who was pierce in emmerdale

Pierce Harris in Emmerdale was a fictional abuser and murderer, one of the soap’s darkest modern villains, and the husband of Rhona Goskirk.

Who Pierce Harris Was

• Pierce Harris was introduced as the husband of Tess Harris, who died after being hit by a car in 2016.

• After Tess’s death, Pierce grew closer to Rhona Goskirk, whose partner Paddy Kirk had been having an affair with Tess, and Pierce and Rhona later began a relationship.

• The role of Pierce was played by actor Jonathan Wrather, who first appeared in the show in 2016 and later returned in 2020.

His Storyline and Crimes

• Pierce initially presented as charming and respectable, but became controlling, jealous and emotionally abusive towards Rhona.

• On their wedding day in April 2017, he violently raped Rhona at home after accusing her of still loving Paddy, making him one of Emmerdale’s most notorious on‑screen rapists.

• Rhona eventually reported him, and after a court case he was sentenced to prison for the rape.

Later Return and Villain Status

• Pierce was released from prison a few years later and secretly returned to the village, fixated on Rhona again.

• During this return, he murdered Rhona’s partner Graham Foster and kidnapped Vanessa Woodfield and her young son Johnny, holding them captive while plotting to win Rhona back.

• He was caught, pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping, and received a life sentence, cementing him as one of Emmerdale’s most chilling long‑term villains whose actions reshaped Rhona’s life.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.