Is Victoria Sugden Leaving Emmerdale?
Yes, Victoria Sugden is leaving Emmerdale – but it’s a storyline exit, not a permanent goodbye. On screen, she makes the heartbreaking decision to leave the village with her son Harry, weighed down by guilt over John’s death and the chaos that followed.
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She sells her share of the farm to the Tates, says an emotional farewell to Moira in prison, and quietly sets her sights on a new life in Portugal with Diane.
Off-screen, this departure is tied to a very normal, very human reason: Isabel Hodgins is stepping away for maternity leave. She finished filming her final scenes some time ago, and the show has written Victoria out in a way that feels final for now, but not like a character being erased.
There’s no fatal car crash, no “vanishing into the fog” mystery – just a young mum who can’t live with the guilt and chooses distance and safety for herself and her child.
Fans have understandably reacted with a mix of sadness and sympathy. After all, Victoria has been a core part of the show’s fabric for years: involved in major family drama, relationships, and big farm storylines.
Seeing her walk away, especially after such heavy material, hits harder than a typical soap exit. But the door is clearly left open for a return once both actress and story are ready.
Who Plays Victoria Sugden in Emmerdale?
In the current season, Victoria Sugden is played by Isabel Hodgins, who has held the role for a long stretch and become the definitive face of the character for most viewers.
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For many fans, especially newer ones, “Victoria” and “Isabel” are almost interchangeable in their minds – that’s how closely she’s associated with the part.
Her performance this season has been particularly intense: she’s had to carry everything from terror and shock in the scenes surrounding John’s attack and death, to quiet, suffocating guilt as Joe’s blackmail closes in.
Those prison visits to Moira, the arguments with Robert, and the final scenes where she packs up her life and plans the move to Portugal have given her plenty of emotionally loaded material, and you can see the years of experience in how she plays those moments. It’s one of those situations where you can tell the writers trust the actor.
When a character is central to heavy plot turns – killing in self-defence, covering it up, being blackmailed, sacrificing the farm – the show needs someone who can anchor all that without it feeling cartoonish. This season, Isabel’s Victoria has been right at the centre of that storm.
Who is Isabel Hodgins?
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Isabel Hodgins is a British actress best known for her long-running role as Victoria Sugden in Emmerdale. She joined the soap as a teenager and has grown up on screen, evolving Victoria from a background family member into one of the show’s key figures.
Over the years, she’s been at the heart of storylines involving trauma, relationships, motherhood, and now a shocking act of self-defence that changes everything. In recent months, Isabel has stepped back from filming to take maternity leave, which is why the show has written Victoria out for a while.
She’s spoken about expecting to feel more emotional filming her last scenes, but also feeling ready for a break from the demanding soap schedule. That honesty seems to have gone down well with fans, who’ve been sending her good wishes while also mourning the temporary loss of a familiar character.
What stands out about Isabel’s work is consistency. Playing the same role for years can be a trap if it stays flat, but she’s managed to let Victoria grow and change – from younger, reactive story beats to more complex, morally messy territory like the current John storyline.
It’s exactly the kind of foundation that makes a future return feel natural rather than forced. When Victoria does eventually walk back into the village, it’ll feel less like a stunt and more like someone coming home after a very long, very painful detour.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is based on publicly available sources, including news and social media updates. The details regarding Victoria Sugden's departure from Emmerdale and Isabel Hodgins' maternity leave are accurate as of the publication date. Changes to the storyline or casting may occur over time. The article is intended to provide information about the character and actress and does not guarantee any future developments.
