Martin Crowe was introduced as a policer officer in Classic Emmerdale, but his story really began when he set eyes on Louise Appleton. Having fallen head over heels, Martin was besotted with Louise.
However, Martin’s full focus was on his beloved daughter Kayleigh, as well as his demanding job in the police force. He remained in the village for just over two years.
Martin first appeared in Emmerdale back in May 2004.
He was introduced as the investigating officer when Jack Sugden was accidentally shot by his adoptive son Andy. Martin then investigated Scott Windsor and Syd Woolfe’s beating of rapist Frank Bernard Harbourne in October 2004.
The flirt was on from day one with Louise and Martin (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Meeting Louise Appleton
Martin’s story really began when he met Louise Appleton in 2005. The duo came across one another at a karate class, which Louise had attended with pal Diane’s young daughter Victoria.
There was an undeniable spark between Louise and Martin from the get-go, but it took a while for anything romantic to happen between the duo. Eventually, they started a relationship and Martin moved into The Woolpack with Kayleigh to live with Louise.
Louise was thrilled to have met a good guy (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Martin’s daughter Kayleigh
Martin was a devoted father to daughter Kayleigh, who he had been granted full custody of after splitting from his ex-wife. While Kayleigh was fond of Louise, she struggled to bond with the youngster.
Louise regularly frustrated Martin with her lack of parenting skills, especially when Kayleigh began rebelling as a teenager. Martin was tough on his daughter, but Louise let her get away with anything, leaving them living in conflict.
Happiness didn’t last (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Heartbreak and exit
When Martin learned Sam Dingle had helped his wife Alice die due to her terminal cancer battle, he vowed to arrest Sam. Louise supported Martin, which caused friction between her and Diane.
During an argument, Diane mentioned Louise’s ex Ray Mullan, who Louise accidentally killed. As Martin overheard, Louise had to confess all to him.
He promised not to report Louise but insisted they could no longer be in a relationship. Martin then moved out of The Woolpack with Kayleigh and exited the village for good in 2006.
Serial killer John has gone down in Corrie history (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Where is actor Graeme Hawley now?
After leaving Emmerdale, Graeme went on to appear in Shameless, The Royal and The Stepfather. In 2007, he landed a role on ITV soap Coronation Street, playing villainous John Stape. He was an English teacher turned kidnapper and serial Killer.
He remained on the soap for four years, before being killed off in October 2011. John’s daughter, Hope Stape, still remains on Coronation Street with mum Fiz.
Graeme has since had roles in Peaky Blinders, Finding Alice, Casualty, Doctors and In with the Flynns.
Devastation has hit in Classic Emmerdale as Seth Armstrong has died. The beloved gamekeeper at Home Farm was expected to return to the village to be with Betty, but tragedy struck on the plane.
Seth was an icon of the village and even a long-time friend of ice queen Kim Tate. His death hit the residents of Emmerdale hard and his legacy still lives on.
Show icon Seth Armstrong was much-loved by everyone (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale, the early years
Born in November 1926, but he never knew his father. In fact, both he and his sister were illegitimate and their births were never registered. And Seth wasn’t even his real name! He as actually called Archibald Seth, but used his middle name as his first.
Although his heritage was unknown a discovery was made in 1991 that he was an illegal descendant of the Verney family, former Home Farm owners. However, this was all later revealed to be an April Fool’s prank played by Seth himself!
Seth was married to Meg. They had two children: Jimmy in 1953 and Fred in 1962.
Throughout the 70s, boiler man Seth did a lot of poaching at Home Farm and was eventually made gamekeeper in 1980.
Though Seth always liked a side-hustle! In 1985 he opened a social club to rival the Woolpack, but the beer made people poorly, so with only a profit of 10p, he closed down!
Seth also worked at the Woolpack and was pretty workshy. But his affable charm – and the fact landlord Alan Turner could blame Seth for his own mistakes – meant he kept his job!
Seth and Betty were couple goals! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth and Betty
When he was 18, Seth had enjoyed a romance with Betty Pendagast. But she had left for London and married someone else.
1993 was not a good year for Seth. In February his wife, Meg Armstrong died and he was grief-stricken. The locals rallied round and helped with cooking and cleaning, but more tragedy struck when his house was destroyed by the plane crash.
However by 1994, things were looking up. Betty returned to the Dales, now Betty Eagleton, and recently widowed. Their old feelings immediately reignited and they planned to marry.
After some thought, the couple decided living together was enough and moved into Keepers Cottage. 1994 proved to be something of a lucky year when Seth was called a hero for shooting ‘the beast of Beckindale’ – although this had been an accident!
Seth stayed loyal to Betty until his 2005 death – even running her ex, Reggie, out of town when he tried to blackmail her. However, despite their love, the couple did split several times.
Seth set up a webcam and documented Betty’s daily routine to everyone on the internet. He earned free breakfasts in return. When Betty found out, courtesy of Edna Birch, she was devastated and left him. But Seth’s public apology saw them reunite.
They separated again in 2002 when Betty went to stay with Kathy in Australia after she had given birth. Seth was worried Betty would want to move to Oz, but she insisted she would never leave Emmerdale.
Kim does have a heart! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth Armstrong and Kim Tate in Emmerdale
In a time when no one was friends with Kim Tate, Seth Armstrong broke the mould! In fact, Seth was one of the only ones to defend her when her lover Dave Glover died. The village turned on Kim for her affair with Dave, but Seth stuck up for her and was by her side.
In 1998, Kim married Steve Marchant and it was Seth who gave her away. When Seth died, Kim sent a crate of booze to his funeral.
He survived a lot (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth’s scrapes!
Rogue Seth was always in and out of trouble! He was beaten up by badger baiters in 1986. And in 1988 he went out into the woods with Jackie Merrick to hunt a fox that was bothering the village. But Jackie accidentally shot himself and died, throwing Seth into heartbreak as he believed he should have died instead.
It was feared Seth himself had died in the 1993 plane crash after he was thrown out of the pub and his house destroyed. But he eventually turned up just fine, much to everyone’s relief.
Seth was attacked by poachers in 1989, and in 1999, led the search party for Rachel Hughes, who was sadly discovered dead.
He was involved in a bus crash in March 2000 and initially Betty thought he had been killed. However, he was found and taken to hospital, where he recovered. But just months later, he won some money on the horses and was mugged by two young girls. The incident caused him to develop agoraphobia. The villagers once again rallied round and helped him to leave the house again.
