Mary Goskirk is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Louise Jameson. Mary was introduced as the mother of established character Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry), with whom she shares a strained relationship with upon arrival. Upon her casting, Jameson immediately asked writers not to stereotype Mary into being a typical old woman. She was impressed by their response, as they had already planned for her to be a feisty, domineering, narcissistic woman who challenges people. Jameson has said that she plans to be on Emmerdale for a three to four year stint.

Soon into her arrival, she strikes up a friendship with Kim Tate (Claire King) and their pairing has been well-received by critics and viewers. Mary's vulnerable side was explored when she confides in Kim about being a lesbian. Jameson was shocked that writers had made Mary a late life lesbian, but was happy to be part of the representation. Later storylines have seen Mary begin dating Faye Helders (Jane Gurnett), who cons Mary and releases revenge porn of her. She initially struggles with the events, but is inspired when April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) wants to become a journalist like her. Viewers were initially wary of Mary's intentions upon her arrival, but quickly into her tenure, she was dubbed a fan favourite whose wit and nerve was found entertaining.

On 29 January 2022, it was announced that the mother of established character Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry) had been cast on Emmerdale, with Louise Jameson cast in the role. Jameson appeared in Emmerdale previously in 1973 as Sharon Crossthwaite, an unrelated character. Jameson described her casting as a gift and said that playing Henry's on-screen mother was "the icing on the cake". When she was cast, she headed to the producers to say: "don't give me a cardigan and a zimmer frame because I'm 70", wanting a more complex character to play. They delighted Jameson by informing her of their plans for Mary, a woman who was billed as a domineering, feisty and "no-nonsense character" with a sharp wit and stubbornness that would challenge Rhona and other villagers. She is a well-travelled person who is "free-flowing and bohemian". Producers were excited to have cast Jameson on Emmerdale due to her breadth of acting experience and said that there would not "ever be a dull moment" with Mary around. Jameson plans to stay in the role for a three to four year stint.

At a press event, Jameson billed Mary as "incredibly tactless and very opinionated" but noted that Mary sees herself as a generous person. She gives backhanded compliments that come from genuine feelings; Jameson admitted that Mary suffers slightly from narcissistic personality disorder since she relates other people's actions back to herself. Mary is not neutral on situations and has an opinion about everything since she believes she has a lot to offer, expecting people to like her. However, Jameson admitted that other people would prefer for her to stop interfering. Despite Mary's initial scenes, Jameson argued that Mary was not just a one-dimensional character that has smart one-liners. She described Mary as "a really feisty matriarch" who cares deeply about people and said that Mary loves a lot. She added: "one minute you wish she'd shut her mouth as she doesn't censor herself, and the next she'll be adorable and kind. Mary is like an onion, peel off another layer and there's something else to discover."

Mary's introduction to Emmerdale was topical and was written to highlight the loneliness people felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. She arrives after realising how lonely she has become through lockdown, having realised the importance of family and wanting to make amends. In a "beautifully written scene", Mary confides in Rhona about a friend that died of COVID without Mary getting to say goodbye. She feels that her loneliness has become dark and is destroying her soul, explaining her reason for arriving in the village.

Upon Mary's introduction, she "bursts onto the scene at a critical point in her daughter's life" since Rhona is dealing with memories of her rapist, Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather). It transpires that Mary and Rhona share a strained relationship due to Rhona feeling like she has never been good enough for her mother. However, Digital Spy noted that Mary arriving at the time of Rhona's struggles could benefit their relationship, serving as an opportunity for them to bond.

Rhona is preparing to propose to partner Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), who has recently had a stroke prior to Mary's arrival. It becomes clear to Mary that Rhona has taken on a lot by caring for Marlon and his daughter, April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan), as well as her own son, Leo Goskirk (Harvey Rogerson). Mary confides in Faith Dingle (Sally Dexter) about her worries regarding Rhona. Mary enjoys having a new friend to talk to due to having been so lonely over recent years; she also bonds with Faith since they both have experiences with dysfunctional families and are of a similar age. Rhona walks in on them talking and Mary suggests a separation, and "appalled at her mother's insensitivity", she throws Mary out.

Writers lined up a "surprise friendship" between Mary and established character Kim Tate (Claire King). Jameson said that she was a fan of the friendship since they had paired two strong women together. Scenes see Mary become evasive when Kim asks about her love life, which concerns Kim since Mary is open about everything else. She then comes out as a lesbian to Kim and tells her about her lost love, Louise, the woman whom she claimed was her dead friend to Rhona. Jameson was surprised that Mary had been written as a late in life lesbian and thought that the audience would be similarly surprised. However, she praised the decision. She found it poignant that someone who comes from a generation where "even gay people are taught to be homophobic" had come out.