Ursula Holden-Gill’s life has changed a lot since starring in Emmerdale.
The actress starred in the ITV soap as Alice Dingle from 2004-2006.
Alice and Sam Dingle (James Hooton) met after Paddy (Dominic Brunt) found her living alone on her family’s chicken farm after the death of her father. She moved in with Paddy and his then-wife Emily (Kate McGregor), and that’s where she was introduced to Sam.
Sam and Alice were very similar characters and soon bonded, so he was devastated when she decided to sell her farm and move to Norfolk.
He eventually decided to go with her, but later returned in mysterious circumstances, followed by Alice who said he’d left after discovering she was pregnant with their son Samson (Sam Hall).
Admitting that the thought of fatherhood terrified him, Sam couldn’t face leaving Emmerdale and his family again, so the couple settled back in the village.
Alice was told she had cancer shortly after her pregnancy discovery.
She was advised to terminate her pregnancy so she could have treatment but refused. Samson was born, and a few months later, in 2006, Alice died, with Sam helping her by giving her an overdose of morphine.
Following her departure from the soap, star Ursula went on to develop a career in teaching. Her final acting credit was from a series called In the Dark, which aired in 2017.
In 2022, Ursula became a Dramatherapist. On her website, the star says she is dedicated to leading ‘Child and Family Trauma Therapy’.
As well as a huge change in career, Ursula’s appearance has changed a great deal in years she’s been away from Emmerdale, now sporting slightly longer hair compared to Alice’s short red hair.
In the ITV soap, Sam is now married to Lydia (Karen Blick). In recent episodes, the two characters and the rest of the Dingle clan dealt with the loss of Zak (Steve Halliwell).
The funeral was interrupted by the return of Zak’s daughter Tina (Samantha Power).
She’s caused a great deal of trouble since she got back to the village, namely revealing herself to be the biological mother of Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson).
