Emmerdale’s Isabel Hodgins sent love from Adam Thomas as fans demand return
Emmerdale fans have been sending love to Victoria Sugden star Isabel Hodgins after the actress shared a glimpse into her new life away from the ITV soap — but viewers are now making one very clear request: they want Adam Barton back in the village.
The beloved actress has stepped away from the Dales temporarily following the arrival of her first child, but her absence has reignited memories of one of Victoria Sugden’s most dramatic romances and left fans wondering whether a familiar face could eventually make a surprise comeback.
Isabel Hodgins Celebrates New Chapter Away From Emmerdale
Isabel Hodgins has become one of Emmerdale’s most recognisable stars after playing Victoria Sugden for nearly two decades.
The actress first joined the ITV soap in 2006, taking over the role of Victoria and quickly becoming a key part of one of the village’s most historic families.
Over the years, Victoria has experienced some of the biggest emotional storylines in the Dales, from devastating personal losses to complicated relationships and family struggles.
Earlier this year, Isabel confirmed that she would be taking time away from filming after going on maternity leave.
The actress welcomed her first child, daughter Georgie, with husband Adam Whitehead, marking a major new chapter in her personal life.
Although fans were sad to see Victoria temporarily leave the village, Isabel reassured viewers that her exit was not permanent and teased that she would eventually return to the soap.
A Special Family Update Captures Fans’ Hearts
Since becoming a mother, Isabel has regularly shared moments from her life away from the cameras, giving fans a glimpse into her new role as a parent.
Recently, the actress enjoyed a family holiday with her husband and baby daughter, sharing sweet updates as the family enjoyed some sunshine together.
In one playful post, Isabel joked about asking Adam to make friends with other hotel guests so they could form a team for quiz night.
The light-hearted update quickly attracted attention from fans and former colleagues, including Emmerdale star Adam Thomas.
Adam praised Isabel’s content, telling her he was “loving” the updates.
The interaction immediately sparked excitement among soap viewers, many of whom have spent years hoping Adam Thomas will return to the Dales as Adam Barton.
Fans Still Want Adam Barton’s Dramatic Return
Adam Barton remains one of Emmerdale’s most memorable characters, with his storyline closely connected to Victoria Sugden.
During his time in the village, Adam developed a major romance with Victoria, creating one of the soap’s most popular young couples.
The pair faced plenty of challenges but shared several emotional milestones together.
Adam even set up a scrapyard with the help of Robert Sugden and later planned a future with Victoria.
When Victoria celebrated her 21st birthday, Adam surprised her with a car and proposed marriage.
Although Victoria initially accepted, she eventually called off the wedding after deciding she was too young to make such a huge commitment.
However, their relationship was far from over.
The pair eventually found their way back to each other and decided to rebuild their future together.
But their happiness was tested when Adam became involved in a complicated situation involving Vanessa Woodfield.
Victoria And Adam’s Romance Faced Heartbreaking Twists
Adam’s relationship with Victoria suffered a major setback when his one-night stand with Vanessa came to light.
The betrayal left Victoria devastated, leading to an explosive confrontation between the couple.
At one point, Victoria reacted impulsively during the emotional conflict, leading to a dangerous confrontation with Adam.
Despite the chaos, the pair eventually managed to repair their relationship and decided to move forward.
However, another complication soon emerged.
Vanessa revealed she was pregnant, and for a long time, Adam believed he could be the father.
The uncertainty placed even more pressure on Adam and Victoria’s relationship.
When Adam failed to attend Vanessa’s scan appointment, Vanessa made the difficult decision to leave the village.
Later, it was revealed that Adam was not the father after all — the child’s biological father was actually Kirin Kotecha.
Adam Barton’s Exit Left A Lasting Impact
Adam Barton eventually left Emmerdale in 2018 after almost a decade on screen.
His exit came after he became involved in one of the soap’s biggest crime storylines.
Following Emma Barton’s death, Adam took responsibility to protect his mother, Moira Dingle, and became involved in the subsequent investigation.
As the situation developed, Adam left the village and began a new life elsewhere.
His departure left Victoria heartbroken and created a major gap within the Barton family.
Although years have passed since Adam disappeared, many viewers still believe there is unfinished business between him and the Dales.
Could Adam Barton Return To Emmerdale?
While there has been no official confirmation that Adam Thomas will reprise his role, fans continue to speculate about a possible comeback.
Victoria’s life has changed dramatically since Adam left.
She has faced heartbreak, loss, and major challenges, but her history with Adam remains one of the most important chapters of her character’s journey.
A return could open the door to several emotional possibilities.
Would Adam and Victoria finally get closure?
Could old feelings return?
Or would Adam discover that the village he left behind has completely changed?
Soap fans know that Emmerdale has a long history of bringing back familiar faces when the timing is right, and Adam Barton’s unfinished story makes him a character many viewers would welcome back.
Victoria Sugden’s Future Remains A Talking Point
For now, Isabel Hodgins is enjoying precious time with her growing family while fans eagerly await Victoria’s return.
The actress’ connection with viewers has remained strong throughout her time on Emmerdale, and her latest updates have only increased affection for the star.
Meanwhile, speculation surrounding Adam Barton’s possible comeback continues to grow.
Whether the former couple will ever share the screen again remains unknown, but one thing is clear — Emmerdale fans have not forgotten Adam Barton.
With Victoria expected to eventually return to the village, viewers will be watching closely to see what the future holds for one of the Sugden family’s most important characters.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and episodes are available to stream on ITVX and YouTube.