Last year saw the return of two popular characters to Emmerdale, as Ross and Joe made their way back. The two share some interesting history, too.
Ross Barton first arrived in Emmerdale in 2013. He left in 2018, before returning six years later.
Meanwhile, Joe Tate appeared in Emmerdale from his birth back in 1995. He left alongside his aunt Zoe in 2005 before returning as an adult in 2017. He too left in 2018, only to return again six years later.
During their over-lapping time in the village Ross and Joe came to blows on numerous occasions. Here we take a look at the history between the pair and why they’re not each other’s biggest cheerleaders.
Ross and Joe both dated Debbie (Credit: ITV/ Shutterstock)
History with Debbie
Ross has a complicated history with Debbie Dingle. The two started having an affair while Debbie was engaged to Ross’ brother Pete.
Although Debbie ended the affair, Ross and Debbie continued to have a connection and she later asked him to move in.
Debbie left the village for a while, but upon her return, Ross once again attempted to start things up with her. However, this time she declined.
Meanwhile, Joe Tate arrived back in Emmerdale using the name Tom Waterhouse. ‘Tom’ seduced Debbie and gifted her a Bentley. He also bought Jacob’s Fold for her and her children Sarah and Jack to live in.
He later told Debbie the truth – that he was really Joseph Tate. Joe informed Debbie that she was just collateral damage in his bid for revenge against Charity, who he blamed for driving his dad Chris to suicide.
Ross has son Moses with Charity (Credit: ITV)
History with Charity
The two men are also linked via Charity Dingle. After marrying Chris Tate in 2001, Charity became Joe’s stepmother.
After discovering that Charity was having an affair with Cain Dingle, he chucked her out. Knowing he only had months to live due to an incurable brain tumour, Chris poisoned himself in order to try and frame Charity for his murder.
Following Chris’s death, Charity went on to give birth to his son – Noah, making him Joe’s half-brother. When Joe returned in 2017, he still held a grudge and attempted to get revenge on Charity.
Ross, meanwhile, had a one night stand with Charity which resulted in the birth of Moses. Upon his return to the village last year, Ross made a move on Charity, proving he still has a soft spot for her.
Ross was the victim of an acid attack meant for Joe (Credit: ITV)
Acid attack
After Joe left Debbie jobless and homeless, Ross agreed to help Debbie. He agreed to act as a double agent and got himself a job as Joe’s driver.
However, when Joe discovered his duplicity, he fired Ross. Ross then stole one of Joe’s cars and drove back home. But he was unaware that Debbie had asked drug dealer Simon to mess Joe up.
Ross threatened to shoot Joe (Credit: ITV/ Shutterstock)
Epic showdown in Emmerdale between Ross and Joe
Ross was convinced that Joe was behind the acid attack and vowed to get revenge. He took Graham Foster hostage and once Joe arrived, Ross told him he had a gun with a single bullet loaded – but he didn’t know when it would fire.
Ross then preceded to play his own version of Russian Roulette. Every time Joe refused to confess to throwing acid at Ross, Ross pulled the trigger.
In a bid to protect Debbie, Joe eventually confessed to the crime. However, a scuffle broke out and the men were horrified when they realised Debbie had walked in and been shot.
As Joe and Ross argued over who loved Debbie more, she was rushed to hospital and fortunately survived.
Ross warns Joe to stay away (Credit: ITV)
Ross and Joe are back in Emmerdale village
In 2024, Ross arrived back in Emmerdale first as part of Billy’s illegal boxing storyline. While Joe arrived on Christmas Eve when it was revealed he was behind the plan to get revenge on Kim Tate.
Charity enlists Ross to put the scares on Joe. Ross’ threats obviously work and Joe backs out of taking Noah to a football match. But this is unlikely to be the end of it…
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Jacob Gallagher has managed to break Sarah Sugden’s heart twice in as many weeks, and now he’s facing the wrath of her grandma, Charity.
And frankly, we think he deserves it! Because Jacob’s history with women is, well, chequered, to say the least.
Jacob was undoubtedly damaged by his grooming and abuse at the hands of his teacher Maya Stepney, so perhaps that’s why he’s proved very careless with the hearts of his girlfriends since.
And that’s not really a surprise given the role models he has. His dad David Metcalfe is a serial monogamist who has a long list of failed marriages and relationships to his name. Not to mention very questionable taste in partners – Maya was his girlfriend when she was grooming teenage Jacob, and he also had a very toxic romance with serial killer Meena Jutla.
And let’s not forget that Jacob’s mum Leyla Harding has been very unlucky in love.
But while all that is a reason for Jacob being so careless with other people’s feelings, we don’t reckon it’s an excuse. Here’s a rundown of all his romances and where they went wrong – perhaps next time he’ll get it right.
Liv and Jacob had a short-lived romance but he was using her (Credit: ITV)
Jacob’s history with women: Liv Flaherty
Liv liked Jacob but he didn’t feel the same way – until he did. But it turned out his youthful romance with Liv was actually a cover for his grim abuse at the hands of Maya.
Jacob was so determined to keep his feelings for Maya a secret that he used Liv, not caring about how she felt. Not cool, Jacob.
