Gabby Thomas, played by Rosie Bentham, is fighting a secret battle with disordered eating in Emmerdale, a struggle even she doesn't fully recognise. The trigger was Ross Barton's rejection after she came onto him, which sent her into a spiral of self-doubt that has gradually worsened.
Gabby's Hidden Struggle
The stoic businesswoman hasn't let on to anyone that her mind is becoming a mess. All she knows is she's trying to grab back control of her life, and the one thing she can control is food. She's been displaying troubling signs of possible disordered eating, hiding it under the guise of focusing on nutrition and healthy eating.
While that in itself isn't a worry—and explains why no one has picked up on it—things are set to take a dark turn. A glimmer of light is that Gabby and Billy seem to be getting on, but even that is complex. She's latched onto the first guy to pay her attention, but he happens to be Dawn's ex. Dawn Taylor is not happy about this arrangement and asks them to hold off telling the kids.
Escalating Food Anxiety
Things are going well for Gabby and Billy—Billy even backs her when Laurel goes against her healthy menu at the Hide. But there are subtle dangerous signs that Gabby's food issues are escalating, and Billy isn't enough of a distraction. Fighting vehemently against Laurel for the healthy food menu is one sign; another is where her food anxiety is spilling over into her motherhood.
Gabby is due to take Thomas to a friend's birthday party, but when she sees the food on the menu, she panics. She will not allow her son to touch the stuff. So, she bans Thomas from going purely off the kids' food menu, suggesting her disordered eating is already getting out of control. It remains to be seen whether Billy will notice something is off with his new lover.
