Poor Gabby Thomas is about to have her heart broken again in Emmerdale as Ross Barton brutally knocks her back. And with viewers already knowing Ross has his eye on Laurel Thomas instead, things are only going to get messier from here.
But the fallout from the rejection is set to have a much deeper impact on Gabby than anyone realises, as the soap launches a worrying new storyline for her.
Ross rejects Gabby in Emmerdale scenes
Gabby has not had much luck when it comes to romance and later this week things take another painful turn when she decides to make a move on Ross.
On Friday’s episode (May 29), Gabby dresses up in a sexy nightgown and throws herself at him, hoping the feeling is mutual.
Unfortunately for Gabby, Ross gently but firmly rejects her advances.
Viewers already know this is because Ross is focused on winning over Laurel Thomas. The pair are set to embark on a secret fling next week.
Gabby, however, has no idea what is really going on and is left crushed by the rejection.
She ends up drinking far too much and later confides in Dawn about what happened. Dawn then confronts Ross over the way he has treated Gabby, but Ross shuts the conversation down and insists there is only one woman he wants.
The following day, Gabby is left badly hungover and suddenly decides she needs a lifestyle overhaul. She even starts considering bringing a healthy eating menu into the Hide.
Emmerdale confirms worrying new storyline for Gabby
Gabby’s new focus on healthy living will soon spiral into a much more troubling storyline as Emmerdale explores the dark side of obsessive healthy eating.
Show producer Laura Shaw explained the plot while speaking to Inside Soap.
“It’s going to be a big story for Gabby, where we delve into the dark side of obsessive healthy eating.”
She added: “And while initially it’ll just look like healthy eating, we’ll see how an obsession can start to go wrong.”
Rosie Bentham, who plays Gabby, also opened up about what drives the character into this dangerous mindset.
“I feel like Gabby’s always had that desire to prove herself. She’s a 24-year-old girl and so social media plays into that. Getting rejected on top of that means that everything spirals.
“She’s looking for something else to put a focus on. What can be seen as quite a healthy thing – investing in your health – at what point does that become an obsession and unhealthy?”
The warning signs for Gabby are already there
The storyline has already started subtly playing out on screen, with Gabby choosing water over cocktails and becoming increasingly focused on healthy eating.
It is also not the first time Gabby has struggled with body image issues.
Last year, while trying to slim down, Gabby pushed herself too far and ended up collapsing. She was rushed to hospital after starving herself in a bid to lose weight.
Although she recovered, Gabby was warned to be more careful.
Now, it seems those insecurities are beginning to resurface once again. Could this latest rejection could push her down a very dangerous path?
Read more: Emmerdale cast shake-up 2026 as exits confirmed and big returns teased – so who’s leaving?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 8pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
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