Jacob thought he loved Maya but she was manipulating him (Credit: ITV)
Maya Stepney
Of course, Jacob’s bad behaviour at that time wasn’t entirely his fault – he was being groomed by teacher Maya. She convinced him that the pair were in love. Maya was in a relationship with Jacob’s dad David at the time, but she still managed to persuade Jacob – who was just 15 when their romance began – that they were meant to be. When Jacob turned 16, the pair slept together.
It took Jacob a while to realise that their relationship was based on Maya’s manipulation and he struggled to get over it. Maya was later jailed for exchanging inappropriate text messages with Jacob.
Jacob was unkind to Leanna at first (Credit: ITV)
Leanna Cavanagh
With his heart still shattered after Maya, Jacob turned to Leanna who had feelings for him. They slept together but Leanna – who had never slept with a boy before – was devastated when he turned on her. He told her he’d only slept with her because she was nice to him. He said he’d never be into her.
Jacob did see the error of his ways, and apologised to Leanna. She forgave him and the pair agreed to go back to being friends.
But the pair grew closer and by Leanna’s 18th birthday they were in love and planning to go travelling together.
Tragedy struck though when Leanna was murdered by Meena, leaving Jacob’s heart shattered once more.
Bit icky (Credit: ITV)
Jacob’s history with women: Victoria Sugden
It took Jacob a long time to recover from Leanna’s death, and when he eventually fell in love again, Emmerdale viewers were not on board!
Because Jacob fell for his dad’s ex-girlfriend Victoria Sugden!
Victoria was in fact closer in age to Jacob than she had been to David, but she was still nine years his senior, and her previous role as his sort-of-step-mum made the whole thing feel a bit ick.
The pair were really into each other, and ploughed on with their romance despite the disapproval of everyone around them.
David was so horrified by his son’s new relationship that he disowned him and moved to London (which we can’t help thinking was a bit of an over-reaction). Leyla wasn’t happy about it either, and nor was Jacob’s grandfather, Eric Pollard.
But the romance was short-lived (thankfully because it made us cringe).
Sarah’s smitten but does Jacob feel the same? (Credit: ITV)
Sarah Sugden
Now Jacob’s being hot and cold with Vic’s niece, Sarah. He’s admitted he likes her but he’s worried about her health condition that could mean she dies young. And he’s already upset her by criticising her drinking when she ended up in A&E, and flaunting one-night-stand Sian in the village.
Could they make a go of things? Only time will tell.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.Â
Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, news and gossip. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know your thoughts!
Kim Tate is as much a part of Emmerdale as the Dingles, the Sugdens or the Woolpack! Since she first arrived in the village back in 1989, Kim’s become one of the show’s most iconic characters.
More than three decades, and several husbands, children, grandchildren and vendettas later, and Kim has well and truly made her presence felt in Emmerdale.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kim Tate, Emmerdale’s superbitch and queen of Home Farm.
Kim arrived in Emmerdale with her husband Frank and his kids, Chris and Zoe (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The arrival of the Tates
When Kim arrived in the village it was as the younger second wife of millionaire haulage firm boss, Frank. Along with Frank’s grown-up kids Chris and Zoe, the family were seemingly happy but under the surface, things were different!
While Zoe rubbed along okay with her stepmum, Chris hated her, and Kim herself wasn’t massively keen on family life.
How old was Kim Tate when she arrived in Emmerdale?
Kim had just turned 30 when she and Frank came to the village, making her very young to have stepkids in their 20s! It now makes her 65 years old.
Frank was more than 20 years older than his wife and the age gap started to show. No wonder Kim found fun elsewhere…
Kim and Dave Glover
After a romance with Neil Kincaid, Kim’s roaming eye fell on Dave Glover. By then, Chris had got divorced from his first wife, Kathy, and was in a relationship with Rachel Hughes (Joe Tate’s mum).
Kathy herself had moved on and had a new fella – Dave Glover.
But Kathy was no match for the charms of Kim, and Dave was soon embarking on a steamy affair with the lady of the manor. In fact, the pair fell hard for each other and Kim worked very hard to keep things quiet – she even trampled Kathy’s brother Nick with her horse when he threatened to expose her affair! AND she even made threats towards Nick’s little girl, Alice, too.
When Frank had a heart attack and was told to take things easy, Kim saw her chance to get out of her marriage. She seduced her husband in the hope of inducing another heart attack.
But instead she found out she was pregnant, and she wasn’t sure whether Frank or Dave was the daddy.
Frank though was as scheming as his wife, and he got wind of the affair. He got evidence of the illicit romance and he confronted his wife – he told her he’d give her a million pounds to dump Dave and name Frank as the father of the baby.
Money-hungry Kim agreed. The baby was born and named James. But Kim couldn’t resist Dave, and soon their affair was back on.
But tragedy was round the corner! When a fire broke out in Home Farm, Dave climbed in to save baby James. He managed to get the tot out, but Dave was killed.
