Emmerdale stars Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry received an outpouring of love from fans after revealing their beloved dog Ronald had an emergency vet visit. The couple, who play Cain Dingle and Rhona Goskirk in the Yorkshire-based soap, shared the news on their new Instagram account, which offers a rare glimpse into their private life and allotment progress.
Ronald's Emergency Vet Visit
In a new update, Zoe and Jeff disclosed that Ronald had to have an emergency vet visit after eating a "rogue plum stone". In the caption, they wrote: "Collecting the fallen PLUMS at the allotment… and for a VERY good reason... After Ronald recently chomped on a rogue plum stone and earned himself one rather expensive trip to the vets, we discovered that the stones contain compounds that can release cyanide if chewed. He’s absolutely fine by the way, but it's safe to say he won't be helping with this job."
Fans quickly rushed to show their support in the comments, with one writing: "Glad Ronald is ok. You both are wonderful parents" and another adding: "I didn’t know that, glad Ronald is ok. Thank you for sharing this information with us."
Family Life and Allotment Updates
Jeff and Zoe first met over two decades ago at drama school, where a romance swiftly developed. They both joined Emmerdale in 2000 as Cain Dingle and Rhona Goskirk. The couple reside in the Yorkshire Dales as a family, where they even own an allotment to work on together. On their Instagram, they also introduced Ronald's sister, Geraldine.
Jeff proposed to Zoe in 2002 after she secured Best Actress at the Manchester Evening News' theatre awards. At the time, he said: "I had been planning to propose for 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."
The couple married in 2003 at Hedingham Castle, with celebrations afterwards at the Swan Hotel in Lavenham. Their big day saw multiple faces from Emmerdale join in, including Emma Atkins and Charley Webb. Two years later, in 2005, they welcomed their daughter Violet, before their son Stan arrived in 2008. In 2020, the couple announced they had a new puppy called Ronald to accompany their dog Rita, who sadly died in 2024.
Recent Award Win
The update comes just after Jeff was crowned the winner of Best Serial Performance at the National Television Awards, following a year which saw his character diagnosed with prostate cancer. Whilst accepting his award on stage, he gushed: "Thank you to my real wife Zoe Henry, my rock and my soulmate. I am so lucky. To my two children, Stanley and Violet, you are my world and I am so thankful and grateful for you having to put up with me being Cain Dingle every day."
