Emmerdale star Zoe Henry addresses shock news in Pierce storyline

Emmerdale spoilers follow.

Emmerdale will be introducing Pierce Harris' son in upcoming scenes, after he discloses to Rhona Goskirk that he's dying and implores her to find his child. Despite Vanessa Woodfield's interference, she manages to meet up with him.

It's obviously a tumultuous set of developments for Rhona, considering her history with evil Pierce and him now behind bars, and actress Zoe Henry has broken down her character's state of mind.

"I think in a lot of ways he is dead to her already," she told Digital Spy and other press. "He's in prison, he no longer poses a threat, certainly after the last time he appeared and killed Graham and wreaked havoc in the village.

ITV

"She's a compassionate woman and of course anybody being ill and dying is terribly sad but I think for herself she has managed to put him in a box in her head and compartmentalise him.

"He doesn't affect her anymore except he does, because when the letter lands, it terrifies her. But yeah, I don't think she feels sad, I think she feels nothing, actually."

It's quite a meaty storyline that could have some long legs with the introduction of Pierce's son, and Henry is only too happy to dig in.

"I really enjoy those sort of intense times," she explained. "I very much enjoyed working with Jonny Wrather (Pierce), I've made no secret of that. As an actor, it's always lovely to get your teeth into something.

"In my 12 years plus at Emmerdale, my storyline with Pierce has probably been the highlight I think, I really really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well constructed and brilliantly written so it was a dream to play.

vanessa woodfield, rhona goskirk, emmerdale

ITV

"I'm always a big fan in soaps, and I think the audience appreciate it when characters’ histories are revisited because people enjoy that, they've got a connection, they've gone through it with you, so you've already got people on board if you're telling stories that have a long history."

Emmerdale airs these scenes in the week beginning on Monday, January 31 on ITV.