Betty was never reunited with Seth. Sniff. (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale dies
Seth himself went to Australia in 2003 to see Kathy and never returned. Betty was hurt, but he sent her a plane ticket to visit him there instead.
It was then revealed by Kathy, who returned for the funeral, that Seth had been ill and knew he was dying. He had wanted to come home so he could be with her in his birthplace when he went.
In true Seth style, his funeral was held with a wake at the Woolpack – but his coffin was smuggled out to the woods, where he was buried illegally, as per his final wishes! The coffin that was put in the cemetery was a replica and only Betty, Laurel Thomas, Zak and Sam Dingle ever knew the truth.
Who played Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale?
Seth was played by the great Stan Richards. Born on December 8 1930, in South Yorkshire, Stan played Seth from 1978 to 2004, making him one of the longest-serving characters on the show.
Before taking up acting, Stan had been a stand-up comedian and a pub pianist. He also had roles in Coronation Street, Last of the Summer Wine, Crown Court and All Creatures Great and Small.
After a break from Emmerdale between 2003 and 2004, Stan wanted to go back, but sadly died of emphysema on February 11 2005 before he could return. Seven months later, an off-screen death was written for the character so the soap could pay their final respects to the actor.
Stephanie ‘Steph’ Stokes in Emmerdale was the scheming daughter of Alan Turner and mother of Tricia Dingle. She came to the village in 2002 and spent the next four years wreaking havoc. Still to this day Steph is regarded as one of the soap’s best ever villains.
The character was portrayed by actress and former model, Lorraine Chase.
A former jailbird, Steph was selfish to the core and didn’t care who she hurt along the way. Breaking the law was second nature to her, as was stealing other people’s fellas.
Steph’s reign of terror finally came to an end when she was jailed for the murder of her abusive brother, Terence. But in a shock twist, she didn’t actually commit the crime.
So why did Steph take the rap? And where is she now? Everything you need to know is here.
Tricia wasn’t best pleased to see her mum (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Steph Stokes and her arrival in Emmerdale
Ex-con Steph was introduced to Emmerdale viewers on September 3, 2002. She turned up at daughter Tricia’s engagement party and instantly turned heads with her glamorous appearance.
Kind-hearted Tricia agreed to give her mum a chance to redeem herself and Steph decided to stay. She began working for Rodney Blackstock at the Antiques Barn and showed talent for spotting valuable items.
After attempting to flee to France with Rodney’s prized porcelain, Steph struck up a romantic relationship with her boss. They became engaged, but Steph eventually jilted Rodders after realising he wasn’t as well off as she thought.
Things between Steph and Alan were strained at best (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Steph’s complex relationship with dad Alan in Emmerdale
Steph had a complicated and often strained relationship with her father. She had never forgiven him for abandoning her when she was a young girl.
Alan disapproved of many of things Steph did, but tried his best to support her choices. When Steph’s best friend Shelley Williams arrived in the village, Alan paid for them to open a beauty salon.
But in January 2004, tragedy struck when Tricia was killed in a storm. Steph and Alan were initially united in their grief. But as Steph plunged into depression, Alan grew closer to Shelley.
The discovery that her father was sleeping with her best friend sickened Steph. Unable to control her jealousy, she started a vicious rumour that Shelley was a gold-digger. It did the trick and Shelley dumped Alan shortly afterwards.
Relations between father and daughter then went from bad to worse.
During a heated row, Alan declared he wished Steph had died, not Tricia. She responded by pushing him down the stairs, which caused him to lose his memory. Steph then started drugging Alan to keep him under her control. Shelley returned to Emmerdale in search of Alan, and Steph kidnapped her friend, locking her in the B&B cellar.
Events came to a dramatic head when Steph attempted to kill her and Alan by driving them over the edge of a quarry. She stopped herself at the last minute and was arrested. Steph was questioned by the police over the whereabouts of Shelley – who by this point had disappeared.
The horrified Emmerdale locals were convinced Steph had murdered Shelley and branded her ‘psycho Steph’.
Shelley met a watery end (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The saga of Steph and Shelley
Whilst in prison, Steph was in the grips of a mental health crisis and started experiencing flashbacks of her killing Shelley.
Shelley soon turned up again – alive and well – but refused to forgive Steph’s past sins.
The ladies were reunited on board a ferry in March 2005, which turned out to be Shelley’s last journey. Steph pleaded with Shelley to return home to Alan and tried to grab her friend’s arm. But their heated confrontation resulted in tragedy when Shelley took a tumble overboard.
Steph feared she’d be suspected of murder and chucked Shelley’s suitcase into the water, before returning to the village as if nothing had happened.
Terence was killed by Steph’s husband (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Steph’s terror at the hands of brother Terence
Steph thought she’d finally found her happy ever after when she met handsome doctor Adam Forsythe. Romance blossomed, and Steph fell in love for the first time in her life. It also gave her the courage to share with Adam the dark secrets of her past.
Steph bravely revealed she’d been sexually abused as a child by her brother Terence Turner. She also came clean to Adam about Shelley’s watery end. But instead of running a mile, Adam pledged his support to Steph.
Shortly afterwards, Steph’s past came back to haunt her when Terence arrived in the village. A violent alcoholic, he started to make her life a misery all over again.
But events took a shocking turn when Adam arrived back at the B&B to find Terence terrorising Steph. A fight broke out, and Adam bludgeoned Terence to death with a fire extinguisher, before burying his body in the woods.
Adam then whisked traumatised Steph to Barbados, where they married. The newlyweds came back to the Dales and Adam began drugging his wife to ensure she didn’t out his killer secret.
Steph was last seen mourning Alan (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Steph’s arrest and imprisonment for murder
After realising Adam’s true nature, Steph decided to take back control in her life. But then Terence’s body was found and she was arrested for murder.
Steph protested her innocence throughout her trial, but when Shelley’s suitcase was found floating in the sea she knew it was game over. Steph pleaded guilty to killing Terence to ease her conscience over what she did to Shelley and Alan.
It was a final, and shocking, act of selflessness, but Alan was proud of his daughter for being ‘honest’.
Steph was sentenced to life imprisonment and told she’d likely spend the rest of her days behind bars.
The character made a final memorable appearance in October 2013 when she returned for Alan’s funeral. Steph arrived dressed in her best and handcuffed to a prison officer. She then returned to jail – not before hurling a few insults at the locals.
