Emmerdale Star Nicola Wheeler Only Planned Two-Year Stay On Soap

Emmerdale star Nicola Wheeler only planned to be on the soap for two years.

Copyright [REX/Shutterstock]

The 42-year-old actress has played mouthy Nicola King for 15 years in the ITV show but didn’t think she would want to stay much longer than two, but she hasn’t been able to leave permanently because her job is “too good”.

She told the Daily Mirror: “I never imagined when I started Emmerdale that I would be here 15 years later.

"I remember starting and thinking I will give it two years and then I will leave, but it is just too good a job to leave.

Copyright [ITV]

"I absolutely love it, it is great. You get to do different stories and you get to grow with the character.”

Nicola returned to the Yorkshire Dales in 2007 after taking an 18-month hiatus and recently took a seven-month break from the show to have her first child this year.

The star joked she loves to come to work to have a rest, but still has to portray a mother figure as her alter-ego and on-screen husband Jimmy King (Nick Miles) have three kids on the show to look after.

Copyright [REX/Shutterstock]

She added: “Coming to work is like a holiday – I can actually come to work and do things like look at the internet, do some shopping, get some yoga in, or just sit and do b***** all.

"I never get that chance at home, just sitting and staring into the distance. I am usually running around saying ‘No, don’t touch!’ ”

Nicola is set to at the centre of a huge storyline when her character gets trapped in The Mill cottage development when it explodes after owner Rakesh Kotecha (Pasha Bocarie) decided to start a fire as part of an insurance scam.