Emmerdale star pays emotional tribute to wife as she quits to join rival soap
EMMERDALE star Michelle Hardwick has shared a sentimental message as her wife quits to join rival ITV soap.
Coronation Street has revealed its new big boss as Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks takes over.
Kate, who is married to Michelle and they share two children, will begin her new role next month.
Michelle expressed her pride on Instagram, saying: “PROUD WIFE ALERT. So the news is out that my beautiful, talented wife is swapping the Dales for the Cobbles to take on the role of Coronation Street Series Producer.”
Michelle added: “I know everyone at Emmerdale will miss her smiley face and fabulous story brain. To all my friends at Coronation Street, you’re very lucky, you’ve got a good one there.
“Good luck Kate! Me, Teddy and Betty are all so proud of you and love you all the world and more.”
Michelle, who plays vet Vanessa Woodfield in Emmerdale, tied the knot with Kate in 2019 and welcomed their first child Teddy in 2020, with Betty arriving a year later.
They met on the set of Emmerdale and fell in love, after Michelle’s split from her first wife Rosie Nicholl in 2017.
Kate has worked on Emmerdale as a producer since 2018 but she previously worked on Corrie and its most memorable storylines including Hayley’s death, who killed Tina, the arrival of serial killer Pat Phelan.
Kate said: “I’ve had a wonderful time working on Emmerdale and I feel immensely proud to be part of a team that has achieved such great success over the past eight years.
“I’ve absolutely loved my time on the show, and I’ve had the privilege of working with such a hugely talented and hard-working bunch of people, who also happen to be the loveliest, too.
“Both professionally and personally, Emmerdale has given me so much more than I ever could have imagined, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.
“Thanks Emmerdale, it’s been an absolute pleasure.”
She added: “Corrie has lit up my living room since I was a kid, so to be asked to produce a show I’ve revered for such a long time is the ultimate ‘pinch me’ moment.
“I’ve adored the show from across the Pennines and have consistently been in awe of the talent on display, both on and off the screen.
“It truly is a special show and I endeavour to take great care to ensure that it continues to thrive as we head into the next chapter. Coronation Street has, and always will be, part of my DNA, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
During her time at Emmerdale Kate was responsible for hugely successful storylines such as serial killer Meena Jutla’s reign of terror, the return of Mandy Dingle in 2019 after a 17-year absence, Maya’s grooming and abuse of Jacob and Lydia Dingle’s harrowing rape ordeal.
Most recently Kate has produced the devastating and heart-breaking story of Chas Dingle’s breast cancer diagnosis, elected mastectomy and drawing attention to carriers of the BRCA2 gene mutation and how this can also affect men who consequently develop the disease.
Her appointment to Corrie comes as the ITV soap has struggled in recent months.
While still the most-watched soap in the country, ratings have slipped to less than five million and the Christmas Day edition fell out of the top ten for the first time in decades.
She will report to the newly appointed Executive Producer for Continuing Drama, Iain MacLeod, John Whiston, Managing Director for Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North, and ITV Drama Commissioner, Huw Kennair-Jones.
Iain said: “Kate is a fantastic storyteller and I know under her guidance the show will be ambitious, exciting and full of heart and humour.
“She is Corrie to the core and such a good fit for the show. I am genuinely excited to see what the next chapter holds and can’t wait to work with her again.”