Nicola Wheeler says she was required to undergo hip replacement surgery as she opens up about the secret procedure.
The soap star disappeared from work for a couple of months to recuperate before returning to set.
However, she explained that she wasn’t able to do stunts for her latest in-depth storyline.
Read more: Emmerdale’s Nicola Wheeler lives in a rustic and cosy house away from Nicola King role
What major surgery did Nicola have?
Nicola shared that she was told about her character’s terrifying attack and subsequent battle with a severe anxiety condition while she took time off from filming.
The Emmerdale star explained that a stunt double took over for the physical parts of Nicola King’s assault as she was still healing.
She told the This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about her experience.
She said: “I took a couple of months off for a hip replacement and they told me about this story.
“They said ‘What we are going to do is we are going to bring you back and beat you up, is that okay?’
“I said 'Fine, but I can't throw myself on the floor' so the stunt double did anything truly physical just because obviously I was still healing.”
Has Nicola taken health-related time off from Emmerdale before?
While Nicola hasn't spoken too much about her health, she did leave the soap for a few months after welcoming her son Jude, who was born in 2015.
She announced the surprise pregnancy when she was eight months along via a statement on Twitter.
She said: “Thanks for all your congratulations still got a couple of weeks until arrives. Unless he/she gets impatient."
The official Emmerdale Twitter page confirmed that she gave birth by sending their best wishes to the actress: "BIG congratulations to @nicola_Wheeler and her baby boy, who arrived on Friday 13!"
Her on-screen counterpart left the soap for a while by jetting off to start a new job in Dubai which covered Nicola’s maternity leave.
What happened to Nicola on Emmerdale?
Nicola King has started to develop a severe anxiety disorder after she was attacked by a group of teenage girls.
She was beaten, robbed and left bloody and unconscious on the ground before finding herself in hospital.
The character doesn’t want to leave the house as she fears the teenagers will return to continue their assault.
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