Emmerdale Zoe Henry’s romance with Jeff Hordley from heartbreaking loss to illness.

Emmerdale’s Rhona Goskirk has had a dramatic love life on the soap but in reality, actress Zoe Henry is loved-up with her co-star husband.
Jeff and Zoe are parents to two children – daughter Violet Percy, born in 2005, and son Stan Percy, who arrived three years later
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Emmerdale Zoe Henry’s romance with Jeff Hordley from heartbreaking loss to illness

Zoe Henry is a firm favourite on Emmerdale playing Rhona Goskirk, but what do we know about her real-life marriage to co-star Jeff Hordley?

The actress made her debut as Rhona Goskirk on the ITV soap way back in 2001. Over the years she has been involved in several big storylines.

Especially at the moment as in recent weeks she has been torn apart emotionally after her former flame Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) made a shock return to the village earlier this year.

However, in Monday’s episode (April 6) Rhona finally made her decision, and told Graham that she wanted to be with Marlon. Away from the ITV soap, Zoe is married to fellow Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle.

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However, the couple have had their fair share of hardships during their romance. Here, we’re taking a look inside their lives together.

Jeff on ‘making the moves’ on Zoe
Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle in the ITV soap, is married to co-star Zoe Henry
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The pair have been together for years

Zoe and Jeff first met at drama school and quickly struck up a relationship. “We got together at drama school. We’ve been together 28 years,” Zoe said on Lorraine in 2022.

She added: “With the connection on set, we were together for 10 years before that as well. We got together in 1994, I believe.”

Jeff also previously opened up about meeting Zoe, revealing it was an instant attraction. He told Soaplife magazine in 2011: “We met at drama school in 1994. I saw Zoe and realised she was the girl for me. I made moves and, fortunately, she said yes on that occasion too.”

Going from strength to strength, Jeff popped the question to Zoe right after she won Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Manchester Evening News’s theatre awards back in 2002.

He told the publication: “I had been planning to propose for a some time and thought to myself: ‘If she wins today, I’ll do it today’. When she won, I leaped out of my seat in front of her.

“Then it dawned on me that her winning meant that I had to propose – and that’s when the nerves set in. Fortunately for me, she said yes.”

Jeff and Zoe’s family
Emmerdale: jeff hordley wife zoe henry
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The family went through heartbreak a few years ago

Loved-up duo Jeff and Zoe later tied the knot in 2003 at the majestic Hedingham Castle, and celebrated later at the Swan Hotel in Lavenham.

Among the guests were some familiar faces from Emmerdale, including Emma Atkins, who portrays Cain’s former flame Charity Tate, and Charley Webb, better known as his on-screen daughter Debbie.

Then in 2005, Zoe and Jeff welcomed a little girl named Violet into their lives. In 2008, they had a son, Stan and the family live in the Yorkshire Dales.

However, in 2024, the family suffered a sad loss when their dog passed away. Appearing on Lorraine in April that year, Zoe revealed the family would be getting a new dog.

“We lost our dear old doggy Rita back in February, which was truly awful. It feels not the right time but it’s never going to be the right time,” Zoe shared. She added: “So Geraldine is arriving in the house on Friday. Not sure what’s going to happen but it’s going to be fun.”

Zoe on Jeff’s shock diagnosis and health issue
Emmerdale stars Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley
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Jeff was diagnosed when he was younger

Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when he was 18 and has had several hospital stays due to his condition. He had been experiencing stomach cramps and diarrhoea for six years prior to his diagnosis.

In 2019, Zoe opened up about her husband’s condition and heartbreakingly revealed that the diagnosis has changed their lives. Speaking on Loose Women, Zoe said: “He was diagnosed when he was about 18, so he was 23 when I met him, and it’s sort of changed our lives.”

But Zoe revealed one particular thing that helps Jeff manage living with Crohn’s disease – their allotment. She said: “There’s a lot to be said about mental health and having your hands in the soil – that’s a big one for me.

“For Jeff, it’s the health benefits of eating what we’ve grown. It’s great to share with my kids as well. Not that they love it, they hate it. But I’m working on that!”