Emmerdale's Amy Walsh supports 'special' co-star as real-life partner speaks out

Emmerdale star Amy Walsh has flooded her 'special' co-star Laura Norton with support after she was seen getting emotional about her children's diagnosis. Laura was seen attending a hospital appointment with her children, who she shares with former co-star Mark Jordon.

The couple first welcomed three-year-old Jesse in 2021 and their second child, Ronnie, was born in October 2022. When Jesse was a baby, Laura and Mark took him for a newborn screening and his hearing tests came back unclear. His follow-up results took more than one year to come back, and they only discovered something was wrong with their son when Laura was already pregnant with Ronnie.

Both of their children were diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision. It usually requires children to wear hearing aids for the rest of their lives and potentially causes sight loss in their teenage years.

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Laura, who plays Kerry Wyatt in Emmerdale, was seen during the fourth episode of new ITVBe reality series Drama Queens which aired on Wednesday night (May 1). The series, focused around Manchester and the North West, follows the lives of a host of female actresses from across three of Britain’s biggest soap operas, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks.

As well as Laura, her Emmerdale co-stars Amy and Roxy Shahidi feature, as do Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon, Ellie Leach and Brooke Vincent and Hollyoaks Jamelia, Jorgie Porter and Rita Simons, as they open the doors to their real lives, showcasing their personalities, struggles, and triumphs.

In an emotional moment in the latest episode, Laura said: "When Jesse was born, he was very quickly diagnosed with hearing loss, which was a bit of a shock and then I had what I thought was a routine appointment with the paediatrician and she explained to me that this thing had shown up in him called Usher syndrome, which I had never heard of before.

"I've been told not only has he got hearing difficulties, and he will have for the rest of his life, but he's going to lose his vision. So obviously, yeah..." Laura then fought back tears as she composed herself, adding: "So yeah, that was a bit of a blow to say the least! I was six months pregnant at the time, with the pregnancy, obviously, I wanted to know if the same thing was going to happen to Ronnie."

But the actors had some important news after the kids underwent some test as a teaser for the latest episode was released. Laura and Mark were told by the medic: "They both have perfect vision. They've got 20/20 vision. From a sight perspective at the moment, they're perfect. I want you to enjoy them, and put this to the back of your minds."

Overwhelmed Laura said: "It was just so amazing to talk to Maria and to get those results and find out they've got 20/20 vision. It's going to be nice going home with a good feeling." Mark, who sat alongside her as they were told the results, said it was "excellent news" for the family.

As a clip of the scenes was shared on Drama Queens' Instagram page, Mark, who starred as Daz Spencer in Emmerdale, said: "Grateful to Drama Queens for helping raise awareness for the condition our children have, usher syndrome. Very proud of the incredible strong women to many to fully list like jomilne10 and @mariyamoosajee who are guiding our journey of discovery into the condition but the strongest of all is my partner @laura_norts.

"She’s taken on so much yet never stops bringing sunshine into our children’s lives. Usher syndrome needs to be talked about more , every person we’ve spoken to or met who is also touched by usher has given us the drive to raise awareness. There is no cure , until we find one , together."

Amy, who is known for playing Tracy Robinson in the ITV soap, also took to social media to pay tribute to her friend. Sharing a selfie of the pair to her Instagram Story, the soap star said: "Beautiful friend, I have so much I could say about you, but I think the rest of the world are already thinking it.

"Wonderful is the one adjective I'll use. In every sense of the word. Love you @laura_norts @dramaqueensitv." Alongside another picture, Amy said: "Special is another," before she posted a picture of Jesse and Ronnie with Amy's daughter Bonnie. "As are these beauties," she said." Alongside a screenshot of Mark in the series, Amy continued: "As is this wonderful man," before ending by saying: "I love you all."