Kim watched Frank die (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Frank’s death
Kim was heartbroken, and fled the village. She even paid a look-a-like to drive round Emmerdale in her car to stop anyone tracking her down. But when the other woman crashed and died, things took a dark turn! Frank identified the body as Kim, and was arrested for murder.
When he was released, Kim showed up and revealed she was alive – causing Frank to have a heart attack and die! Kim coldly powdered her nose as she watched him pass away, before checking whether he was breathing with her compact.
Steve and Kim got hitched but it didn’t last (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Kim Tate marries Steve Marchant in Emmerdale
After Frank’s death, Kim began a romance with another businessman, Steve Marchant. They seemed to be a match made in heaven, but their spending habits meant they were soon brassic. The pair hatched a plan to exchange a pricey racehorse for a nag. But things went wrong and Steve ended up running over Kathy. To make matters worse, he tried to finish her off in hospital!
Kim managed to manipulate Kathy into shopping Steve to the police, and eventually Steve went to jail while Kim did a runner in a helicopter!
When the pilot asked her if she was Kim Marchant, Kim said: “No. Kim Tate.”
The Queen of Home Farm shocked everyone when she returned to Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Kim Tate returns to Emmerdale
Kim wasn’t seen in the village for years after that, but in 2018, she was released from prison, and showed up back in Emmerdale. She was greeted on her release by Graham Foster and arrived at Home Farm, announcing that she was back as the owner. Meanwhile, Graham had given Joe Tate £10,000 and told him to flee the village.
But the big story as Kim returned was her being shoved off the balcony and on to the champagne fountain down below. Kim survived and the assailant was later revealed to be Faith Dingle.
After Kim was discharged from hospital, she was thrown back in jail for six months!
Graham Foster
On her release, Kim and Graham reunited and there began a confusing round of lies and fakery as Graham told Kim that Cain had killed Joe – even though he’d told her he’d done it, and even though Joe was alive and kicking.
Kim found out the truth, and tried to make Cain believe she’d killed Noah instead. Eventually things settled down and with everyone alive, things carried on as normal at Home Farm.
Until Jamie arrived.
Kim didn’t know Jamie was married with a child (Credit: ITV)
Jamie Tate
Kim’s son Jamie arrived in the village to work at the vet’s and just a few weeks later his estranged wife Andrea and daughter Millie arrived to the surprise of Kim, who hadn’t know they existed.
It turned out that Graham had hired Andrea to keep an eye on Jamie when he couldn’t and she’d fallen for him. But she’d also had a brief liaison with Graham too and he thought he was Millie’s father – he wasn’t, but that didn’t stop him announcing his fling with Andrea at Christmas dinner.
When Graham was murdered – for real this time, he was actually dead – there were many suspects, including Kim. The culprit turned out to be Rhona’s rapist ex Pierce Harris, who wasn’t happy about Rhona’s new romance with Graham.
Kim went to a lot of effort to fake her own death (again) (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Kim and Jamie
Meanwhile, Kim’s relationship with her son Jamie was falling apart. Jamie had a romance with Belle Dingle, as well as Gabby Thomas – who got pregnant with his son, Thomas – and Dawn Taylor.
He proved he was a true Tate by plotting and scheming in all sorts of ways, including drugging his mother to make her think she was ill. Eventually he was given his comeuppance when his mum – you’ve guessed it – faked her own death (with a bit of help from new fella Will Taylor).
Later, Jamie got his own back by faking his own death too!
Will and Kim’s relationship was a rollercoaster! (Credit: ITV)
Will Taylor and Kim Tate in Emmerdale
Meanwhile Kim had fallen for Will, and the pair seemed to be a great match building a slightly odd, but somehow functional family at Home Farm, with Dawn, as well as Gabby and little Thomas, and eventually Dawn’s kids and husband Billy, too.
There was the slight headache about the man Dawn had killed – corrupt cop DI Malone. Will helped them cover up the crime and buried the body, and Kim eventually made it go away – literally.
Kim and Will married with Will becoming Kim’s fourth husband!
There were more headaches in the shape of Will’s ex, Harriet Finch, who was killed in the storm, and Dawn’s mum, Rose, who eventually destroyed Will and Kim’s marriage.
Caleb is Frank’s secret son (Credit: ITV)
Caleb and Nicky’s scheme
Nicky arrived in Emmerdale as a ‘manny’ for Thomas, but he was soon wooing Gabby who fell for him hard. Except it turned out Nicky was gay, and the wedding he’d planned with Gabby was part of an elaborate con to swindle Kim out of her money.
When Caleb Miligan came to the village – Cain and Chas’s half brother, turned out to be a secret Tate. It was revealed his mum, Faith, had a fling with Frank and Caleb was the result.
Obviously Caleb blamed Kim for his terrible childhood in care and not his actual parents, and he was determined to ruin her.
But Kim got wind of what he was up to and his plan failed. He seems to still be keen on getting his hands on her cash though.
Kim didn’t try to save Will. (Credit: ITV)
More plots
Will died on Christmas Day, for real. He collapsed, just as Frank had done, and Kim – thinking he was faking – didn’t help. She even fixed her make-up just as she’d done all those years before. Until she realised it was all true and desperately tried to save her husband.
