The very chequered love life of Rodney Blackstock: From Diane to Val and Kelly

Rodney Blackstock in Emmerdale has had quite the romantic life in his almost 75 years on this earth. In fact he’s still keen to keep going as long as he can!

But while he doesn’t have a love interest at the moment, he has had some pretty questionable liaisons in the past – just take Simon’s mum, Lesley, for one!

Let’s take a look at Rodney’s very lively love life.

Rodney and Diane in Emmerdale

Born in 1949, Rodney met Diane Lambert at a fairground when she was 18 and he was 16. They got married in 1965 and had a child, Bernice in 1968.

However Rodney left them without any explanation when Bernice was just five years old. It turned out he’d been having an affair with her sister Val Lambert, which produced son Paul in 1974.

Rodders then went on to marry Maureen, who gave birth to their daughter, Nicola Blackstock in 1978.

Diane was shocked to see him when he arrived in Emmerdale in October 2000. Ashley Thomas had invited him to meet Bernice, but he had no idea their history was so troubled.

Louise Appleton

Sticking true to form, charmer Rodney went for a younger woman when he first arrived in the shape of Louise Appleton. He was rich and suave, what was not to like!

However, there was still a burning attraction between him and Diane. They couldn’t help themselves and ended up in bed together. Louise dumped Rodney and he decided to focus on work not women – for a while, at least!

Steph Stokes

In 2003, Rodney and Steph Stokes were in a relationship. He was all-in and proposed to her. However, they ended up calling off the engagement when it became clear Steph wasn’t actually into him and was in it for his money. That complicated matters when she realised Rodders wasn’t as rich as she thought, so it came to an end.

Rodney and Val Lambert in Emmerdale

So we know Rodney and Val had an affair, but at this point his ex-wife Diane did not know. So when Val pitched up in Emmerdale in 2004, things got very complicated.

Val was thrilled to see Rodney was still rich and handsome, so started dating him. But although he enjoyed Val’s company, truthfully he was still in love with Diane.

Val then made him confess their previous affair to Diane, which he did. Diane was upset, but was soon distracted by her colon cancer diagnosis. She confided in Rodney, who declared his undying love for her. She rejected an offer to rekindle their relationship and chose boyfriend Jack Sugden instead.

Things soured with Val after this and they had a huge showdown outside the church at the wedding of Diane and Jack. She then revealed he was the father of Paul, something he hadn’t known until now. Val then left and Rodney was single again.

Rodney and Lesley Meredith and Kelly Windsor

Rodney loved a complicated love life it seemed when he bedded Lesley Meredith. She was the mother of Nicola’s boyfriend, Simon, and fell instantly in love with Rodney when she arrived in 2004.

Smitten Lesley thought all her Christmases had come at once when she and Rodney spent the night together. However, he was immediately full of regret and didn’t know how to break the news to her this wasn’t a happily-ever-after kind of thing.

So Kelly Windsor did it for her! She took Lesley’s place alongside Rodney at an event he was attending and Lesley was left humiliated and heartbroken.

But Rodney didn’t notice because he was fully engrossed in his fling with Kelly. That then turned in a serious relationship between the pair despite the 31-year age gap.

Rodney even bought Holdgate Farm for her and Paul to turn into a spa. However, he ran out of money and the plans for the spa had to be abandoned. Kelly promised she would stand by Rodney, but couldn’t help but be distracted by ex lover Scott Windsor. Rodney caught them together and they split up.

Rodney becomes a male escort in Emmerdale

After he began dating Georgia Sharma, Rishi’s ex, Rodney decided one woman wasn’t enough so he became a male escort behind Georgia’s back.

It was good money and he was having a good time, but he was soon to be caught out. He had accompanied one of Georgia’s friends to a formal party and when she then met Rodders as Georgia’s boyfriend his secret was exposed. However, surprisingly Georgia took him back and allowed him to continue due to the money he made!

Things got a little fruity when Veronica, Georgia’s mate, tried to seduce him. In a very un-Rodney way, he actually refused! His next job was with a woman called Janet who wanted to make her husband jealous, but the husband ended up punching Pollard in a case of mistaken identity (thanks to Rodney not owning up!)

Misty

Rodney went for another age-gap romance when he got together with Misty, who was 40 years his junior. She saw him as his spirit animal rather than an old man and to Bernice and Nicola’s disgust they enjoyed a very active sex life.

The sisters plotted to get rid of Misty and pulled it off. They lied that Rodney had osteoarthritis and only had a few months of normal life left. So Misty dumped him and left for Thailand.

Emmerdale: Rodney and Diane again!

Back in 2021, Rodney and Diane had a drunken wild night out – that ended in the sack for them! He was desperate for them to get back together, trying every trick in his very old playbook. But she was adamant it was just a one-night stand.

However, his luck when in when Diane was upset by comments Belle made. Feeling vulnerable, Rodney comforted her and she gave into his advances again. She even drunkenly agreed to move in with him.

Full of regret the next day, Diane tried to back out of her promise, but an injury left her needing Rodney more than ever! However, by October 2021 she had made up her mind – she left Rodney – and the village of Emmerdale – behind.

So was Diane Rodney’s one true love? He hasn’t had much in the way of romance since then, but surely a man like Rodney’s not given up the game yet?!

Read more: Laurel and Ashley Thomas in Emmerdale – their love story explained

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