ITV1 THURSDAY
GUS HOLDS RHONA’S FATE IN HIS HANDS – AND MARLON LASHES OUT…
Rhona prepares to go on trial for kidnapping Ivy this week, knowing she could be banged up for wanting to be a part of her biological daughter’s life.
Believing she’s done nothing wrong, the single-minded mum decides to plead ‘not guilty’, and when Marlon attacks Ivy’s dad Gus, the situation reaches breaking point. Can a lastminute offer from a surprising source rescue Rhona from a life behind bars?
“It’s not looking good for Rhona, but she fully thinks she’s in the right,” reveals Zoe Henry, who plays her. “She is extremely nervous about saying the right thing in court. This is the last-chance saloon, and Rhona is desperate.”
Marlon and Mary are beside themselves with worry, but doing their very best to be supportive. However, when determined Rhona announces she’s changing her plea, her fraught family fear that she’s sealed her own fate!
Risky move
“Rhona talks to her solicitor the day before the trial and asks what would happen if she pleaded ‘not guilty’,” explains Zoe. “This doesn’t go down well with Marlon and her mum, so Rhona storms out. She runs into Vanessa, who acts as a sounding board, and Rhona is able to resolve it in her head that this situation is wrong. Ivy is her flesh and blood, and Rhona can’t stand up in court and brand herself a criminal when she doesn’t feel like one. Mary and Marlon are shocked, although Rhona is absolutely resolute that this is the right thing to do.”
Her mind may be made up, but the reaction from her relatives causes friction as it means Rhona may potentially end up with a heftier sentence if she’s found guilty. This is particularly hard for April, who accuses her stepmum of being selfish by slavishly sticking to her guns, and feels that she’s neglecting her other children with her actions. Throughout her quest to keep hold of baby Ivy, has Rhona stopped to consider the impact on April and Leo if she is sent to jail?
“April wants nothing to do with Rhona,” shares Zoe. “I can understand it from April’s point of view. Leo has also started to misbehave in school, which Rhona feels terrible about – she didn’t see any of this coming and feels wretched at how the children are reacting, which is undeniably all her fault.”
April is so angry she’s driven to take drastic action to keep Rhona out of prison, and hopefully heal the rift in her family. Skiving off school, the tormented teen even sneaks away to see Gus and begs him for mercy on her stepmother…
