Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins has announced a break from the soap after 19 years to focus on her pregnancy.
The actor, 31, made her debut as Victoria Sugden on the ITV soap as a child, and is the longest-serving female character currently on the series.
Hodgins, who is having her first baby with husband Adam Whitehead, said she “will miss” the soap.
“I love the people there, but I’ve worked there for 19 years, so I feel like I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do and been selfish with my career,” she told The Mirror.
“Now it’s time to devote my life to being a mum – that feels right to me,” she continued. “But there’s still FaceTime, so they won’t forget me.”
Hodgins announced her pregnancy on Sunday (10 August), writing: “First comes love, Then comes marriage, Then comes… Baby Whitehead.”
The actor, who is four months pregnant, added: “It’s something that we wanted to happen, but now it actually has, it’s still sinking in!”
Her co-stars shared their messages of congratulations, with Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle, commenting: “Congratulations. Absolutely wonderful news. Made up for you both.”
Hodgins married Whitehead in April 2025 at a Manchester ceremony attended by her fellow Emmerdale stars including Laura Norton Jeff Hordley and Danny Miller.
The actor was cast in Emmerdale in 2006 when she was 12, replacing Hannah Midgley in the role of Victoria.
She was nominated for Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor at the British Soap Awards in 2009, but lost to EastEnders star Maisie Smith.
The Sugdens are one of Emmerdale’s most famous families, appearing on the soap from its very first episode in 1972.
’Emmerdale’ star Isabel Hodgins joined soap in 2006 (ITV)
Last week, it was revealed that a game show hosted by Hodgins’ former Emmerdale co-star Adam Thomas had been cancelled.
Thomas, 36, who played Adam Barton in Emmerdale until 2018, presented 99 to Beat alongside his brother, former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas.
He admitted he was blindsided by ITV’s decision to can the show, stating: “I don’t know what I did wrong.”
ITV confirmed the news to The Independent, but has not given a specific reason as to why the show was axed – despite it being “one of the biggest entertainment launches this year” across all of its channels and streaming platforms.
“It reached 12.5 million viewers and was streamed over four million times on ITVX,” a spokesperson said, adding: “The Thomas brothers are fantastic presenters, but unfortunately at this stage, we will not be recommissioning.”
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