Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry, beloved real-life couple from the ITV soap Emmerdale, have shared details of their romance, wedding, and personal challenges over the years. The actors, who portray Cain Dingle and Rhona Goskirk respectively, met at drama school over two decades ago and have been together ever since.
Proposal and Wedding
Jeff proposed to Zoe in 2002 immediately after she won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Manchester Evening News theatre awards. He told the publication: "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." He added, "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 a reception at the Swan Hotel in Lavenham. Among the guests were Emmerdale co-stars Emma Atkins (Charity Tate) and Charley Webb (Debbie Dingle).
Family and Loss
Jeff and Zoe have two children: daughter Violet, born in 2005, and son Stan, born in 2008. The family lives in the Yorkshire Dales. They are passionate animal lovers and have owned several pets. In 2020, Jeff announced they had adopted a puppy named Ronald, joining their older dog Rita, a cockapoo. Speaking on Loose Women, Jeff said: "He's kept us busy and is a great focus for us as a family."
Tragically, in February 2024, the family lost Rita. Appearing on Lorraine in April 2024, Zoe said: "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." She revealed they would welcome a new dog named Geraldine.
Jeff's Health Battle
Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 18, after suffering from stomach cramps and diarrhoea for six years. Speaking to Express.co.uk in 2009, he said: "Even though I tried to avoid foods that upset my digestive system, such as coffee and Chinese takeaways, I was still sick and tired and I kept losing weight." He added: "I was a drama student in Manchester and sometimes I had to miss lectures because I was too tired. I even had to drop out of my final year plays."
In 2019, Zoe discussed on Loose Women how the diagnosis has affected their lives. She highlighted their allotment as a key coping mechanism: "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!"
Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
