Emmerdale certainly knows how to deliver when it comes to explosive affairs. When a two characters embark on a lust-fueled fling, we all get drawn into the drama.
There have been countless illicit entanglements in the village over the years. From saucy one-night stands to full blown love affairs that have ripped families apart.
But there are those affairs that stand out above the rest for being totally addictive. Let’s take a trip down memory lane as we look back at the 10 most memorable affairs in Emmerdale…
Emmerdale affairs: Kim Tate and Dave Glover
Kim and Dave’s affair started out as a purely physical attraction. She was bored in her marriage to Tate patriarch Frank, and farmhand Dave was, well, irresistible.
In Dave, Kim found the excitement she’d been craving. The insatiable lovers got it on all over the place – rolling around in the hay at the stables of Home Farm, to spending nights in swanky hotels.
But what began as a bit of fun soon developed into something more. Kim and Dave fell in love, but were busted when Frank planted hidden cameras in Dave’s cottage. Shortly afterwards, Kim discovered she was pregnant and hoped the baby was Dave’s. She gave birth to a son, who she named James, and was devastated to learn he was actually Frank’s.
Dave went on to marry Kathy Bates in secret, but his heart was still with Kim. The pair made plans to run away together, but their affair came to a tragic end when Dave was killed rescuing James from a fire at Home Farm.
Kim was devastated by Dave’s death, and many fans still believe he was the love of her life.
Lady Tara Oakwell and Biff Fowler
Lady Tara was another posh lass who liked a bit of rough. Who remembers her romance with Biff Fowler?
The unlikely couple grew close after Tara, who’d been stripped of her licence for drink driving, asked Biff if he’d be her chauffeur. But it wasn’t long before they were driving each other wild.
After weeks of keeping their fling under wraps, it became public knowledge. But when Tara, who was lady of Home Farm at the time, was forced to evict several locals from their homes, Biff finished with her.
Tara moved on and accepted a marriage proposal from Michael Thornfield, a wealthy Lord who was a friend of her late father’s. But he was no Biff. The night before the wedding, Tara ended up back in bed with her former lover. She told Biff they could carry on their affair behind Michael’s back, but he wasn’t willing to be second best.
In the end Tara chose money over love and went ahead with marrying Michael. And in case, you’re wondering, it didn’t last.
Charity Dingle and Zoe Tate
Charity kept it in the family when she cheated on Chris Tate with his sister, Zoe.
Zoe was horrified when she found out her brother was dating a Dingle. The thought of the former prostitute getting her mitts on Home Farm did not sit well, so Zoe tried to bribe Charity into dumping Chris.
The truth of it was Zoe was jealous because she had the hots for Charity. And it turned out Charity felt the same when she put the lips on Zoe during a heated row.
The ladies started sleeping together, but Charity ended their lesbian fling when Zoe started getting too clingy. Zoe got her revenge by recording Charity confessing to their affair and used it to blackmail her with.
Charity was forced to come clean to Chris, but he forgave her betrayal.
Emmerdale affairs: Robert Sugden and Katie Addyman
Back when Robert Sugden had a different face (played by actor Karl Davies), he set his sights on Katie Addyman.
His initial motive for seducing Katie was good old fashioned revenge. She was engaged to his adoptive brother, Andy, who Robert blamed for the death of their mother, Sarah.
But as their affair continued, Robert caught feelings for Katie, and vice versa. The lovers couldn’t keep their hands off one another and even slept together the night before Katie’s wedding to Andy.
Katie tried to make her marriage work, but she and Robert soon resumed relations. Andy discovered what had been going on after finding a goodbye note from his wife. He confronted Katie and Robert, who admitted everything.
Next it was Andy’s turn for revenge. He plotted to shoot Robert, but ended up gunning down their dad, Jack, who thankfully survived. Katie and Robert stayed together for a while, and even got engaged. But it all came to a messy end when Katie discovered Robert had cheated with Sadie King. She left him – and the village.
Cain Dingle and Angie Reynolds
Cain’s always had a thing for married women. Back in 2001, he began a torrid affair with police officer, Angie Reynolds.
Angie had resisted Cain’s come on for months, but after finding out her own husband was cheating, Angie decided to get her own back. Sleeping with a notorious criminal gave Angie a buzz, but the excitement soon wore off.
Angie dumped Cain, but he got his own back by bedding her teenage daughter, Ollie. Ew.
In revenge, Angie made Cain believe she wanted him back, then set him up for a robbery. The idea was that Cain would be arrested in possession of stolen goods, but the plan went horribly wrong when Angie was fatally injured in a car chase.
She died in Cain’s arms, as he pleaded with her to tell him she loved him. But those three little words never came.
Debbie Dingle and Ross Barton
There’s something about bad boy Ross Barton that gets women going. Just ask Debbie Dingle.