Meanwhile, before his (real!) death, Will was sucked into a plan by Kim’s financial advisor Peter, to ruin her. As it happened, it wasn’t Peter’s plan after all, but Joe Tate’s.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Jacob Gallagher in Emmerdale has been part of village life since he was young lad.
Having grown up before viewers eyes, Jacob‘s had an eventful life. He’s endured family dramas, been groomed by his teacher and had an affair with his dad’s ex-girlfriend.
Born on February 28, 2003, Jacob is the biological son of Leyla Harding and Justin Gallagher. Jacob was conceived after Leyla had an affair with Justin, who was her sister Alicia’s husband.
He was adopted by Alicia who, unable to conceive, raised him as her own.
Jacob considers Alicia’s former husband, David Metcalfe, to be his dad, and refers to him as that.
He has two half-siblings, Amba and Theo Metcalfe, who no longer live in the Dales.
Jacob excelled at school and is currently in higher education studying to be a doctor.
Joe-Warren Plant plays Jacob in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who plays Jacob Gallagher in Emmerdale?
Jacob Gallagher in Emmerdale is played by British actor Joe-Warren Plant. He was born on April 12, 2002, and raised in Poulton-le-Fylde by parents Warren and Steph Plant.
Joe-Warren became a student at Blackpool’s Scream Theatre School when he was four-years-old. The actor then joined the Emmerdale cast aged eight and was introduced as part of a new family.
As a youngster, Joe-Warren balanced his filming commitments with studying at Baines School in his home town.
Alicia and Leyla are both mums to Jacob (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Jacob’s arrival in Emmerdale
Jacob and Alicia arrived in the village in 2010. He was seven-years-old, but still had no idea his Auntie Leyla was actually his mum.
Alicia began dating David Metcalfe, who Jacob grew to love like a real father. In 2013, Jacob discovered Alicia wasn’t his birth mum and ran away for the night.
The truth about Leyla left Jacob angry and confused with the world, but he eventually adapted.
Bullying hell
Jacob has had an on/off friendship with local lad Noah Dingle. Noah made Jacob’s life hell in 2014 by waging a bullying campaign against him.
The nasty lad forced Jacob to vandalise Bernice Blackstock’s beauty salon and steal money from the church. Jacob got caught red-handed, but admitted to Alicia and David that Noah had forced him to do it.
The couple informed Noah’s mum, Charity Dingle, who punished her son. Jacob and Noah eventually made up and continued to be mates.
Tracy has split with David, but always remained protective of Jakey (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Jacob’s dramatic exit
Jacob’s world was turned upside down in 2015 after learning Alicia had been sexually assaulted by unhinged Lachlan White. In an act of revenge, Jacob trashed Home Farm.
Traumatised Alicia decided to leave the village and took Jacob to live with her in Portugal. David stayed put, and he and Jacob lost touch for a while.
A year later, Jacob sneaked back to Emmerdale without telling Alicia, but David and Leyla convinced her to let him stay.
Everything was rosy until David discovered he had testicular cancer. Too scared to tell Jacob the truth, he banished the teen back to Portugal.
Jacob was back again soon enough and was hurt to discover David had lied to him about his illness. However, he was persuaded by David’s girlfriend Tracy Shankley to stick around and help his dad. David went on to make a full recovery.
Maya groomed Jacob in a disturbing storyline (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Abuse hell
Another dark period in Jacob’s life was when he fell victim to predatory Maya Stepney. She was one of his secondary school teachers and they began dating. Maya also happened to be in a relationship with David by this point.
Maya groomed Jacob and they began a secret relationship, at her request. When Jacob turned 16, Maya took his virginity.
Their affair was rumbled by Jacob’s ex Liv Flaherty, who tried to blackmail Maya for £10,000.
The truth all came out when Priya Sharma spied Jacob and Maya kissing outside a nightclub in Hotten and informed Leyla. Maya and Jacob ran away, but the police caught up with her and arrested her.
Still believing the love he and Maya had was real, it took Jacob a long while to realise he’d been abused.
Another shock was in store when Jacob and David found a baby boy on their doorstep on Christmas Day 2019. A note revealed the tot was Maya’s son, and Jacob feared he could be the father.
A DNA test later confirmed the child was David’s, and he was named Theo.
Jacob and Victoria promised it was love, but it lasted about five minutes (Credit: ITV)
A messy love triangle
After Maya, Jacob had a one-night stand with classmate Leanna Cavanagh. He was devastated when she was murdered by Meena Jutla.
Jacob’s next romantic interest caused a storm in the village. He fell in love with Victoria Sugden, who happened to be his dad’s ex-girlfriend and nine years his senior.
After confessing their feelings for one another, the unlikely couple began a secret affair. But to make matters even more complicated, David had decided he still loved Vic and wanted her back.
When David discovered Jacob had won her heart he was sickened. Unable to forgive what he perceived to be a massive betrayal, David fled the village, leaving Jacob wracked with guilt.
Sadly the romance with Victoria wasn’t to be and she dumped him, leaving Jacob heartbroken.