And as far as anyone knows, Steph remains under lock and key. No doubt causing mayhem amongst her fellow inmates.
Lorraine made her name in the 1970s (Credit: Cover Images)
Who played Steph Stokes in Emmerdale?
Steph Stokes in Emmerdale was played by actress Lorraine Chase.
Born on July 16, 1951 in South East London, Lorraine started her career as a model. She shot to fame appearing the 1970s adverts for Italian liquor Campari.
Lorraine then made the switch from modelling to acting, starring in television shows such as Worzel Gummidge, The Other ‘Arf and Lame Ducks. Her CV also includes episodes of Casualty, The Bill, My Family and Doctors.
She won her role in Emmerdale after then-executive producer Steve Frost noticed the resemblance between Lorraine and Sheree Murphy (who played Steph’s daughter, Tricia).
In 2011, Lorraine was a contestant on the 11th series of I’m A Celebrity, finishing in ninth place. Lorraine’s time in the jungle was fraught with tension after fellow campmate Pat Sharp threatened to burn her teddy bear.
Lorraine’s now a reality TV pro, having appeared on Celebrity Carry on Barging and Celebs on the Farm.
Where is Lorraine Chase now?
Lorraine Chase is still in the acting game.
She was last seen on screen in 2019 when she appeared in an episode of BBC medical drama, Holby City.
She’s also a patron of the theatre charity The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.
The Woolpack is the iconic pub and the beating heart of Emmerdale village. Affectionately dubbed The Woolie by fans, it’s the place where locals gather together, and its four walls have seen it all – the good, bad and very ugly!
The Woolpack is located on Main Street, and attached to The Grange Bed & Breakfast and neighbouring Pear Tree Cottage.
The Dales’ boozer was first seen on screen in 1972 and has changed hands many times over the years.
To date, the longest serving reign by a landlord is Amos Brearly. He ran the pub for an incredible 43 years, between 1948 and 1991.
The Woolpack’s current owners are Charity Dingle and her son Ryan Stocks, who took over in February 2022.
The history of the Woolpack
Did you know The Woolpack has been part of the village for nearly 250 years? The original Woolpack was first built in around 1776 and was owned by Ephraim Monks Brewery. It was situated at the other end of the village, opposite a large green.
In 1976, the pub was moved from its original building, due to subsidence, and moved to a former corn chandlers that had been derelict since the 1920s.
After a full refurb the new Woolpack was opened in February 1976 and remains to this day.
The owners of The Woolpack in Emmerdale
The current owners of The Woolpack are mum and son team Charity Dingle and Ryan Stocks. But they’re two in a long line of locals to be in charge.
Alan’s wife, Shirley, joined him behind the bar. But tragedy struck and she was killed just months after they tied the knot.
Following Shirley’s death, Alan brought in a series of locals to manage the bar – including Terry and Britt Woods and Bernice Blackstock.
Alan’s granddaughter, Tricia Stokes also worked as a barmaid and almost burnt the pub down when she had an accident with a box of sparklers.
A heart attack in 1999 saw Alan step down as landlord, although he remained a resident in the village.
This partnership was fraught with trouble (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
1999-2010: The Diane Sugden years (Part 1)
Bubby Geordie Diane Sugden was born to be a landlady. She was kind-hearted and a friend to all, but definitely didn’t take any nonsense and knew exactly how to keep the regulars in check.
Diane originally co-owned the Woolie with daughter Bernice Blackstock, then joined forces with Louise Appleton (played by Emily Symons – aka Home and Away’s Marilyn).
She also had a short-lived stint of running the pub with her sister, Val Pollard, but their volatile rows led Diane to buy her out.
After 11 years in charge, Diane also decided to sell up and relocate to France with fella Charlie Haynes.
2010: Jimmy and Nicola King
Jimmy and Nicola briefly took over the business from Diane, but were never really cut out for working behind a busy bar.
Loveable Jimmy did a better job of it, but let’s just say the locals didn’t exactly warm to his acerbic other-half.
Nicola soon realised she had quite enough on her plate caring for their young daughter, Angelica, so with that the Kings’ reign was over.
Things started off so well for these two (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
2010-2016: The Diane Sugden years (Part Two)
Diane returned to reclaim her throne, but realised she couldn’t cope on her own. Enter stage left Chas Dingle, who’d been pulling pints in the Woolpack for years and knew the place inside and out.
Together, the ladies were a force to be reckoned with and very popular with their punters.
But tragedy almost struck when Chas accidentally stabbed Diane after mistaking her for an intruder. Diane was rushed to hospital where doctors discovered she was suffering from cancer for a second time.
The shock diagnosis resulted in Diane reassessing her life and she sold her share of the pub to Chas.
The boozer is beloved by Chas (Credit: ITV)
2016-2021: Chas Dingle
With the baton in hand, Chas set about putting her own stamp on the pub. Chas’s cousin Charity Dingle bought into the business, but it was far from a harmonious working relationship.
Chas quickly grew tired of Charity’s laziness and sharp manner, so in the end she persuaded her cousin to sell her share to Marlon, The Woolpack’s long-standing chef.
This still kept things in the Dingle family, and thankfully for Chas, Marlon was a much more reliable business partner.
Tough financial times followed, but Chas’s ultimate downfall came when she allowed secret lover Al Chapman to buy into The Woolpack.
The bent businessman ended up torching the pub in an insurance scam, which forced Chas to sell up.
Ryan and Charity’s initial takeover wasn’t a hit (Credit: ITV)
2022-present day: Charity Dingle and Ryan Stocks
After Al’s plans to convert The Woolpack into swanky flats went up in the flames (quite literally), the pub was put up for auction.
The highest bidders – and new owners – were revealed to be Charity Dingle and her son Ryan Stocks.
This time, Charity seems more willing to get stuck into the day to day running of the watering hole, while Ryan manages the financial side of things.
And Chas still has her hand in, working as the Woolpack’s bar manager.
Big moments in the Woolpack in Emmerdale
The Woolpack has been at the centre of many of the village’s biggest and most memorable dramas over the years. Let’s take a look at some of its greatest hits.
The plane crash caused devastation in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The 1993 plane crash – Chris Tate’s life-changing injuries
Alan Turner’s fancy wine bar was reduced to rubble when a plane crashed into the village in December 1993.
Home Farm resident Chris Tate was in the bar at the time and his injuries left him wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
The Woolpack was also badly damaged, and its old taproom required complete rebuilding.