In 2015, mum-of-two Deb was engaged to Pete Barton. But that didn’t stop her slipping into the sack with his younger brother. Yes, we’ve got another love triangle involving siblings.
Ross and Debbie fell head over heels and decided to run away before her wedding. But Cain ruined their plan by announcing Ross was the father of Debbie’s half-brother, Moses.
Debbie went ahead with marrying Pete, and Cain kidnapped Ross to stop him outing the affair. But the truth always finds a way of coming out, and as the newlyweds took to the floor for their first dance, Aaron accidentally played a recording of Ross and Debbie discussing their betrayal.
Pete proceeded to beat Ross to a pulp, and dumped his body in the woods. Ross returned months later and tried to have Pete killed, but his unhinged behaviour was a wake-up call for Debbie. She took her kids and got as far away from Ross as possible.
Emmerdale affairs: Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle
Robron still has to be the most talked about affair in Emmerdale history.
A whole decade has passed since Robert and Aaron’s first kiss on that country lane, but it could have been yesterday. Fans were caught up in the thrill of watching the forbidden lovers sneaking around the village as they tried to keep their fling under wraps.
Robert, who was engaged, then married, to millionairess Chrissie White, went to great lengths to protect his secret. He killed sister-in-law Katie Sugden, and tried to bump off Aaron’s stepdad, Paddy Kirk.
In the end, Aaron couldn’t take any more lies. He exposed their deception to Chrissie, who showed Robert the door.
After a lot of make ups and breaks ups, Robron went on to marry – twice. But their great love story came to a sad end when Robert was jailed for manslaughter and told Aaron not to wait for him.
Their loyal followers are still holding out hope for a reunion one day.
Paddy Kirk and Tess Harris
Village vet Paddy shocked everyone (and himself) when he cheated on wife Rhona during a lad’s night out. At the time it seemed Paddy was an unlikely adulterer. But he did have previous form. Hands up who remembers his icky fling with postmistress Viv Windsor when he was married to second wife, Emily?
Anyway, the lady who Paddy got jiggy with in a back seat of a car was Tess Harris. She was also married, and as it later turned out the teacher of Paddy’s stepson Leo. What a small world!
Afterwards, Paddy and Tess regretted what they’d done. But they couldn’t deny the attraction between them and embarked on a full blown affair. After weeks of sneaking about, Tess grew tired of being the ‘other woman’. She decided to tell Rhona everything, but was run over by a drunken Kirin Kotecha enroute.
Paddy and Rhona found Tess dying in the middle of the road. And as Rhona rung for an ambulance, Tess confessed her love to Paddy before losing consciousness.
Days after Tess’s death, Paddy finally admitted they’d been seeing each other. His betrayal ended up pushing Rhona into the arms of Tess’s wicked widower, Pierce. But that’s a whole other story.
Emmerdale affairs: Moira Barton and Cain Dingle
Coira have been raising temperatures in Emmerdale since 2011.
At the time Moira was married to her childhood sweetheart, John, but couldn’t resist the lure of a certain mechanic. Cain and Moira first got it on in his garage, then wherever else the mood took. Even in her marital bed at Butlers.
Despite Moira pleading him not to, Cain told John what they’d been up to. The Barton marriage was thrown into crisis, but just as Moira and John started to work things out he was killed in a car crash.
After John’s death, Moira resumed her affair with Cain, who proposed in October 2013. The couple got hitched the following year, but Cain quickly forgot his vow to be faithful by having affairs with Charity Dingle and Harriet Finch.
Let’s not pretend Moira has been a saint though. Her sordid fling with Nate Robinson (who turned out to be Cain’s long-lost son) tore the family apart. But despite all the betrayals, Coira are still together and in it for the long run.
Chas Dingle and Al Chapman
Chas has always had lousy taste in men, but she really lost the plot when she decided to jump into bed with shady Al Chapman.
There was a time that Chas couldn’t stand Al, but that loathing ended up turning to lust. Chas couldn’t get enough of the rogue as she became swept up in their affair. She fell for Al and made plans to leave her marriage to Paddy and run away with him.
But Chas’s selfish actions had catastrophic repercussions. She ended up missing her mum Faith’s final moments due to being in bed with her lover, which left her heartbroken.
It also proved to be Al’s undoing, and he was shot dead during an altercation with Chas’s brother, Cain. But in a shock twist, it turned out Cain’s young son, Kyle was the killer.
Even after his death, Chas carried on lying to Paddy about her involvement with Al, but he worked it out for himself. Chas begged for forgiveness, but there was no going back. Paddy filed for divorce, and she was disowned by her disgusted family.
Was it all worth it for a bit of rumpy pumpy? Nah!
Read more: The life and loves of Chas Dingle
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