Yahoo News Emmerdale: Every actor returning to the soap as Matthew Wolfenden shares hopes of coming back
Whose time in the Dales is not quite finished yet?
Emmerdale favourite Matthew Wolfenden broke fans' hearts when he announced his character David Metcalfe was leaving the village - but it seems there could be hope on the horizon for a return.
Wolfenden, who has spent nearly two decades on the ITV soap and even met his wife Charley Webb in the cast, is pursuing his West End dreams in Elf the Musical, but told Loose Women on Wednesday, 25 October that he could be back in the Dales yet.
He said: "I was in the West End before I joined Emmerdale 18 years ago and it's an itch I needed to scratch again."
The actor added: "David doesn't die, so there's always a chance to go back - who knows. I love it there, I've had the best 18 years. It's a cliche but it's a massive family, all my best mates are there, the crew, the cast, so never say never but I just need to do a bit of theatre."
Wolfenden isn't the only former villager eyeing an Emmerdale return - keep a look out for these other familiar faces.
Read more:
Laura Norton | Kerry Wyatt
Popular cast member Laura Norton is currently on maternity leave with her second child with former Emmerdale co-star Mark Jordon.
Norton got a brilliant exit storyline for her never-a-dull-moment character Kerry Wyatt, who left to take up a job on a cruise ship after discovering her late boyfriend Al Chapman had been cheating on her, with the other woman later revealed as Chas Dingle.
The actor will have some meaty storylines to return to - not only will there be the inevitable showdown with Chas, but Chloe Harris had only just discovered that Kerry was her mum, and Chloe has not exactly been having a quiet time herself.
Michelle Hardwick | Vanessa Woodfield
Another long-running star of the soap currently on maternity leave is Michelle Hardwick, who left in November 2022.
Her character Vanessa Woodfield's absence was explained by falling out with girlfriend Suzy Merton and pal Rhona Goskirk, which encouraged her to say yes to a dream job in Canada.
Conveniently, the Canadian contract was only for a year, so Vanessa and son Johnny are expected back in the Dales by the end of the year.
Hardwick told Metro at the British Soap Awards: "I'm definitely going back! I've not got a date as such, it'll be later in the year at some point, but definitely I'll be back!"
Lin Blakley | Georgia Sharma
Emmerdale viewers saw character Georgia Sharma make a comeback to the village earlier this year, but could she return for good?
Rishi's ex-wife was played by Trudie Goodwin until 2015, when the character went on a cruise and decided not to come home to the Dales.
But when Georgia reappeared in July for Jai's wedding to Laurel, she was played by Lin Blakley instead.
Of course, fans will know that the wedding day turned to tragedy with Rishi's shock death following his fallout with Jai, but rather than stick around to support her family, Georgia abruptly decided she would be more use to daughter Priya instead and left as quickly as she had arrived.
It seems Blakley would be up for another stint as Georgia, though, and it would make sense for her to visit again.
Blakley said at the time of her casting: "How lucky am I to play such a strong character as Georgia. So different from roles I've played of late. I have enjoyed every single minute. Gorgeous cast and crew! And the gorgeous Dales. Thank you Emmerdale."
Ryan Hawley | Robert Sugden
Now that Danny Miller is back in our lives as Aaron Dingle, it makes sense that Emmerdale fans are clamouring for the return of his former partner Robert Sugden.
Robron was one of the greatest love stories the soap had ever told and many loyal viewers feel an Aaron return means nothing without Robert by his side.
But producer Laura Shaw told Inside Soap that things were a little trickier than that as Ryan Hawley had chosen to leave the role, so might not want to come back.
Shaw said: "I love Robron – so I would reunite them if I could!"
She added: "Obviously we all love Aaron in a relationship, so some time in the future, I'm sure we'll go there. However, at the moment what we'll see is that Aaron doesn't want to get hurt again."
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7pm on ITV.
