Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale and his five marriages: From Tricia to Rhona, all the loves of Marlon's life

Emmerdale chef Marlon Dingle could well be in the running for the most-married man in the Dales, if it wasn’t for a certain Bob Hope!

So how many times has he been married? In fact, he’s got five weddings behind him.

Currently in Classic Emmerdale episodes he is in full-wedding planning mode to Donna Windsor – but having dreams about late wife Tricia, which doesn’t bode too well if you ask us!

Meanwhile, in current Emmerdale he is happily (for the most-part) married to Rhona Goskirk.

But who was the real love of his life?

He often looks worried, but is the stalwart of the Dales (Credit: ITV)

Who is Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale?

Fan fave Marlon’s been in the village for so long now we can barely remember a time when Emmerdale existed without him!

He arrived with dad Albert – Zak Dingle’s brother – in a red sports car. Marlon started working in various jobs, even working with Frank Tate for a while.

But it was when he got a job working with Kathy Glover at her wine bar and tea room he found his calling as a chef.

Although he’s a moral, upstanding guy now, he is a Dingle, meaning back in the day he got into his fair share of scrapes and committed some petty crimes. He was even cast out of the Dingle clan at one point after he got Sam beaten up.

Marlon Dingle and his five wives in Emmerdale

Tricia and Marlon smile in their wedding photo in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock) — Tricia and Marlon were love’s young dream once upon a time (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

1. Tricia Stokes

Marlon was ousted from the tea rooms when Kathy hired chef Carlos Diaz. But by then he was working at the Woolpack and was on his way to meeting first wife, Tricia Stokes.

Marlon and Tricia were clearly made for each other. She was cheeky, kind-hearted and funny. But it wasn’t all plain sailing (when is it ever in Soapland?!) when Tricia agreed to marry Joe Fisher so he could stay in the country with his boyfriend Jason Kirk. the fake marriage caused her and Marlon to split, during which time Marlon dated one Rhona Goskirk. But before long he and Tricia were back together.

This time they made it – even surviving Tricia’s mother, Steph Stokes coming on to her future son-in-law. Tricia and Marlon wed in a surprise ceremony on Valentine’s Day and for a while they were happy.

But when Tricia went off to star in a Bollywood film, Marlon made a very bad move, having a one-night stand with cousin Charity Dingle. Tricia found out and was heartbroken.

She planned to leave the village on New Year’s Eve 2004, but Marlon wrote her a sweet list of all the things he loved about her and she changed her mind.

Just as she was coming back into the pub to tell her husband the good news, though, tragedy struck. In a huge storm, the Woolpack chimney collapsed and Tricia was killed. Marlon had to make the decision to turn off her life-support machine and was left completely heartbroken. Has he ever really got over Tricia? We’re not so sure.

Marlon and Donna in their wedding photo — It wasn’t happy ever after for Marlon with Donna (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

2. Donna Windsor

Still grieving Tricia, Marlon grew close to Donna Windsor. Things turned from friendship to love and they started dating. But because Donna was much younger, they took things slowly. Donna’s desire to join the police also didn’t sit well with the Dingle family – for obvious reasons!

When the pair got engaged, both started having doubts about their future. She was caught trying on Tricia’s old wedding dress, which caused Marlon to flip. He then confessed he had been having dreams about Tricia. Donna was seriously concerned they were making a mistake.

But the pair tied the knot and despite some hard times as a couple including caring for Marlon’s cousin Lilith’s children and even hoping to adopt them, and the arrival of Marlon’s dodgy brother, Eli, they remained strong.

Things took a turn however when Donna couldn’t resist her partner PC Ross Kirk – Paddy’s cousin. They had an affair and Marlon and Donna split. They did consider a reunion, but Marlon couldn’t resist drunkenly snogging another cousin – Chas – and he and Donna called it quits for good.

Donna left the village, but returned in 2014 with her daughter, April. Donna was dying of terminal cancer and had brought April home to meet her dad – Marlon. Shocked Marlon soon found himself a full-time dad to April.

Marlon and Laurel look grim in their wedding snap (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

3. Laurel Thomas

Marlon and Laurel had what was deemed an emotional affair when she was married to Ashley Thomas. Given her faith and Ashley’s status as the local vicar, Laurel would not cheat however, and fought her feelings for Marlon despite how much she wanted to be with him.

Laurel and Ashley’s marriage eventually broke down when she discovered Ashley was abusing his elderly father, Sandy. She fled to Marlon and they became a couple.

Marlon and Laurel got married but Laurel’s struggles with alcoholism, just as Marlon was getting to know little April, proved too much for the couple and they split.

Jessie and Marlon surrounded by their friends and family as their surprise wedding (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

4. Jessie Grant

Marlon had a relationship with Carly Hope – Donna’s stepsister – for a while, but Carly left the village with her handsome ex-boyfriend Matt.

Marlon wasn’t single for long when he met son Leo’s headteacher, Jessie Grant. Jessie was still on the rebound from her last relationship, but after a while she and Marlon got together and even married in a surprise Christmas ceremony.

But Jessie’s sons Ellis and Billy, and her ex Al Chapman then turning up, all caused friction. Marlon and Jessie’s marriage just wasn’t strong enough and Jessie left for a new job in Dubai.

Rhona waited at the altar for her groom, who had been learning to walk again (Credit: ITV) — Rhona waited at the altar for Marlon, who had been learning to walk again (Credit: ITV)

5. Rhona – first, second and third time!

After their 2001 dalliance, Rhona and Marlon got back together when she returned for good in 2010. However Rhona soon fell for Marlon’s best friend Paddy.

It caused trouble, especially as Rhona was pregnant with Marlon’s baby. But the three of them eventually found a way to co-parent Leo happily.

Paddy cheated on Rhona and they split. She then married evil Pierce Harris and we all know how that ended. She went on to have relationships with Pete Barton and Graham Foster.

But eventually in 2021 she and Marlon rekindled their romance. They were hit by many a hurdle, but seemed to remain strong.

Their biggest test came in 2022 when Marlon suffered a stroke. He and Rhona had just proposed to each other when he collapsed at home. The road to recovery was long and tough for the couple, but Rhona stayed by his side throughout and they eventually married in August 2022.

They were again tested when Rhona found out her ex, Gus, had used her frozen embryos to have a baby with his new wife, Lucy. When Lucy died in childbirth, Rhona felt she was the right person to look after the daughter she deemed hers.

A fight with Gus over baby Ivy left her relationship with Marlon in tatters. Thankfully, they came through it and are now focused on their future as a family of five.