Emmerdale stars' real-life romances from weddings to surprising splits

Emmerdale is renowned for its high-octane storylines, from grisly murders and car crashes to unexpected kidnappings. The soap's romantic relationships are equally tumultuous, often ending in heartbreak.

However, off-screen, several actors from the popular ITV drama have found love with their colleagues, leading to marriages and families.

Here's a look at some of the most notable Emmerdale stars who've found love on set.

Toby-Alexander Smith and Amy Walsh

Amy Walsh, known to Emmerdale fans as Tracy Metcalfe, is married to EastEnders actor Toby-Alexander Smith. The couple tied the knot in September 2023 after three years together.

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Their paths crossed in the audience of Strictly Come Dancing back in 2019 when Amy was there to support her former co-star Kelvin Fletcher, who played Andy Sugden.

Toby, on the other hand, was rooting for his EastEnders colleague Emma Barton, who portrays Honey Mitchell. In 2021, Amy announced her pregnancy, and the couple now share a daughter named Bonnie.

Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden

Matthew Wolfenden, who plays David Metcalfe, joined the Emmerdale cast four years after Charley Webb in 2006. He proposed to Charley, who portrays Debbie Dingle, on Christmas Day in 2009.

They went on to have three sons; Buster, Bowie and Ace - after a nine-year engagement. After being together for 20 years, the pair stunned fans by confirming they'd split last year. Matthew later moved on with his co-star from the musical Elf.

Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry

Emmerdale co-stars Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry, known for their roles as Cain Dingle and Rhona Goskirk, rarely share scenes together on the show. However, in real life, the couple is deeply in love.

They met while attending drama school and later joined the Emmerdale cast. They are now married with two children.

Natalie J Robb and Johnny McPherson

Although their on-screen characters, Moira Dingle and Dr. Liam Cavanagh, may not have seemed like an obvious match, the actors behind them, Natalie J Robb and Johnny McPherson, grew close while working on set. Initially keeping their relationship private, they went public with their romance in 2020 after moving in together during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Unfortunately, their relationship ended after a year, with Natalie finding it too "intense" to live with someone so soon into their relationship.

Michelle Hardwick and Kate Brooks

Michelle Hardwick, who plays Vanessa Woodfield, and Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks are another couple who found love on set. They confirmed their relationship on Twitter in 2018 and later tied the knot in a ceremony in Memphis, Tennessee.

The couple have two children together, Edward Peter Brooks, affectionately known as Teddy, born in 2020, and Betty Brooks, who arrived in 2022.

Chris Chitell and Lesley Dunlop

One of Emmerdale's unexpected off-screen couples is Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop, who portray Eric Pollard and Brenda Walker respectively.

Their on-screen chemistry and playful banter won over viewers, and fans were thrilled when the pair took their romance off-screen.

They began dating in 2008 when Dunlop joined the cast, got engaged in 2015, and tied the knot a year later.

Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell

Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy Kirk, is married to Joanne Mitchell. Mitchell had a brief stint on the soap as Sandra Flaherty, Aaron Livesy's stepmother.

The pair first crossed paths at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and share two children. In addition to their acting careers, they also organise the annual Leeds Horror Film Festival.

Fiona Wade and Simon Cotton

Fiona Wade, best known for her role as Priya Sharma, is in a relationship with her former co-star Simon Cotton. The sparks flew when they met on set, leading to an engagement in 2018 and a wedding the following year. Despite no longer working together, their love story continues to flourish.

Chelsea Halfpenny and James Baxter

Chelsea Halfpenny, who formerly portrayed Amy Wyatt in Emmerdale until 2013, found romance with her co-star James Baxter, known for his role as Jake Doland. The pair initially connected on social media after meeting on set.

Their relationship blossomed in 2018 and they even announced their engagement in 2021.

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