Jacob is set to have a stressful first day in A&E in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV)
Jacob Gallagher takes centre stage in Emmerdale this New Year
The medical student will play a key role in storylines for 2025 as he is the focus of a special standalone episode on Thursday January 2.
He is stressed when a stab victim comes in and he worries it might be April. He calls Marlon who rushes to the hospital and Jacob’s supervisor is not happy with Jacob at all.
Then Charity arrives with drunk Sarah, who Jacob is in the beginnings of a romance with.
Jacob then bonds with an elderly patient who offers comfort to Jacob over his situation. Will it give him the courage to carry on?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
Emmerdale is bringing back Joe Tate it has been confirmed. He is behind Will and Peter’s plot to bring down Kim Tate and will be seen on screen tonight (Christmas Eve).
But why does he hate Kim so much? What happened during his previous Emmerdale stint? And how and why did he leave last time?
We have the answers – here’s all you need to know about Joe Tate in Emmerdale.
Zoe brought Joe up after Chris’s death (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who are the parents of Joe Tate in Emmerdale?
Joseph Tate was born on June 8 1995 to parents Chris Tate and his wife, Rachel Hughes. Joe was named after Rachel’s stepfather, Joe Sugden.
Two years after he was born, Joe’s parents divorced, and his mum Rachel was given custody. However she was pushed off a cliff and killed by her psycho boyfriend Graham Clark, just before Joe’s fourth birthday.
Joe then went to live with his dad Chris. When his father later married Charity Dingle, Joseph decided he wanted to go away to boarding school.
Chris was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour in 2003 and took his own life to frame Charity for his murder. Joseph was taken in by his aunt Zoe Tate. They left the village for New Zealand in 2005.
Noah Tate is Joe’s younger half-brother and the two became quite close when Joe returned in 2017.
Joe did not reveal his true identity when he first arrived in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Tom Waterhouse
Mysterious Tom Waterhouse arrived in Emmerdale in 2017 with his sidekick, Graham Foster. However it was later revealed Tom was actually Joe Tate who wanted revenge on Charity as he believed she was responsible for his father taking his own life.
He managed to get Charity and her daughter Debbie involved in his shady business dealings. Debbie soon fell for ‘Tom’, and before long the pair were embroiled in a relationship. He bought Debbie a house and supported her through her daughter Sarah Sugden’s life-threatening illness.
But things came to a head when Tom revealed who he really was. The romance was all part of his plot and he evicted Debs and her kids, leaving them homeless.
Devastated at Joe’s betrayal, Debbie swore that she would get her revenge. Charity also vowed to make Joe pay for messing with her family.
Kim Tate was the mastermind behind Joe’s whole scheme (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
So how does Kim Tate fit in?
Kim was married to Joe’s grandfather, Frank Tate, making her his step-grandmother.
Kim was in prison for fraud when Joe returned to the village – however, it was later revealed that she was actually the mastermind behind his plot to get revenge on Charity and the Dingles, and Joe had merely been carrying out her bidding.
Joe had led everyone to believe that he owned Home Farm, along with the rest of the Tate fortune. But actually, control of the whole estate belonged to Kim, and Joe was just a pawn in her wicked games.
However Joe hadn’t been completely following her instructions and had been spending her money. When Kim was released from prison she was furious about it and wanted rid of him for good.
She used her henchman, Graham Foster to kill Joe. But Graham cared about Joe like a son. When Graham and Joe first arrived in the village together, he appeared to just be a paid employee, but their friendship clearly ran a lot deeper.
It was later revealed that the pair met while Joe was at boarding school. Graham was the school groundsman, who developed a close bond with mischievous teenager Joe.
After Joe got in trouble for locking his head teacher in a cupboard, his aunt Zoe made Graham the boy’s legal guardian to prevent him from being expelled.
The pair remained close, and when Joe left school and launched his own business, he employed Graham as his right-hand man.
So, despite Graham’s loyalties to Kim (they were actually married!) he just couldn’t off Joe.
Debbie and Joe were committed to a future together (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Is Joe Tate dead in Emmerdale?
Graham was in a state after Kim ordered Joe’s demise. He was completely torn, but resigned to doing as Kim wished.
But Graham just couldn’t go through with it and gave Joe £100,000 telling him to leave the village for good. Joe was ready to run, leaving his bride Debbie standing at the altar.
However he just couldn’t leave Debbie. By this point he genuinely loved her and wanted to marry her, so risked his life to go back to her.
By this point, Cain had discovered that Joe had jilted Debbie and he was furious. In true Cain style he tracked down Joe and punched him to the ground. As Joe hit his head on a rock, Cain thought he had killed him.
Along came Graham who confirmed Joe was dead. He firmly told Cain to leave and he would dispose of the body. However, as Joe was put in the boot of Graham’s car we saw his hand twitch.
It then seemed as if Graham had finished the job, with Cain believing he had killed Joe and torturing himself. Cain confessed his crimes to Debbie and the pair fell out.
However months later, in March 2019, it was revealed to be a ruse. Kim was shocked to find out that Joe was actually alive and well – and living it up in Monte Carlo!
