Emmerdale's Nicola King, played by actress Nicola Wheeler, has been at the heart of some of the soap's most dramatic storylines over the years. However, her real life couldn't be more different from her on-screen persona.
The character is known for her outspoken and brash personality, which has often sparked controversy among viewers Away from the cameras, Wheeler leads a quiet life, far removed from the drama of the Dales. She is a dedicated mother and wife, residing in Yorkshire, and prefers to keep her partner largely out of the public eye.
Despite this, she has offered some rare glimpses into her family and home life over the years - let's take a look. Her husband is rarely seen in public, reports the Mirror.
Rarely-seen husband
Little is known about Wheeler's off-screen love life, but it is understood that she is married to a man named Matt. The couple have yet to make an appearance together at any awards ceremonies or other showbiz events, and details about how they met or when they tied the knot remain unclear.
What is known, however, is that they welcomed a son together in 2015, with Wheeler taking a six-month maternity leave. Lancashire lass Nicola took to social media to share her baby joy, tweeting: "Thanks for all your congratulations still got a couple of weeks until arrives. Unless he/she gets impatient."
Come April, the Emmerdale Twitter account was all cheers with a post that said: "BIG congratulations to @nicola_Wheeler and her baby boy, who arrived on Friday 13! ". At 49, Nicola has been vocal about her partner Matt's fab dad skills in a chat with OK!
Magazine, back when their little one was just a tot. She dished out: "I am really lucky that me and my partner are sharing the childcare. But we have said that the hardest work is looking after the kid all day. [...] Coming to work is like a holiday I can actually come to work and do things like look at the internet, do some shopping, get some yoga in, or just sit and do b***** all."
Yorkshire home
While Nicola keeps her family life under wraps on social media, she's treated followers to sneak peeks of her stunning Yorkshire pad, boasting cosy vibes aplenty. Her festive Twitter snaps reveal a gorgeous white-tiled kitchen with classy marble tops, all decked out with cute decos and loads of Christmas goodies.
One pic from the Emmerdale star's pad shows a charming cast iron fireplace set in a snug brick alcove the type that screams cosy Yorkshire Dales cottage vibes. Yet, it's her garden that'll really drop your jaw, sprawling enough for Nicola to indulge in her fave pastime: beekeeping.
The actress and buzzy hobbyist previously shared her love for apiculture on Twitter, saying: "Just put my honey bees to bed for winter. I mean they'll all keep buzzing and doing their thing until nature tells them to stay indoors, but I won't interfere until spring. Really calm hive - not one sting this year and lots of honey. Thanks, girls."
Secret surgery
Nicola opened up on her secret operation toThis Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. Turns out she had to step away from the cameras in 2022 for a bit of hip replacement.
And while still mending, the Emmerdale chiefs were plotting her comeback. She explained at the time: "They said 'What we are going to do is we are going to bring you back and beat you up, is that okay?'. Nicola recounted with a laugh. "I said 'fine, but I can't throw myself on the floor', so the stunt double did anything truly physical just because obviously I was still healing."
In a candid chat with The Sun, she confessed her nerves about shooting the car scene post-surgery. "Bear in mind, I had only just had my hip replaced. I was fully healed, don't worry, they didn't drag me in early," she explained.
"I probably was miles away [from Matthew Wolfenden], but I kept thinking, 'What if my foot slips, what if I do actually hit the back of his car? '" Thankfully, everything turned out fine and no one was injured.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays
English (US) ·