Emmerdale village resident Victoria Sugden, played by Isabel Hodgins, has had a seriously difficult year which all started when she was raped during the Big Night Out special.
She then found out she was pregnant, her brother Robert (Ryan Hawley) got sent to prison for killing her rapist, and the rapist’s mum moved into the village too.
But things are set to get more tricky when she becomes a new mum, going into labour on New Year’s Eve.
Speaking at a recent press day, actress Isabel told Daily Star Online: “She’s had a bit of a naff New Year’s Eve and Mrs [Wendy Posner] shows up, so she’s like, ‘I’m just gonna get out of here.’
“So she’s walking home as we bring the new year in, her waters break. So that was an interesting thing.”
Sharing the secrets of how they make it look real on camera, Isabel explained: “We’ve got a funnel, a little tube down my back.
“I was like to the camera man, ‘Let’s just never talk about this again.'”
She added: “It’s a very special way to bring in the new year, a new little life.”
Isabel had planned to binge episodes of One Born Every Minute to get herself ready to film her birth scenes.
But she explained: “Somebody told me that these mothers vlog their labour and all of that stuff.
“I guess it’s more unedited than One Born Every Minute. You really see the journey.
“I accidentally got a day off and that’s how I spent my days, watching these poor women in agony, and then, when they finally get to hold the baby, you can tell all that pain’s melted away.
“Women are strong, aren’t they?”
Victoria had been worried that she might not bond with her new baby, however Isabel said: “Love at first sight. All her worries just melt away and she just wants to be the best mum she can be.”
She went on: “She’s still got people around her. She’s lived in the village for a very long time, she’s got support from loads of people, but I think it just is, for any first time mum, finding their feet with the baby and trying to get on with her life, now as a mummy.”
The storyline has been very intense, with it all starting nine months ago with Victoria’s horrific rape at the hands of Lee.
Isabel said: “It has been challenging but I’ve loved it.
“I think because I’ve worked at Emmerdale for so long, I feel like I’ve had the support of everyone.
“When I first had the meeting and got told about it, I was like, crumbs, but they said they believed in me and the cast and crew have been amazing and it’s been nice because I feel like I’ve pushed myself and I’ve produced things I didn’t know I could, so thank you for a very busy, challenging year.”
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7pm on ITV