Tragedy struck for Tricia just outside the Woolpack (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The storm of 2003 – Tricia’s death
Disaster struck on New Year’s Eve 2003 when The Woolpack was hit by lighting during a terrible storm.
The bolt from the sky resulted in the pub’s roof to caving in, which caused one of its windows to collapse and fall on barmaid Tricia Dingle.
Poor Tricia didn’t stand a chance and tragically succumbed to her injuries in hospital a few days later.
Cameron’s hostage situation took a deathly turn for him (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The siege of 2013 – Cameron’s last hurrah
When another catastrophic storm battered the village in 2013, crazed Cameron Murray took several locals hostage inside The Woolpack.
Cameron let everyone go – apart from Chas and Debbie Dingle – who he trapped in the flooding cellar.
Marlon came to their rescue and the women escaped the rising floodwaters, but Cameron was electrocuted by the cellar light, instantly killing him.
Al was not a good business partner (Credit: ITV)
The fire of 2021 – Al Chapman’s revenge
Villain Al Chapman set fire to The Woolpack in an insurance scam.
Al’s plan had been to force Chas and co to sell up the boozer to developers, but when that failed, he decided his only out was to burn the place to the ground.
He started the fire by putting a whisk in the microwave, which resulted in The Woolpack exploding.
Sisters Manpreet Sharma and Meena Julta were casualties of the blast, but mercifully no one died.
The wedding didn’t go as planned! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Births, marriages, deaths at the Woolpack in Emmerdale
Popular couple Aaron Dingle and Robert Sugden decided to hold their wedding in The Woolpack back in 2017.
The couple were in the middle of exchanging their vows when the police stormed the pub and arrested Aaron’s grandmother, Faith Dingle.
The Woolpack was also the setting for Seth Armstrong’s wake in 2005, who was one the pub’s most iconic regulars.
Chas Dingle also gave birth to baby Eve in the Woolie toilets, with just Marlon on hand to help her out!
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Alice and Sam Dingle’s love story in Emmerdale was one to remember, but ended tragically when Alice succumbed to cancer in 2006. She sadly died not long after welcoming son Samson, leaving husband Sam heartbroken.
Sam and Samson have remained in Emmerdale ever since, with Sam navigating life as a single parent. Alice definitely changed Sam’s life forever, despite their relationship being cut short.
So, what is Alice Dingle’s tragic story?
Sam and Alice were the perfect match (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Alice Dingle arrives in Emmerdale
In December 2004, Alice Wilson was introduced to Emmerdale viewers. Following the death of her father, Alice had been living alone on the family farm and was struggling to manage it alone.
Paddy Kirk and his wife Emily paid Alice a visit and were left horrified by how she was living. The couple befriended Alice and she even temporarily moved in with them.
This led to Alice meeting Sam Dingle.
Behind the smile was a bittersweet truth (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Alice and Sam
It was pretty much love at first sight for Alice and Sam, with the pair immediately hitting it off. However, Alice was struggling with the farm, prompting her to make plans to move to Norfolk.
Sam was distraught when Alice informed him of her plans to leave Emmerdale. He even thought about taking his own life, though Eric Pollard managed to talk him out of it.
Alice came to visit after she’d auctioned the family farm, and she and Sam shared a kiss. Alice asked him to move to Norfolk with her but he declined her offer as he wanted to stay with his family.
Zak later talked Sam into moving with Alice and the couple left the village together.
Return to Emmerdale
For months, Alice and Sam lived happily on their chicken farm in Norfolk, sending regular updates to the Dingle family.
One day, Sam suddenly returned to Emmerdale and was acting strangely. Two weeks later, Alice tracked him down. She explained to everyone that she’d told Sam she was pregnant and he’d fled.
Alice understood Sam was scared of becoming a father and the pair managed to get back on track. Sam said he wanted to remain in Emmerdale so the Dingle family could help with the baby, so he and Alice made a permanent return to the village.
Devastating news was about to hit the pair (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Illness
Things were going well for Alice and Sam, but she soon began feeling ill during her pregnancy. After undergoing tests, she was diagnosed with cancer.
Alice was advised to terminate her pregnancy in order to begin chemotherapy but she refused to get rid of her baby.
Samson was born very early (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Samson born
Alice declined the advice she’d been given and gave birth to a baby son named Samson prematurely in January 2006. The birth left Alice depressed, with Samson being rushed to intensive care before she had chance to see him.
Alice started undergoing chemotherapy after Samson’s arrival. During her treatment, she and Sam decided to get married.
Alice suffered a cruel fate (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Alice’s death in Emmerdale
After several weeks of chemotherapy, Alice’s doctor told her the treatment wasn’t working. Therefore, she stopped having chemotherapy.
A few weeks of pain followed and having decided she wanted to choose when she dies, Alice and Sam agreed she would take her own life.
When the time was right, Alice said tearful goodbyes to her family and Sam gave her an overdose of morphine.
Paul Ashdale in Emmerdale was the violent, nasty and downright rotten dad of Vinny Dingle. He was also engaged to Mandy Dingle, but died on their wedding day before they could say I do – frankly, she had a lucky escape.
Paul wasn’t in Emmerdale for a long time, but he has certainly made an impact, with his character still being referenced today.
As Vinny counsels Belle over her abusive marriage to Tom King, he draws on his past experiences with his dad to try to understand what she’s been going through. But just how bad did it get with Paul? And why is Vinny the best person to help Belle?
Everything you need to know about who Vinny’s dad was and what he did, right here.
Paul was not a nice man at all (Credit: ITV)
Vinny’s dad Paul Ashdale and his arrival in Emmerdale
Having been abandoned by his father when he was just a boy, Vinny was brought up by Paul’s ex-girlfriend Mandy Dingle. Gambling addict Paul had walked out on them both when Vinny was five and they hadn’t seen or heard from him since.
Mandy brought Vinny up as her own and didn’t even tell the Dingles she wasn’t biologically related to Vinny when they returned to the Dales in 2019.
Paul arrived in the village in April 2020 to track down his son. Mandy saw him first and was completely stunned – and not at all pleased. She lied that Vinny wasn’t living in Emmerdale and sent Paul away.
But Paul soon realised the truth, so he stuck around and got a job at the scrapyard. However he didn’t reveal his true identity to Vinny at first. When he did expose himself, Paul promised Mandy and Vinny that he had changed his ways.
