ITV Emmerdale: Real life of Vanessa Woodfield star Michelle Hardwick - producer wife, sperm donor and death threats

Vanessa Woodfield made a big return to Emmerdale just before Christmas and now things are really hotting up for the village's vet. The character, played by Michelle Hardwick, made her debut in the soap in 2012 when she was hired by Rhona Goskirk, an old friend from university, to work as a locum.

In her first eight years in the Dales Vanessa faced her fair share of trials and tribulations - from being tied up and held hostage by murderer Pierce Harris and being stabbed by arsonist Donny Cairn to having a son from a one-night stand and being diagnosed with bowel cancer.

In May 2020 Vanessa, and the actress who plays her, disappeared from screens after she discovered her girlfriend Charity Dingle was caught kissing another man. But in real life, Michelle was taking time off to welcome her first child.

READ MORE: Charley Webb forced to deny pregnancy after mistaken 'gender reveal' gets thousands of messages

Since returning to Emmerdale in December, Vanessa has settled back into the village left, helping best pal Rhona after her abusive ex Pierce got in touch and his son, Marcus, showed up and has even got a new love interest in newcomer Suzy after it almost looked like a reunion could have been on the cards with Charity.

Away from her days playing Vanessa, Michelle is happily married and is mum to son Teddy. The soap star first met her now-wife when she was a producer on Emmerdale. The pair had been dating for while before they announced their romance in September 2017, months after Michelle's split from ex-wife Rosie.

Michelle and her ex-wife dated for three years before saying 'I Do' in April 2015. But Michelle revealed they had split a year later in 2016 but were to "remain good friends". Speaking to the Daily Star