CCTV footage revealed that Graham had helped him to escape and set up a new identity. Kim ordered a hit man to deal with him once and for all, but by that point Joe had already moved on – and we have not seen or heard from him – until now!
Joe Tate is back! (Credit: ITV)
Joe Tate is returning to Emmerdale
Yes, that’s right, Joe Tate is back! He is the one who is the mastermind behind the plot to bring down Kim Tate.
Joe’s arrival comes just before a flashforward scene on Christmas Day which shows devastation at Home Farm. With Kim looking forward to Christmas and renewing her vows with Will, it looks like it will end in disaster.
There will be huge confrontations, heartbreak and lots of twists as Home Farm is changed forever!
Producer, Laura Shaw said of Joe’s return: “We are thrilled to welcome Ned back to village as the complex and captivating Joe Tate. From the moment Joe arrives on screen, it’s clear there’s trouble ahead but Joe’s hiding an even darker secret that could see 2025 start off with a huge bang.”
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
As the anniversary of Heath Hope’s death in Emmerdale approaches, Bob pays tribute to his son. We take a look back at how the teenager met his tragic end.
Bob has been busy planning a memorial concert in Heath’s memory, but in tonight’s episode of Emmerdale, he reaches boiling point when Brenda and Wendy’s bickering threatens to overshadow the event.
With the village coming together to honour Heath and his love for music, we take a look back at his time in the village and his untimely death.
Heath died nearly a year ago (Credit: ITV)
Who was Heath Hope?
The character of Heath Hope has been in Emmerdale since his birth in 2007, and has been played by Sebastian Dowling for the majority of that time.
Heath is the twin brother of Cathy, and the son of Bob and Viv Hope. Viv was sentenced to jail time when the twins were just one years old, and she died when they were only four. For this reason, Brenda Walker acted as a mother figure to the children.
Heath was close to his stepmother and even walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. When Bob moved out after having an affair, the twins stayed living with Brenda and even set fire to Bob’s things in an act of solidarity.
Cathy and Heath eventually mended their relationship with their dad and Bob was devastated when his young son died.
Angelica, Heath and Cathy were desperate to go to a party (Credit: ITV)
How did Heath Hope die?
During a New Year’s Eve party at the B&B last year, Heath, Cathy and their friend Angelica King stole Wendy Posner’s car so they could attend a party in nearby Hotten.
April told Bob and Wendy where the trio had gone, informing them that she had tried to stop them.
After the party ground to a halt, Heath told Cathy to drive faster on the narrow back roads. As Bob and Wendy drove to Hotten to track down the teens, they came across the car on the side of the road.
Cathy and Angelica were shellshocked, while Heath was motionless in the car. An ambulance was called, but Heath was sadly pronounced dead shortly after midnight, on New Year’s Day.
Brenda was devastated to hear the news, while Bob initially blamed his daughter, insisting he couldn’t even look at her.
However, it was later revealed that Angelica had been the one driving the car, after her and Cathy swapped seats. Angelica was sentenced to eight months in a secure children’s home, though she is already back in the village.
Bob organised a carol concert for Heath (Credit: ITV)
Bob’s tribute to Heath
With it being almost a year since Heath died, Bob is determined to keep his son’s memory alive.
Last week, Bob announced that due to Heath’s love of music he had decided to organise a carol concert in Heath’s memory.
Bob invited the whole village to attend the memorial concert. But it all gets too much for him when the event is overshadowed by Brenda and Wendy bickering.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
There have been 37 births in Emmerdale since the show started in 1972. The most recent was Evan Fletcher and that was one year ago.
In fact there have been no births in Emmerdale at all in 2024. But will 2025 bring the pitter patter of tiny feet for anyone in the Dales?
Let’s take a look at all the births in Emmerdale on screen and also what happened to the babies.
Emmerdale births: The first babies born
The Skilbeck twins met a shockingly tragic end (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
1 & 2. Sam and Sally Skilbeck
Samuel William ‘Sam’ Skilbeck was the first baby to be born on Emmerdale. He arrived on April 10 1973, alongside his twin sister, Sally. Their parents were Peggy and Matt Skilbeck and his maternal grandmother was the legendary Annie Sugden. Their young life was blighted by tragedy. Peggy died of a brain hemorrhage when her twins were just three months old, and the twins own lives were cut short when they were killed on a level crossing, aged three.
3. Matthew Oswell
Four years after the first births in Emmerdale, came the arrival of baby Matthew Oswell. He made his entrance into the world on August 15 1977. During that time, Matthew’s parents Sarah and Ray Owell were lodging at Emmerdale Farm after their cottage had been destroyed in a storm. Sarah went into labour while at the farm, but made it to hospital in time to deliver Matthew.
4. Samuel Skilbeck
Samuel Benjamin ‘Sam’ Skilbeck was born on December 23 1982 to Matt Skilbeck and his second wife Dolly. He was named after Sam Pearson, the grandfather of Matt’s first wife, Peggy, and in honour of his late half-brother, Samuel who had died five years earlier. Samuel’s parents split when he was seven, and he moved away from the village with his mum in 1991.
