Emmerdale village rocked as beloved legend dies in heart-wrenching scenes
DEVASTATING new reaches the eponymous village next week as a death is announced.
One Emmerdale legend passes away off-screen, leaving her close pals and former colleagues in the Dales in shock. How will they cope?
Drama has been continuously unfolding in the eponymous ITV village with many residents getting involved in explosive rows, brutal brawls and even ill-fated romances.
Vanessa Woodfield (portrayed by Michelle Hardwick) recently returned to Yorkshire after spending almost two years away, and she immediately returned to the vet surgery, joining long-term pal Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry).
Speaking of which, the fan favourite was embroiled in a stolen embryo storyline which led her to be charged with the kidnapping of her biological daughter Ivy.
Meanwhile, Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) has encountered issues in his relationship with Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley).
The vet only made things worse for himself when he kissed his ex-wife Chas (Lucy Pargeter) behind Mandy’s back.
Elsewhere, Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) has been trying to balance her life as a new mother and her receptionist role in the vet surgery.
But before Dawn, there was Pearl Ladderbanks and, in scenes airing next week, the local vets are all reminded of their former colleague as they learn that tragedy has struck again.
Coming up, Paddy, Rhona and Vanessa are tearful upon hearing that Pearl has passed away off-screen.
Paddy feels close to Pearl as he wears the last jumper she’ll ever knit for him.
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Regular viewers of the long-running show will remember that Pearl was portrayed by actress Meg Johnson and was first introduced to life in Emmerdale in 2003.
A reputed gossip, she was also known as the vet surgery receptionist before Dawn Fletcher took on the job herself.
Pearl bonded with multiple characters throughout her years in the village but she eventually left the village in 2020 and decided to live in a static caravan in Demdyke.
Off-screen, however, things were taking a tragic turn for Meg Johnson.
The soap actress passed away at her home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on July 1, 2023, at 86 years old.
In a statement, her family said that she had spent her last years battling dementia while Emmerdale paid an emotional tribute to her in the wake of her passing.
What’s ahead following Pearl’s death?
Emmerdale airs weeknights from 7.30pm on ITV.