It took some doing, but eventually, Mandy was won over by Paul’s charms. The couple got back together and started planning their wedding.
Poor Vinny was subjected to terrible abuse (Credit: ITV)
Vinny abused by his dad Paul in Emmerdale
As Mandy went along happy as Larry about the turn her life had taken, what she didn’t know was Paul was hiding a dark secret. The nice, kind, caring guy he portrayed on the outside was not at all who he really was.
Paul was gambling again and in order to hide the truth from Mandy he took it out on Vinny.
Paul was also abusing poor Vinny, physically and emotionally. He criticised him, put him down, taunted him and used him as a punchbag.
Poor Vinny desperately wanted his dad to stick around and hoped he could change. He refused to tell Mandy what was going on, but did confide in girlfriend Liv Flaherty.
And she wasn’t going to let it go. Furious, she confronted Paul about what he had being doing to innocent Vinny on Paul and Mandy’s wedding day. And then tragedy struck…
Paul met his maker on his wedding day (Credit: ITV)
How Paul died in Emmerdale
Knowing all about his gambling, and his abuse of Vinny, Liv even knew the kicker: that Paul had arranged for Vinny to be kidnapped in order to get his hands on some cash.
Paul was at the barn where he and Mandy were marrying when Liv confronted him. However Paul’s true character came out when he lashed out at her viciously.
He went to attack her again, but suddenly Jimmy King crashed his lorry through the barn wall. Liv and Paul were both sent flying.
Liv managed to get herself free and tried to save Paul, but he was trapped under a collapsed beam. Realising there was no time to save them both, Liv gave up and ran from the barn just before it exploded. Paul was left behind and later died of his injuries.
The guilt of having left him, despite his awful behaviour and who he was, got to Liv. She turned to drink to cope.
Soap fans knew Reece from Coronation Street (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who played Paul Ashdale in Emmerdale?
Paul Ashdale in Emmerdale was played by experienced actor Reece Dinsdale.
He was familiar to soap fans already because he appeared in Coronation Street as Joe McIntyre – the ill-fated husband of Gail, and dad to Tina. Joe had planned to fake his own death as he was in so much debt, but he ended up dying for real when his plot went wrong. Gail was then arrested for his murder.
Reece has also been in sitcom Home to Roost, among many other television shows, including Life on Mars, Silent Witness and Waterloo Road.
Paul is also a director and before joining the cast of Emmerdale as Paul, he was directing episodes of the ITV soap.
Where can you find Reece Dinsdale now?
Paul Ashdale may have left the Dales but his alter ego Reece hasn’t said goodbye to Emmerdale. He’s gone back to directing episodes of the soap.
He’s also done public done public speaking events called Reece’s Pieces.
Reece is currently starring in play The Promise at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Emmerdale fans have seen it all – plotting, scheming, murder, affairs and abuse, but one thing they really can’t get on board with is animal abuse and when Tom King abused Piper the dog it sent them wild with anger.
And tonight (Wednesday July 24) he was at it again, punishing Piper and cruelly locking her outside, before blaming Belle for it all.
It’s fair to say there has been much controversy since Piper was introduced into the soap and we expect there’s soon to be more following tonight’s episode.
Not poor little Piper! (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale viewers vow to switch off over Piper abuse
Disgusted viewers insisted they would ‘stop watching’ back in May after twisted Tom King injected Piper. It was all to regain control over wife Belle Dingle who had checked herself into a mental health unit.
That hadn’t been Tom’s plan when he manipulated her into believing she’d missed her medication and he was furious it had gone so wrong. When she then refused to see or speak to him, Tom went to extreme lengths by injecting Piper with drugs so she would become unwell. Then he knew that would lure Belle home and back under his control.
Dozens of viewers made it very clear they found the scenes with Piper hard to watch.
“This has gone too far now,” wrote one. “I’m a huge Emmerdale fan but disgusted at this, it is vile.”
“The writers should be ashamed of themselves putting these stupid storylines involving animals I hope more people complain about it,” added another.
Someone else shared: “I think Emmerdale should have awards revoked because of the Piper dog storyline.”
A further viewer added: “He was just about to casually euthanise a dog. Too far for this show.”
Tom wields a needle (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale reported to Ofcom over Piper the dog scenes
Meanwhile, another user complained:Â “I have just reported tonight’s show to Ofcom. It took me a couple of minutes only. The more people that report it the better.”
And in fact, many, many more did call the broadcasting regulator. Tom’s cruelty towards innocent little Piper affected fans so badly hundreds of complaints were filed to Ofcom.
In the end they received almost 900 complaints about the episode in which Tom nearly killed the dog.
Fans thought that the soap had gone ‘too far’ (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale issues statement
Trying to calm the furore surrounding Piper, Emmerdale issued a statement about the scenes on their social channels.
Posting a clip of the scene on Instagram, they said: “These scenes can be distressing to watch, but we want to remind you that Minnie (AKA Piper) is a very good actor and is always living her best life on set! We can confirm that no harm has come to her whatsoever.”
However, the reassurance didn’t stop fans reacting with anger to the storyline as a whole.
“Not watching anymore. This is beyond upsetting and this storyline needs ending now. Until then I’m out,” said one.
Another agreed: “Nah I’m sorry but I draw the line at animal abuse. Terrible. A new low for this show.”
Belle will do all she can to protect Piper (Credit: ITV)
It’s not over for Piper
Despite the complaints and controversy, it hasn’t put Emmerdale off pursuing the storyline. Producer Laura Shaw recently revealed there’s more to come – and the uproar is down to Piper being so cute!
Speaking to Entertainment Daily! and other media, Laura joked: “We should’ve got an ugly dog.”
Referring to the casting of adorable pup Minnie as Piper, Laura added: “Having that cute dog I don’t think has helped. Whenever you put any sort of pet in danger on Emmerdale everyone goes up in arms about it.”
She also confirmed: “Piper will definitely have a future role in the story.”
Going on to defend it, she added: “It’s research-led. One of the things that we’ve found was that that is what abusers use. They will use family pets, people that you love, they will use them as weapons against you. So, this is all based on research. I promise you it’s not just us being mean to the dog for the sake of it.”
Tom continues to abuse Belle on ‘holiday’ (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale confirms further Tom abuse for Belle and Piper the Dog
A flashback on Wednesday July 24 showed Tom continuing to manipulate Belle as he succeeds in isolating her from her loved ones. And unfortunately, Piper also came in for it.