Emmerdale births: Sugdens and Tates
Young Robert Sugden was left motherless at four months old (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
5. Robert Sugden
Robert Jacob Sugden was the first Sugden to be born on the soap. His arrival on April 22 1986 temporarily reunited his estranged parents Jack and Pat Sugden. Sadly Pat died in a car crash when Robert was only four-months old. Robert was subsequently raised by Jack and his second wife, Sarah.
Nick and Elsa got a surprise arrival in the form of Alice (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
6. Alice Bates
Alice Rose Bates made an unexpected arrival on the day of her parents’, Nick Bates and Elsa Feldmann, wedding – February 14 1991. The Valentine’s Day nuptials had to be postponed when Elsa went into premature labour, and village vet Zoe Tate helped deliver the baby girl at Mill Cottage. Overjoyed Elsa and Nick named their newborn Alice after her great-grandmother.
Born on the soap to mum Sarah, Victoria has grown up on screen and is also one of the longest-serving female characters (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Trouble has always followed Joseph Tate around! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
8. Joseph Tate
Joseph Mark ‘Joe’ Tate was the first of Frank Tate’s grandchildren to be born. His appearance on June 8 1995 came much earlier than planned when his mum Rachel Hughes went into labour at Home Farm while his dad Chris Tate was at a meeting. Joe was named after his mum’s stepfather Joe Sugden and her brother Mark Hughes, and his godmother was Rachel’s best friend Kathy Glover.
Frank or Dave could have been baby James’ father, but at first Kim didn’t know which (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
9. James Tate
The year after Joseph’s birth saw the very dramatic arrival of another Tate – his uncle, James Francis ‘Jamie’ Tate. James’s mum, Kim Tate had experienced a difficult pregnancy, mainly down to not knowing whether her husband Frank Tate or lover Dave Glover was her baby’s father. James was delivered via an emergency cesarean section at 9.35pm on September 24 1996, weighing at 8lb 4oz. Having been deprived of oxygen at birth, James was placed on a ventilator and his father Frank Tate, arranged for him to be christened. However, he went to make a full recovery and a DNA test later confirmed Frank was his father.
Emmerdale births numbers 10 to 20
10. Geri Cairns
Geri Cairns was only hours old when she was found on the doorstep of Emmerdale Veterinary Surgery on March 31 1997. The discovery of the abandoned baby sent shockwaves through the village and soon afterwards Geri’s mum was revealed to be 13-year-old local Emma Cairns, who’d fallen pregnant after a one-night stand with her sister Charlie’s boyfriend, Greg Cox.
Tinkerbelle was a Christmas Day Dingle baby (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
11. Belle Dingle
Belle Dingle was Emmerdale’s first Christmas Day baby, making her arrival on December 25 1998. Local vet Paddy Kirk delivered Belle in the pigsty of Wishing Well Cottage after Lisa Dingle – who had no idea she was pregnant – unexpectedly went into labour. Keeping in the Dingle tradition for choosing quirky names, Lisa and dad Zak then called their little Christmas miracle Tinkerbelle Lisa Dingle, Belle for short.
12. Kirk Daggert
Kirk Daggert was Emmerdale’s first baby to be born in the 21st century and arrived on July 9 2001. Kirk’s mum Latisha Daggert was on the run from her violent boyfriend when she went into labour by the side of the road. She was found by local roofer Jason Kirk, who helped her deliver her baby son. Latisha then called her tot, Kirk in his honour. However, Latisha took Kirk to live in Portugal in December 2002.
Ashley was Gabby’s father, but his relationship with Bernice didn’t survive (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
13. Gabrielle Thomas
Gabrielle Bernice ‘Gabby’ Thomas has something in common with fellow villager Belle Dingle – they’re both Christmas Day babies. Gabby’s arrival on December 25 2001 was surrounded by controversy as her mum Bernice Blackstock had no idea if her husband Ashley Thomas or ex-lover Carlos Diaz was her baby daddy. A DNA test later proved Ashley was in fact Gabby’s father and he went on to raise his daughter when Bernice did a runner.
Scott and Zoe were baby Jean’s parents, but things were tricky (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
14. Jean Tate
Jean Tate came into the world on January 24 2003. She was the product of an affair between Zoe Tate and Scott Windsor, but the circumstances of her conception were complicated as Zoe had been in the grips of schizophrenia and had no recollection of the fling. Jean lived at Home Farm until 2005 when she emigrated with Zoe and her cousin Joe to New Zealand.
Young TJ was orphaned and sent to live abroad (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
15. TJ Woods
Terry ‘TJ’ Woods Jr was born on October 19 1993 to teenage mum Dawn Hope and her partner, Terry Woods. Dawn had feared TJ would be born deaf after she’d contracted German Measles whilst pregnant, but thankfully the tot had full hearing. Terry vetoed Dawn’s choice to name their son Harrison, and they settled on Terry Junior – TJ for short. Sadly little TJ lost both his parents when he was very young, and the orphaned lad went to live in Morocco with his grandmother Jean Hope.
