Will a romance follow for Vinny and Naomi? (Picture: ITV)
There may be romance on the cards for widower Vinny Ashdale (Bradley Johnson) in Emmerdale, as he grows close to Naomi Anderson – but any closeness is destined to be short-lived.
In April it was revealed that Karene Peter would be leaving Emmerdale and her role of Naomi Walters. Karene, who joined the show in July 2022, is set to exit the Dales this summer to pursue other acting projects, although the door will be left open for her return.
Naomi was a troubled and troublesome soul when she arrived in Emmerdale last year. There were tensions between her and dad Charles (Kevin Mathurin), and it was soon revealed that she’d been part of a girl gang that attacked Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler).
Naomi had to face court and was found to be innocent and since then she’s settled into the village, getting a job alongside Marlon (Mark Charnock) at the Woolpack.
One thing that’s got her into trouble in the past is her choice of men. She formed a relationship with Dawn (Olivia Bromley)’s ex, Alex (Liam Boyle), little realising that he was using her to get at the drugs stored at the surgery.
Naomi is stubborn and strong-willed, and initially refused to believe everyone who warned her against Alex.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
It could be that for her final weeks in the village she’s heading into much calmer waters relationship-wise, as a close friendship is set to blossom between her and Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson).
Since Vinny’s wife Liv (Isobel Steele) died in a freak accident during a violent storm last autumn, he hasn’t shown any interest in pursuing another relationship. It took him a long time to even be able to function day to day as he struggled with his grief.
At first glance it might seem like Vinny and Naomi don’t have much in common, with the mild-mannered Vinny being exactly the kind of ‘boring’ and ‘dull’ personality that Naomi accused her previous boyfriend Nate (Jurell Carter) of being.
Will Mandy approve of their new relationship (Picture: ITV)
But Naomi has recently been dealing with the arrival of her grandfather Victor (Eddie Osei) into her life and being told about his criminal past. Despite this she’s wanted to get to know Victor.
Vinny, with his own history of living with abusive father Paul Ashdale (Reece Dinsdale), is likely to be a sympathetic ear and someone who can listen to her complicated feelings about her family without judging.
WIN tickets for a guided tour of the Emmerdale village set
Calling all Emmerdale fans – this is your chance to stroll through the nation’s favourite village!
We’re giving five Metro.co.uk readers the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to ITV Attractions’ Emmerdale Village Tour.
The guided tour gives you access to the outdoor Emmerdale set, revealing off-air secrets and fascinating facts as you discover the stories behind life in the Dales.
To enter simply fill out your details using the form below – and in the meantime you can also sign up for our fantastic soaps newsletters! Head here for the full T&Cs plus all the details about this fabulous prize.
You have until 11am on Thursday 29 June 2023 to enter, so make sure you sign up soon. Good luck!
Click here to enter if the form hasn’t loaded.
As their friendship grows closer, there could be romance for Vinny and Naomi. There could also be trouble, as we know what a manipulative and sinister man Victor is. Could Naomi be opening the door to danger as she begins to trust him?
MORE : Emmerdale star Lisa Riley makes beautiful post for partner of nine years
Is Vinny about to get his heart broken?