Penny Rodman is a makaton teacher who Pete Barton hired to help him learn makaton so he could easily communicate with his girlfriend Rhona Goskirk's son Leo. Pete had wanted the lessons to be a secret so Pete could surprise Rhona, however Rhona's friend Vanessa Woodfield and Vanessa's sister Tracy Metcalfe had gotten the wrong end of the stick and believed Pete was cheating with Penny. Rhona found Vanessa and Tracy outside the back window of Dale View, spying on Pete and Penny and told Rhona about their suspicions. The trio burst in on Pete and Penny and Rhona was embarrassed to realise she had gotten the wrong end of the stick when Penny showed Rhona her business card.