Emmerdale's Tracy with the show logo comp image
Soaps

Tracy Metcalfe’s Emmerdale journey: From exit to brief return

Tracy returns to screens tonight

Tracy Metcalfe left Emmerdale in January 2022 for a new job. She returned briefly in October 2022 for the 50th anniversary celebrations.

But where is Tracy now? When will she return and will she be coming back to the soap full time?

Emmerdale Nov 30 Tracy looks upset as she struggles to forgive Nate
Tracy is finding it hard to forgive Nate (Credit: ITV)

Who is Tracy Metcalfe in Emmerdale?

Tracy Shankley first appeared in Emmerdale in July 2014. She is the daughter of Frank Clayton and Evette Shankley. Evette has never been seen on-screen.

She is also the half-sister of Vanessa Woodfield. They share the same dad, however they didn’t know they were sisters until 2016.

Before her life in Emmerdale, Tracy was a prostitute. She then moved on to working on adult chatlines, which is where she met Sam Dingle in 2014.

She was using the name Coleen and conned Sam out of money.

Sam later found her sleeping in the barn at Wishing Well Cottage and realised she had been stealing money and vodka from the house.

Tracy then went to stay at the B&B secretly but was caught by Val Pollard. She soon began to work at the B&B and Val allowed her to stay there.

Tracy has had several relationships, most notably being married to David Metcalfe. They split when he couldn’t handle her prostitute past.

Amy walsh in emmerdale
Tracy recently became a mum (Credit: ITV)

Tracy’s postnatal depression

Last year, Tracy started going out with Nate Robinson and after a few months together, they found out Tracy was pregnant. In February 2021, Tracy gave birth to a baby girl who she named Frankie in honour of her dad Frank.

However, Tracy struggled being a new mum and began to suffer with intrusive thoughts. Her battle with Postnatal depression reached a terrifying climax when she decided everyone would be better off without her and Frankie around and approached the edge of a cliff clutching her child.

Tracy finally got the help she needed as she was placed in a mother and baby unit and put on a treatment plan to get better. With lots of help and support, she managed to get back on her feet and she and Nate got engaged.

After Nate cheated on her on a night out, the couple split up. When Tracy was then offered a job in Nottingham at a specialist mother and baby unit she took the opportunity.

Emmerdale Tracy Metcalfe looks happy with daughter Frankie
Emmerdale star Amy Walsh made a brief return as Tracy Metcalfe in October (Credit: ITV)

Tracy’s anniversary return

In October 2022, Tracy and her daughter returned to the village. At the time, Nate was in a relationship with Naomi Walters.

Tracy revealed she was engaged to someone she’d met in Nottingham. However, it was clear her feelings still lay with Nate.

They pair ended up sleeping together and Tracy decided she wanted to be with him. But Nate recommitted to Naomi and Tracy went back to Nottingham.

Speaking about her return at the time, actress Amy Walsh told Entertainment Daily and other media: “It was lovely to be invited back for the 50th.”

She also added that she just wasn’t ready to come back full-time. “When I was going on maternity leave, Jane [Hudson], the executive producer, mentioned it was all happening around August and September and said if I wanted to be a part of it to let her know.

“But when it came to it I just wasn’t ready to come back full-time. She very kindly offered to write me in and back out again so I didn’t have to cut my maternity leave short. But I still didn’t miss out on the 50th celebrations so it was win-win!”

Amy Walsh smiling
Actress Amy Walsh is expecting her first child (Credit: SplashNews.com)

When did Amy Walsh, who plays Tracy, have her baby in real life?

Amy and her partner, EastEnders star Toby-Alexander Smith shared their baby joy with OK!, when Amy admitted they were “so excited” to become parents.

Amy, 34, was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries at 20, so thought her fertility might be an issue. However, the couple didn’t end up trying for very long before they got their happy news.

“It feels as though the way everything happened was meant to be. I thought I might struggle with fertility, so for pregnancy to happen quite easily and when I wanted – I was gobsmacked. We feel incredibly lucky,” Amy said.

They welcomed baby Bonnie on December 27 2021. The couple got engaged six months later and are busy planning their wedding, which they’ve pencilled in for 2024. Bonnie turned one over Christmas 2022.

Nate and Tracy on the sofa together, Nate is wearing only his boxers
Will Tracy be back for Nate? (Credit: ITV)

When is Tracy returning to Emmerdale?

After her brief return in October last year, Tracy left to go back to Nottingham. Although nothing has been confirmed about her permanent comeback, Amy has previously told how she definitely wants to return to the soap.

“Oh, yeah. I mean, God knows when. I don’t know. I’ve got to figure it out logistically,” she told Loose Women during an interview last year.

However, no more details of Amy’s full-time return have been given. But with her connection to Nate still there, could she be making a comeback soon?

And what would bring her back to the village this time? A quick visit? Or something deeper?

Read more: Complete Emmerdale cast list 2023 – meet them all here!

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Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.

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Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)