eyed girl navigating the complexities of village life after the dramatic death of her father, Jack Sugden. Over the next two decades, Victoria evolved from a troubled teenager into a resilient, multifaceted woman facing some of the most harrowing and heartfelt storylines the show has ever produced.

Among the standout arcs Isabel reflected on were:

Victoria’s congenital heart condition (a “hole in her heart”) that required surgery and shaped her early years.
The devastating rape storyline that saw her bravely choose to keep and raise her son Harry, now six years old.
Countless family upheavals involving half-brothers Robert and Andy Sugden, stepmother Diane, and the ever-changing dynamics of the Barton and Sugden clans.

Isabel credits these intense plots with giving her some of her proudest moments on screen. “I feel lucky to have been handed so many big storylines over the past two decades,” she said. One recent highlight was her involvement in the high-profile Corriedale special—an emotionally charged episode that aired late at night and drew widespread acclaim for its portrayal of farming life and mental health struggles. Despite the inconvenient broadcast time (she admitted going to bed at 7 p.m. during pregnancy), Isabel watched it the next day and attended a special screening. “The traction it gained was great,” she noted, “and it really did affirm the place soaps have in the nation’s hearts.”

Yet even as she celebrated these achievements, the demands of the job were taking their toll—especially as her real life entered a transformative new phase.

The Exhaustion Behind the Glamour

Soap acting is often glamorized, but Isabel was candid about the reality behind the scenes. Living in Manchester with her husband, she endured a long daily commute to the Emmerdale studios in Leeds. “By the end, I felt exhausted and I knew it was time to have a rest before the baby arrives,” she explained. The physical strain of pregnancy combined with the intense filming schedule left her drained.

Pregnancy also reshaped her emotional response to leaving. “I thought I would be really emotional when I filmed my final scenes,” she admitted. “Emmerdale is all I have ever known. But pregnancy does funny things to you and the truth is I felt ready not to have to film on Emmerdale!”

That readiness was a revelation even to herself. Instead of heartbreak, she experienced clarity and relief. The relentless pace—early starts, long hours, memorizing scripts overnight, and performing emotionally charged scenes day after day—had become unsustainable. The decision to step back felt less like an ending and more like a necessary pause.

Victoria’s Dramatic Departure

Victoria Sugden’s exit storyline mirrored the high stakes that have defined her character for years. In the months leading up to her departure, Victoria found herself entangled in a web of guilt, blackmail, and moral torment after the death of her half-brother John Sugden (played by Oliver Farnworth).

The plot revealed that Victoria had killed John—though his death was initially ruled a suicide. Overwhelmed by remorse, especially toward Moira Dingle (a maternal figure in her life), Victoria grappled with an impossible choice: flee the village and start anew, or confess and face justice.

The situation escalated when Joe Tate blackmailed her with video evidence, forcing her to pressure Moira into signing over the farm while Moira faced her own murder charges. “Victoria is ready to lay on her sword,” Isabel described. “She has killed John and she is bogged down with so much guilt… She is in a total mess. Does she go away and start a new life or does she do the honourable thing and turn herself in?”

Isabel was careful not to spoil the final outcome, but she confirmed one thing definitively: “Victoria will definitely be leaving the soap—that’s because I am having a baby in real life!”

Fans watched her final scenes air in early February 2026, marking the end of an era. Yet the show has left the door open. Producers told Isabel it was entirely up to her when—or if—she wanted to return. “They told me it was up to me when I come back to the soap, which is lovely,” she said. “I’ve been in Emmerdale for 19 years and it’s been a huge part of my life. Everyone has been so nice.”

The Supportive Village Behind the Scenes

Isabel reserved special praise for her co-stars, particularly Ryan Hawley (Robert Sugden) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle). The two actors, both fathers themselves, treated her like family during her pregnancy. “They are like my two naughty brothers,” she laughed. “They have a great sense of humour… They have really spoilt me, making sure I have somewhere to sit down in between scenes.”

One memorable moment: after Isabel missed breakfast, Danny went to the canteen and brought her toast. Both men constantly checked on her, fetched snacks, and adjusted blocking so her growing bump stayed out of shot. “They have asked me on occasions to stand another way because you could see my bump,” she recalled.

She also spoke warmly of Oliver Farnworth, who played the ill-fated John Sugden. “He is the dreamiest actor ever,” she said. When she learned she would be the one to “kill” his character, she felt heartbroken—until he reassured her: “I wouldn’t want to be killed by anyone else.” The kindness of her colleagues made the farewell bittersweet rather than devastating.

Embracing a New Chapter: Motherhood Awaits

With filming wrapped and Victoria’s story concluded (for now), Isabel has entered what she calls her “own baby bubble.” She and Adam Whitehead are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child together. The couple chose not to find out the baby’s gender in advance. “I keep talking about it with Adam,” she said. “I think I keep annoying him as I keep asking what he thinks it will be. He points out we could have found out! But it’s nice to find out when I give birth.”

Pregnancy has been relatively smooth—early sickness gave way to endless cravings (mashed potato is the current obsession)—and Isabel continues her gym routine, calling exercise “my medicine.” Adam, she says, is already proving to be “a great dad” who “pours his heart into everything he does.” Both feel “so lucky” to be starting this chapter.

Isabel also has a six-year-old son, Harry, from a previous relationship. Becoming a mother again marks a profound shift in priorities. “It suddenly feels very real now,” she reflected. “I am so excited about becoming a mum for the first time [with Adam] and this will be, by far and away, my biggest role I’ve ever had.”

By comparison, she describes her off-screen life as “very boring”—and she loves it that way. No dramatic murders, no blackmail plots, just quiet evenings, baby preparations, and the promise of family.

A Legacy Left Behind—and a Future Wide Open

Isabel Hodgins arrived in Emmerdale as a child who knew nothing about acting. “I didn’t have a clue,” she admitted. “I had to learn on the job.” What she discovered was a team with “an incredible work ethic” and a show that remains a cornerstone of British television.

Now, after two decades of heartbreak, triumph, and everything in between, she walks away not with regret but with gratitude—and relief. The exhausting commutes, the emotional intensity, the physical demands—all of it fades into the background as she prepares for the biggest, most rewarding role of her life.

Fans may see Victoria Sugden return one day; Isabel has not closed that door. But for now, she is content to step out of the Dales spotlight and into the gentle chaos of motherhood.

As she told The Sun: “I am in my own baby bubble now.”

And for the millions who have watched her grow up on screen, that simple sentence carries a powerful message: sometimes the bravest exit is the one that leads home.