After Belle took her for a walk and she escaped off the lead, Piper came back muddy. Tom told Belle if she couldn’t train Piper then he would – and he locked her up outside overnight. When he then left the house, he locked Belle in and she had to escape out of a window to give the dog water and food. But she quickly darted back inside the house when Tom came home.
He then proceeded to tell Belle she was being cruel to the dog by not bringing her inside. Belle protested Tom had locked her in, but he denied it.
Belle and Piper eventually made their escape, getting on a bus that drove far away from raging Tom. But will Belle – and Piper – be safe now?
Refuge’s free National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24/7Â for confidential specialist support on 0808 2000 247.
Leanna Cavanagh seemed like the girl who had it all – a doting father, a handsome boyfriend, and big plans for her bright future.
But her life was cruelly taken away when she was murdered by Dales serial killer Meena Jutla.
So what was Leanna’s story and what happened to her?
Leanna Cavanagh played by Mimi Slinger (Credit: ITV)
Early days in Emmerdale for Leanna Cavanagh
Leanna was introduced to the Emmerdale viewers in early 2018, as the troubled teenage daughter of Dr Liam Cavanagh.
As a little girl, Leanna had lost her mum, and though when she was first on screen she was mean and unkind, her backstory made her seem more sympathetic.
Leanna caused a lot of trouble in the village (Credit: ITV)
Jacob and Leanna
Leanna and Jacob hit it off straightaway but their first night together ended in disaster, when Jacob was nasty to Leanna.
They did reconcile, but Jacob went to stay in Portugal for a while, leaving Leanna feeling lonely.
Making friends – or not!
Leanna was a difficult person to like at first. She used Amelia Spencer’s disappearance to her advantage and when Amelia returned, made her life difficult and bullied her.
And she started a rivalry with Gabby, too, trying to get her fired from her job as a waitress.
Leanna uncovered the truth about Meena (Credit: ITV)
Leanne causes trouble for dad Liam Cavanagh in Emmerdale
Of course, the real focus of Leanna’s scheming and troublemaking was always her dad’s partners.
She loathed Maya Stepney – her dad’s partner who cheated with David Metcalfe (and who later groomed and abused Jacob).
And she also took against Bernice – Liam’s new girlfriend – taking increasingly nasty steps to cause trouble for her.
But when Leanna made snide remarks that encouraged Bernice to buy dodgy Botox online, things began to change.
Meena brutally murdered poor Leanna (Credit: ITV)
Sad story
Bernice had an anaphylactic shock reaction to the Botox, she nearly died. Leanna’s mother died from an allergic reaction, and the storyline revealed a new side to the troublesome teenager.
After that, Bernice and Leanna rubbed along quite nicely – until Liam snogged Leyla!
Leanna tried her best to split her dad and Leyla, until she succeeded, when she did an about-turn and focused all her attention on getting them back together!
Meena left Leanna to die (Credit: ITV)
Leanna’s death
By summer 2021, Leanna had become a much more popular member of the Emmerdale community. She was happily loved-up with Jacob, and the pair were planning to go travelling.
On the day of Leanna’s 18th birthday, stepmum Leyla was getting a party ready for Leanna.
But unfortunately for Leanna, she discovered that Meena was the one who’d stolen the money from the Pride event. And then she worked out that Meena had killed her friend Nadine, too.
Underestimating just how dangerous Meena was, Leanna legged it with the Dales killer in hot pursuit.
After a confrontation on the bridge between the pair, Meena threw her former friend over the wall and sent her crashing into the river.
Meena took the charity collection – and murdered five people! (Credit: ITV)
What happened to murderous Meena?
Meena went on to kill Andrea Tate and Ben Tucker. After a LOT of drama she was eventually apprehended and is currently in prison for life.
Who played Leanna Cavanagh in Emmerdale?
Leanna was played by actress and model Mimi Slinger. She’s since appeared in Masters of the Air on Apple TV+ and has signed with modelling agency Storm.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
The King family have had a presence in Emmerdale for two decades. In 2004, wealthy widower Tom King (Senior) arrived in the village. Along with him he brought three of his four grown up sons – Jimmy, Matthew and Carl. Youngest son Max followed later, as did Jimmy’s wife, Sadie.
The Kings became the new owners of Home Farm in 2005, and ran their successful haulage business King & Sons from the estate.
They may have had millions in the bank, but life at the big house brought the Kings nothing but misery and misfortune.
Here’s a look at all the tragedies the befell the family – who they all are and what happened to them…
The original Tom was ruthless – just like his younger counterpart is nowadays (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Head of the King family in Emmerdale: Tom King
Tom was the former head of the King family and feared businessman, played by Ken Farrington.
He was dad of Jimmy, Matthew, Carl and Max. Tom also fathered a daughter, Scarlett, after he had an affair with her mother, Carrie Nicholls while she was caring for his terminally ill wife, Mary.
Tom was a multi-millionaire and owner of King & Sons, the haulage firm which he ran with Jimmy, Matthew, Carl and Jimmy’s then-wife Sadie.
Born into a wealthy family, Tom had grown up in Emmerdale. He was acquainted with locals including Frank Tate and Alan Turner.
In 2005, Tom took the throne at Home Farm, but his ruthless and unpleasant nature meant he wasn’t popular with many of the locals.
Tom became engaged to Charity Dingle, but jilted her at the alter after being tricked by Sadie into believing she’d cheated on him.
After losing son Max in a car crash, Tom invested in land and built The Kings River Housing development. But disaster struck on the day of the grand opening when the house exploded and killed three people.
Tom met his own grisly end on Christmas Day 2006.
He had just married gold-digging Rosemary Sinclair when he was pushed to his death off a balcony by a mystery figure – who later turned out to be his own son Carl!
Hapless Jimmy has gone from scheming businessman to loved family guy (Credit: ITV)
Jimmy King and family in Emmerdale
James Frederick ‘Jimmy’ King is the longest-serving member of the family and played by actor Nick Miles.
He’s the eldest son of the late Tom King, and brother to the late Matthew, Carl and Max King. Jimmy is the husband of Nicola King and father of Elliot Windsor, Angelica King and Carl Holliday.
Introduced in 2004, Jimmy was initially portrayed as a cold-hearted businessman. But has since changed into a devoted family man and something of a comedy figure.
