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DALES DIVORCE
Emmerdale couple split just a year after marrying as toxic affair takes brutal twist
But who’s really to blame for the affair that ruined it all?
AN EMMERDALE couple are torn apart just a year after tying the knot – as a toxic affair sends shockwaves through the village.
What started as a steamy secret spirals into heartbreak, betrayal and one brutal showdown that leaves their marriage in tatters.
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As the truth comes out, emotions run high – and it’s clear there’s no going back.
Emmerdale’s Billy Fletcher will be left broken next week after a string of cruel lies tears his marriage to Dawn apart - and ends in a devastating goodbye to his family.
It all kicks off when Mackenzie slyly suggests Dawn might be having an affair with ex-flame Ross, planting a seed of doubt that quickly spirals out of control.
Billy's alarm bells ring louder when he finds Dawn’s phone locked with a new code - and things only get worse when Joe fans the flames, fuelling Billy’s paranoia.
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Convinced something’s going on, Billy confronts Ross and the pair come to blows - only for Clemmie to walk in and hear the ugly accusation.
Mortified, Billy tries to comfort her, but she shuts him out, and he’s crushed to realise he’s got it all wrong.
Racked with guilt, Joe offers support - but knows he’s the real reason behind Billy’s heartbreak.
As Billy leaves Home Farm, Joe assures a guilty Dawn it's for the best.
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Later, Billy swallows his pride and apologises to Ross, who urges him not to let the mess with Dawn ruin things with the kids.
His words hit home - and Billy returns with flowers and an apology.
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But it's too late.
Dawn and Billy know it’s over, and they brace themselves to break the news to Clemmie and Lucas.
As they explain their divorce, emotions run high and Billy’s choked as he realises he’s saying goodbye to the family life he loved.
With a heavy heart, Billy leaves Home Farm for good - and Kim Tate, surprisingly sympathetic, offers him a place in the holiday cottage as he starts his next chapter... alone.
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Real-life soap couples
Soaps are renowned for their sweet and scandalous romances – but it's not just in scripted storylines where love is blossoming. A number of our favourite small-screen actors have fallen for co-stars and soapland rivals when the cameras have stopped rolling.
Max Parker and Kris Mochrie
- Despite playing brothers Luke and Lee Posner on Emmerdale, the pair never actually shared any scenes together. But the pair still fell in love after meeting on set. Max and Kris got together in 2020, moving in together later than same year and got engaged in 2022. In a sweet Instagram post, the couple confirmed they're planning a 2025 wedding.
Beth Cordingly and Ian Kelsey
- Beth, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan, announced her love for her co-star Ian Kelsey, who played Dean Glover, shortly after she joined Emmerdale at the beginning of 2024. “I am very in love with Ian and very happy. I think it really does work him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic," she gushed.
Laura Norton and Mark Jordan
- Kerry Wyatt and Daz Eden actors Laura and Mark met on the set of Emmerdale in 2014. The couple, who got engaged in 2018, told Loose Women they spent a long time deciding whether they should "just stay as friends." Although it seems they were meant to be and the pair now share two children together.
Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley
- Emmerdale favourites and Jeff, who play Rhonda Goskirk and Cain Dingle met at drama college in 1994 and have been together ever since. While working together might be too much for some couples, that's definitely not the case for Zoe and Jeff. Zoe previously told The Sun: "Working on the same show as Jeff also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand."
Lesley Dunlop and Chris Chittell
- Lesley and Chris are another Dales romantic success story. Unlike some of the other soap stars, the pair who play Brenda Walker and Eric Pollard, are together on and off screen, officially tying the knot in 2016. They also adore working together, but have clear home-work boundaries. "We make a point of not talking about Emmerdale when we’re at home, though – that would be just too sad, wouldn’t it?" Chris revealed.
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
- Abi Franklin and Tim Metcalfe actors Sally and Joe got together after meeting on the set of Coronation Street in 2017 and they tied the knot in July 2022. But unlike some of the Emmerdale stars, Sally and Joe prefer that their characters don't interact much. Sally previously admitted it "would be horrendous" to work on a storyline with Joe because "he's too funny."
Anthony Cotton and Peter Eccleston
- Sean Tully may have been unlucky in love on the cobbles, but in real life Antony's met his Prince Charming. The soap star started dating long-term partner Peter in 2005, after they met when he was working as an assistant props buyer on Corrie.
Jane Danson and Robert Beck
- Corrie favourite Jane Danson tied the knot with soap star Robert Beck in 2005. The actress, who plays Leanne Battersby, shares two children, Harry and Sam, with the former Brookside star. During their marriage, Robert has also done a stint in Weatherfield playing criminal Jimmy Dockerson.
Caroline Harding and Chris Gascoyne
- Chris, who played pub landlord Peter Barlow, married soap star Caroline in 2002. Although she is best known as an Emmerdale star, Caroline did visit her husband at work when she did a two-episode stint as doctor on the Manchester soap in 2020. The couple share a daughter called Belle, plus two children, Pip and Freddie from Caroline's previous marriage.
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
- Nadine Mulkerrin, and Rory Doulas Speed are known for their Hollyoaks alter egos Cleo McQueen and Joel Dexter. The loved-up pair got engaged on a December 2018 trip to Amsterdam - just over a year after they announced they were dating. They now share two kids, Reggie and Dougie.
Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward
- Former Hollyoaks star Sophie, whose best known for playing villain Lindsay Butterfield, was introduced to singer and ex-Corrie star Shayne through mutual friends. She gave birth to their daughter Willow in December 2016 and they welcomed a son in 2022.
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