Rebecca White in Emmerdale: Kidnap ordeal, romance with Ross Barton, and tragic death
We thought she’d found her happy ever after with Ross!
Rebecca White arrived in Emmerdale in 2016 to catch up with her sister Chrissie, nephew Lachlan and dad Lawrence.
But she most definitely stayed for the drama! Which, to be fair, was mostly caused by Rebecca herself.
And now we’ve found out – via a newly returned Ross Barton – that Rebecca has tragically died.
Here’s the lowdown on everything that happened during her time in the Dales.
Rebecca White arrives in Emmerdale
Always a fan of making an entrance, Rebecca arrived in Emmerdale unannounced and in a helicopter and promptly slapped Chrissie’s ex-husband Robert Sugden round the face.
But it was all a big act! Because Rebecca and Robert were in cahoots, aiming to find out if Rebecca was Lawrence’s biological child.
Secret romance
With that mischief done and dusted, Rebecca made a move on Robert – who was involved with Aaron Dingle by then – and he responded.
Rebecca and Robert’s affair was revealed by twisted nephew Lachlan in the pub on Rebecca’s 30th birthday. But Rebecca knew that Lachlan was the one who’d shot Lawrence and framed Andy Sugden for the crime and she was soon manipulating Lachlan into admitting it.
With Lachlan behind bars and Chrissie furious about it, the sisters’ feud intensified.
Who’s the daddy?
But Rebecca was busy elsewhere, having a fling with Ross Barton and Robert Sugden. When she found out she was pregnant, she wasn’t sure who the dad was.
With Robert confirmed as her baby daddy, Rebecca tried to build a mature co-parenting relationship with him.
Totally failed, of course, but she tried.
Car accident
When baby Seb arrived, Rebecca and the rest of the Whites decided the only way to keep Robert out of their lives was to leave for Australia.
So off they went, but Lachlan was annoyed about having to leave so he told Robert, who gave chase.
Lachlan grabbed the wheel and the car hit a lorry head-on, killing both Chrissie and Lawrence, and leaving Rebecca with permanent brain damage.
Lachlan’s reign of terror
It was the start of Lachlan’s reign of terror in the village. He went on to kill best mate Gerry, tried to gas Liv and Robert – only to be discovered red-handed by Rebecca.
He murdered a conman posing as Gerry’s uncle, and for a while viewers thought he had killed Rebecca too!
But actually he had kidnapped poor Rebecca. He held her hostage in a remote cottage, complete with a creepy nurse in attendance.
Eventually Rebecca got free, with some help from Belle, and Lachlan went to prison. Phew!
What happened between Ross and Rebecca White in Emmerdale?
With Ross Barton recovering from his acid attack, and Rebecca rebuilding her life with her brain injury, the pair began to grow close.
Eventually, Ross decided to leave Emmerdale and go to live in Liverpool, and Rebecca went too with little Seb.
And that was the last we’d heard of them – until Ross showed up at Billy’s dodgy bare-knuckle fight this week.
Now we know that Rebecca died suddenly during an operation, and that her son Seb has gone to live with Rebecca’s aunt in Bristol. Ross seems pretty cut up about it, but is trying to put on a brave face. Will more come out about her demise in the coming days?
Who played Rebecca White?
Rebecca was played by Emily Head. She was known for her role as Carli in The Inbetweeners among other things. Since then she’s been in TV dramas including The Syndicate and Whitstable Pearl.
Her dad is Buffy star Anthony Head and her sister is fellow actress Daisy Head.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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