His most memorable storylines include the breakdown of his marriage to first wife Sadie King after discovering she’d bedded his brother Matthew, surviving being stabbed and suffering from amnesia after a blow to the head.
Sadie was sexy and slippery (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Sadie King
Superbitch Sadie was the first wife of Jimmy King and played by Patsy Kensit.
Sadie may have married into the King clan, but she was the one who held all the power. And from the moment of her dramatic arrival via helicopter in 2004, it was clear she had a gameplan.
Jimmy was besotted with Sadie and desperate to start a family with her, but as it turned out she’d only married him for the money and was really in love with his younger brother, Matthew.
Sadie cheated on Jimmy with Robert Sugden and Cain Dingle, but it was her affair with Matthew that ended their marriage.
Post-Jimmy, Sadie tried every scheme in the book to get her hands on the King family’s fortune, but even Matthew saw through her in the end.
In a final act of revenge, Sadie hatched a dastardly plan with Cain to fake her own death. Sadie made her escape from the village and hasn’t been heard of since 2007 when she sent the Kings flowers and a note in the wake of Tom’s murder.
Jimmy has a thing for strong women (Credit: ITV)
Nicola King
Nicola is Jimmy’s feisty second wife and has been played by Nicola Wheeler since 2001.
She’s mum to their daughter Angelica and a mother figure to Jimmy’s two sons, Elliot and Carl.
Nicola and Jimmy had a fling 2009 which resulted in Nicola discovering she was 17 weeks pregnant.
Daughter Angelica ‘Angel’ was born in August of that year, and Nicola went on to become Mrs King.
The couple had a short-lived stint as landlord and landlady of The Woolpack, but Nicola found it too much of a juggle managing a busy bar and a baby.
Being a stay-at-home mum was never the life ambitious Nicola wanted. She became a councillor, although has since had to step down due to daughter Angelica’s lies over joy riding. She has shares in the cafe and is a part-owner of the Grange B&B. Meanwhile, Jimmy runs the haulage firm with Will Taylor.
Jimmy and Nicola have weathered many a storm and 2024 has been one of their toughest years yet following Angelica imprisonment for dangerous driving.
Currently in a secure children’s home, Angelica will be back later this year (Credit: ITV)
Angelica King
Angelica Mary ‘Angel’ King is the only daughter of Jimmy and Nicola King, and the half-sister of Elliot and Carl.
The character has been played by Rebecca Bakes since 2009.
Angel had a dramatic entrance into the world when she was born prematurely, then kidnapped by Carl’s wife Lexi King.
Lexi, who had tragically suffered the loss of her own baby, snatched Angel and took her up to the roof of the hospital, before Jimmy and Nicola rescued their daughter.
Angelica is currently serving time in a secure children’s home after she was responsible for a car crash that killed her friend Heath Hope.
Nicola and Jimmy tried to prevent her going to prison, but Angelica was handed an eight-month sentence.
Elliot Windsor
Elliot Windsor is the son of Jimmy King and Kelly Windsor and half-brother of Angelica King and Carl Holliday.
The character is played by Luca Hoyle.
Elliot was born in America and Jimmy didn’t even know of his existence until he was three years old.
In 2012, Elliot’s mum Kelly sent him to live with Jimmy and Nicola on a permanent basis. He sees Nicola as a mother figure and calls her mum.
Jimmy’s youngest son bears his uncle’s name (Credit: ITV)
Carl Holliday
Carl Holliday is Jimmy’s son with Juliette Holliday, who was conceived after a mix-up at the fertility clinic when Juliette was impregnated with the wrong man’s sperm.
After giving birth, Juliette felt she couldn’t cope with the responsibility of a child and left Carl in the care of Jimmy and Nicola.
Juliette returned to the village in 2021 in search of her son and the pair slowly started to get to know one another.
Sadly, Juliette decided motherhood ultimately wasn’t for her and went to live in New York with her boyfriend.
He wasn’t actually nice to anyone! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Matthew King – the cruellest of the King family in Emmerdale
Matthew Thomas ‘Matt’ King was the second son of Tom and Mary King, and played by Matt Healey.
He was the most cruel and manipulative of the four King brothers, and Tom’s favourite child.
The character’s heartless nature was shown early on when he helped cover up the death of postman Paul Marsden and conned his widow.
He was a ruthless womaniser too and didn’t think twice about stealing another man’s missus. And then tossing her aside when he got what he wanted.
Matthew had a torrid affair with Jimmy’s wife Sadie, which ended badly when he realised how evil she really could be.
After Tom’s murder, Matthew took control of the family business, but frequently fell out with Jimmy and Carl.
A happy ending looked to be on the cards when Matthew fell madly in love with Anna De Souza.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
On the day of their intended wedding, Anna jilted Matthew after Carl revealed he’d played a part in the death of her father Donald.
In revenge, Matthew attempted to mow Carl down in a van, but ended up crashing into a wall. He died at the scene of the crash, in Anna’s arms.
We loved to hate him! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Carl King and his twisted family in Emmerdale
Carl Thomas King was the third son of Tom and Mary and played by Tom Lister.
The character was a notorious lothario and villain, who wreaked havoc in the Dales for eight years.
Carl was the first King to move to the village in 2004.
At that time he was married to first wife Colleen, with whom he shared children Anya and Tom.
Carl may have been a taken man, but that didn’t stop him pursuing other women.
When Colleen eventually threw him out, Carl embarked on a turbulent on/off romance with fellow single parent Chas Dingle.
Tom disapproved of his son being involved with Chas, and it was for that reason Carl pushed him to his death.
Carl was briefly wed to Lexi Nicholls, but admitted he only married her because she knew his killer secret.
Finding himself single again, Carl wormed his way back into Chas’s heart. He had an affair with Eve Shaw and Chas took her revenge by exposing the affair on their wedding day and jilting Carl at the altar.
But Carl’s obsession with winning Chas back proved to be his undoing.
During a dramatic final showdown in 2012, Carl attempted to rape Chas but she managed to escape after hitting him over the head with a brick.
Chas’s lover Cameron Murray then found Carl, a fight ensued, and Cameron bludgeoned Carl to death with a brick.
Carl’s death occurred during Emmerdale’s 40th anniversary live episode, which was watched by an audience of 8.8 million.
We just hate him! (Credit: ITV)
Thomas ‘Tom’ King
Thomas ‘Tom’ King is the son of Carl and Colleen King, brother of Anya King and the nephew of Jimmy King.
