As they settled in to their stay-at-home honeymoon, Marlon (Mark Charnock) and Rhona (Zoe Henry) had another family celebration in tonight’s Emmerdale – the 13th birthday of Marlon’s daughter April (Amelia Flanagan).

April and Leo (Harvey Rogerson) had been staying overnight with their granddad Bob (Tony Audenshaw). ‘Not turned into a nightmare overnight, then?’ Rhona joked when they saw Bob on the way back from buying breakfast treats for the birthday girl.

‘It’s too early to say, really, she’s just got up,’ Bob replied. Rhona observed that, ‘The sleeping in has started. Are we ready for a teenager?’ Bob had some words of comfort. ‘Don’t worry – it only last six years!’

When April got back home, she was obviously in a seriously bad mood, ignoring her dad and Rhona and slumping in front of the TV. She was snappy and sulky and Marlon and Rhona were completely confused – could their previously kind, caring daughter have really turned into a monster overnight? And what about Bob’s warning that it would ‘only’ last for six years?

Luckily, it was all a wind-up concocted by Bob and April. ‘It’s not funny!’ said a relieved Marlon. ‘Yes it was,’ his daughter replied.

The rest of the birthday proceeded more predictably, with April opening her presents, and then offering to pick Leo up from holiday club and take him to the park.

This was more like the April we’ve come to know and love. She’s been so supportive to her dad as he recovered from his stroke, helping him to get through the trauma of that and to realise that he still had a role to play as her dad even when he felt at his most hopeless. She’s kind, sensible and funny.

‘I think we’ve got a pretty special teenager, don’t you?’ Rhona said to Marlon, who remarked that it could all change. They agreed that if it does – she’s moving in with Bob!

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