From her amazing Memphis wedding to her pet dog's instagram account, there's plenty to learn about the lovely Michelle Hardwick...
Michelle Hardwick has been playing Emmerdale village vet Vanessa Woodfield since 2012, and since then she has been at the centre of some of the soap's most hard-hitting storylines.
Most recently Vanessa has been facing her toughest challenge yet as she takes on a battle against bowel cancer, a storyline that Michelle has thrown herself into.
But how much do you know about Michelle herself?
Most fans of the actress will know that:
- She's a Yorkshire lass born and bred
- She is a proud mum and aunty
- She's really good friends with her Emmerdale co-stars
But what else do we know about Michelle? Here are several things you probably don't know...
Michelle Hardwick: little known facts about the Emmerdale actress...
1. Michelle Hardwick got married at Elvis Presley's house
Michelle married her partner, Kate Brooks, who is a producer at Emmerdale, in September 2019. The pair got hitched in Elvis's legendary home, Graceland in Tennessee and decided to elope there after they discovered Kate's mum was too unwell to fly all the way to America. The newlyweds then celebrated with their friends and family at a reception back in the UK.
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2. She's a runner
Michelle might be a fan of running, having taken part in numerous 10k races, but until just a few years ago she hadn't thought of herself as a runner. She told Women's Running: "Initially I couldn't run to the bottom of the street out the local supermarket without being out of breath or stopping, but then I downloaded the Couch To 10k app and just built it up very steadily."
3. Emmerdale isn't her first TV role
Michelle got her first big break in ITV series The Royal. The Heartbeat spin-off was a hospital drama set in the 1960s, and Michelle played the role of ditzy character Lizzie. She has also appeared in Heartbeat.
More: Things you didn't know about Emmerdale's Zoe Henry
4. Michelle Hardwick has been in two other soaps before Emmerdale
While we might know and love Michelle as Emmerdale's village vet Vanessa Woodfield, she has actually appeared in both Coronation Street and Hollyoaks before landing her current role. After appearing in Coronation Street early in her career, first in 1997 as Sheila Dixon and then in 1998 as Naomi Russell. The actress then got a part as D.I Parker in Hollyoaks who arrested established character Mitzeee in 2012.
5. She's an excellent singer
As well as singing in her role as Lizzie in The Royal, Michelle has also took part in Abbamania, performing Abba track Waterloo with fellow TV actress Vickie Gates and actors Will Mellor and Lee Otway. But while she might be amazing behind a mic, Michelle is adamant that acting is her first love.
6. Her pet dog Fred has his own Instagram account
Michelle is a very proud mum to Fred the Cavapoo and she has set up his own social media account so that fans can keep up to date on his latest news. It's easy to understand why everyone wants to know more about Fred - he's gorgeous! In fact, Fred even featured in Michelle and Kate's announcement that they were expecting their first child together. You can follow Fred at @fredthecavapooofficial.
More: Things you didn't know about Emmerdale legend Jeff Hordley
7. Michelle Hardwick loves treading the boards
As well as appearing in numerous other stage shows, Michelle has also taken the main roles in Snow White and Cinderella.
8. She is mum to baby Teddy
Michelle and wife Kate are proud parents to their baby son, Edward 'Teddy' Peter Brooks, who was born on Friday 9th October, 2020.
Michelle Hardwick's Fact File
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the actress....
How old is she?
Michelle Hardwick's age is 44. Her date of birth is 26 February 1976.
Is she in a relationship?
Michelle Hardwick married Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks in September 2019.
Does she have kids?
Michelle Hardwick and wife Kate have a son called Teddy born on 9th October 2020.
Where was she born?
Michelle Hardwick was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire.
How tall is she?
Michelle Hardwick's height is 1.6 metres tall.
Twitter: @Chellehardwick
Instagram: @missmichellehardwick
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
Picture credits: Main image of Michelle Hardwick: Getty