Tom was named after his paternal grandfather, Tom King, and has followed in his late Uncle Max’s footsteps by becoming a vet.
The character has been played by four different actors since 2004 and is currently portrayed by James Chase.
Tom is the husband of Belle Dingle, but behind closed doors has been subjecting his wife to violent abuse and coercive control.
Tom showed signs of having a dark side from an early age.
He blamed Chas for his father’s murder and subjected her to a campaign of terror – sending disturbing photographs and making anonymous threatening calls.
Tom’s stalking was eventually discovered and he went to live with his mum in Saudi Arabia in 2013.
He returned to the Dales a decade later and charmed his way into Belle’s affections.
Since their marriage in February 2024, Tom has been subjecting Belle to a horrendous campaign of physical and mental abuse.
Anya could make a comeback to sort her brother out (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Anya King
The daughter of Carl and Colleen King and the sister of Tom King Jnr, Anya has never been a regular character, but has appeared on screen numerous times.
Anya moved with her mum to Saudi Arabia in 2010, but returned with Thomas at Christmas for her dad’s wedding to Chas. However, she left swiftly after the disastrous ceremony.
She then made her final appearance in 2012 after her father’s death. Brother Tom has mentioned her since his return, commenting that they are not close.
But could we see Anya reappear at some point soon?
Poor Max wasn’t like his brothers – and paid the price for it (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Max King – the youngest son
Maxwell Harold ‘Max’ King was the youngest son of Tom and Mary King, played by Charlie Kemp.
He was the brother of Jimmy, Matthew and Carl King, as well as the half-brother of Scarlett Nicholls.
Max arrived in Emmerdale in early 2005, almost a year after the introduction of the rest of the King clan.
Unlike his money-hungry brothers, Max had zero interest in the family firm. He’d trained at university to become a vet and spent time travelling the world.
In late 2005, Tom bullied Max into helping him acquire some land by poisoning the animals that belonged to the owners.
Unable to live with the guilt of what he’d done, Max decided to flee the village – but was killed in a car crash on his way out.
He was only 25-years-old.
Secret daughter Scarlett held her own against her brothers (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Scarlett Nicholls
Tom King Senior’s illegitimate daughter with Carrie Nicholls, who nursed his wife Mary as she was dying of cancer, was only revealed to her half brother’s after Tom’s death. His will revealed he had left her 25 percent of Home Farm and 10 percent of King & Sons, to be held in trust until her 18th birthday.
Scarlett was born in 1991 and met her brothers when she was 15. She became close to Jimmy and decided to stay under Jimmy’s care when Carrie emigrated to Canada. However after being betrayed by brother Carl and boyfriend Adam Barton cheated on her, Scarlett left for Canada too in 2011.
She returned after Carl’s death in 2012 and supported Jimmy during the will reading. However she then went back to Canada and hasn’t been seen since.
Scarlett was played by Kelsey-Beth Crossley.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale is one of the soap’s best loved and iconic characters. His friendship with Marlon Dingle, rollercoaster love life, comedy moments and hard-hitting emotional storylines have made Paddy an Emmerdale legend.
Now he’s busy planning his second wedding to ex-wife and rekindled old flame, Mandy Dingle.
Paddy and Mandy are planning their wedding (Credit: ITV)
Who is Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale?
Paddy’s the son of Barbara, and Bear Wolf – a former wrestler who only reconnected with his son in recent years.
He has one daughter – Eve – with ex-wife Chas Dingle. Their first baby girl, Grace, lived only for an hour after she was born.
He’s also a father figure to Chas’s son, Aaron.
Paddy and Mandy hit it off straightaway (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Paddy’s arrival
Paddy came to Emmerdale way back in 1997 as a locum vet to cover for Zoe Tate. He hit it off with Mandy, though his mum Barbara didn’t approve.
When Mandy married her cousin Butch as a way to stop the family being evicted, Paddy was heartbroken. But they eventually got it together and tied the knot.
Paddy and Emily broke up when he cheated (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Paddy’s love life
Paddy and Mandy were happy for a while but when her dad got ill she had to spend time away looking after her half-siblings. And she eventually began an affair with her dad’s carer. She and Paddy split.
Paddy found comfort in sweet Emily Dingle – Butch’s widow – and they started a romance. They walked down the aisle and became foster parents, caring for many children including Debbie Dingle.
But Paddy had an affair with Viv Hope. And when Emily found out, she left the village for good.
Next, Paddy started a romance with Chas Dingle – nothing like keeping it in the family, eh? He got close to her son, Aaron, and helped him when he was struggling with his sexuality.
Chas cheated on Paddy and the pair split.
Paddy moved on, falling for fellow vet Rhona Goskirk, who’d been in a relationship with Paddy’s bestie Marlon. Awks! Oh, and she was pregnant with Marlon’s baby.
Somehow, the trio made it work, though, despite Rhona’s painkiller addiction.
But when Paddy cheated with Tess Harris, it all fell apart.
And eventually, Paddy got back together with ex-girlfriend Chas.
Paddy and Chas said a heartbreaking goodbye to their baby girl, Grace (Credit: ITV)
Baby Grace
Chas and Paddy were surprised but delighted when they found out Chas was pregnant. But their joy turned to devastation when they were told their unborn baby had bilateral renal agenesis and wouldn’t survive long after birth.
They decided to continue the pregnancy, and in heartbreaking scenes, their baby was born, only to die shortly afterwards. The pair imagined the life their daughter Grace would have had.
Later, the pair were nervous but thrilled to discover Chas was pregnant again and their daughter Eve was born in 2019. Chas and Paddy tied the knot in a Christmas wedding in 2020, but their marriage fell apart when Chas cheated with Al Chapman.
Paddy considered taking his own life (Credit: ITV)
Paddy’s depression
Last year, after the collapse of his marriage, the death of Aaron’s sister Liv, and losing baby Grace, Paddy fell into severe depression. He even considered taking his own life.
With the help and support of his friends, he’s got through the darker times.
He’s now engaged to Mandy and the pair are busy planning their second wedding.
Who plays Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale?
Paddy is played by Dominic Brunt. Dominic is married to actress Joanne Mitchell (who played Liv’s mum, Sandra) and the pair have two children.
In real life, Dom is close to his co-star Mark Charnock, who plays his on-screen best friend Marlon. The pair share a love of zombie films and run a zombie film festival each year in Leeds.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.30pm and 2.05pm.
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