Noah’s arrival into the world was dramatic (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
16. Noah Tate
Noah Christopher Tate arrived via an emergency c-section on March 1 2004. At the time of his birth, Noah’s mother Charity Dingle was serving time in prison for the murder of his father, Chris Tate. Born three months prematurely and weighing in at two pounds two ounces, Noah was given a 50 per cent chance of survival, but thankfully pulled through.
Debbie struggled to bond with baby Sarah, but got there in the end (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
17. Sarah Sugden
Sarah Sugden was born in the less than comfortable setting of Seth Armstrong’s hide on June 6 2005. Just minutes after being delivered by her mum, Debbie Dingle, Sarah turned blue and became unresponsive. She was saved by Emily Kirk, who got her breathing again and also helped Debbie break the news of Sarah’s arrival to the rest of the Dingles. Sarah was named after father Andy Sugden’s late mother, Sarah.
Alice sacrificed herself to save her son (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
18. Samson Dingle
Samson John Dingle’s birth on January 12 2006 was overshadowed by great sadness. His mother, Alice Dingle, had been diagnosed with cancer during her pregnancy, but had refused to undergo chemotherapy fearing it would harm her unborn child. After Samson’s arrival, Alice started treatment but passed away six months later, leaving her son in the care of his father, Sam Dingle.
Heath and Cathy gave a whole literal meaning to ‘born in a barn’ with parents Viv and Bob (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
19 & 20. Cathy and Heath Hope
Catherine ‘Cathy’ Hope was the first of Viv and Bob Hope’s twins to arrive on February 9 2007. Her brother, Heathcliffe ‘Heath’ Hope arrived soon afterwards. They were born in a shed the middle of the wild Yorkshire moors and delivered by dad, Bob, and also local vet Paddy Kirk. Taking inspiration from Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights, Viv and Bob named their children after the main characters. Cathy continues to live in Emmerdale with her dad, but Heath tragically died last New Year’s Eve in a car accident.
Emmerdale births numbers 21-30
Laurel had a traumatic time when she learned her baby had been swapped (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
21. Arthur Thomas
Arthur Thomas (nee Doland) was born on August 26 2007, and is the biological son of vicar Ashley Thomas and his wife Laurel Thomas. However, an accidental baby swap at the hospital led to Arthur being given to another couple – Melanie and Greg Doland. A DNA test in May 2008 confirmed there had been a mix up and Arthur was returned to Laurel and Ashley.
22. Daniel Thomas
Daniel Thomas was the son of Melanie and Greg Doland and the baby swapped with Arthur Thomas. He too was born on August 26 2007 and returned to the village to live with Laurel and Ashley, while Arthur went home with Melanie and Greg. Tragedy struck on February 21 2008 when Daniel was found dead in his bed. Doctors discovered his blood type was not compatible with Laurel’s, which started the ball rolling on discovering the truth about Daniel’s true identity.
Katie Sugden was Perdy and Grayson’s surrogate (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
23. Harry Hyde
Harry Hyde was Emmerdale’s first surrogate baby and is the biological son of former couple Grayson Sinclair and Perdita Hyde-Sinclair. He was born to surrogate mum Katie Sugden on July 22 2008. She gave birth to Harry in the back of Matthew King’s car at the roadside, and he and Perdita acted as midwives helping bring the tot into the world. Perdita, who’d split from Grayson by this point, named the child Harry after her late brother and fled the village with him.
Nicola gave birth to Angelica prematurely (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
24. Angelica King
Angelica Mary ‘Angel’ King is the daughter of Nicola and Jimmy King. She was born prematurely on August 6 2009 and spent the first 24 hours of her life in the special baby unit. Angel also had a near-death experience at just days old when she was kidnapped by her aunt Lexi King and taken up to the roof of the hospital.
Rhona has brought Leo up with Marlon and Paddy (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
25. Emmerdale births: Leo Goskirk
Leo Goskirk is the son of Rhona Goskirk and Marlon Dingle and was born on May 30 2011. Rhona went into labour after being caught up in the middle of a fight between Adam Barton and Aaron Dingle and accidentally pushed to the ground. She later gave birth to Leo in hospital with Marlon by her side.
Amy gave Kyle up for adoption, but now he lives with dad Cain (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
26. Kyle Winchester
Kyle Winchester (ne Wyatt) was the result of a one-night stand between teenager Amy Wyatt and local bad boy Cain Dingle. Amy concealed the pregnancy from her friends and family and gave birth to Kyle on December 1 2011 in the village cemetery. Amy believed her baby had died during birth and left him inside a phone box, where he was discovered by neighbour Hazel Rhodes and taken to hospital. He was given the name Kyle by Amy’s foster parents Eric and Val Pollard.
27. Jack Sugden Jr
Jack Sugden Jr was conceived as a saviour sibling for his sister Sarah, who was diagnosed with rare blood disease Fanconi Anaemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. He’s the son of Debbie Dingle and Andy Sugden. Jack was born on October 17 2012 and was a match for Sarah. At only days old he therefore underwent surgery which successfully harvested cells from his bone marrow and transplanted them to Sarah.
Nikhil and Molly now live in Canada after Gennie’s tragic death (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
28. Molly Sharma
Molly Sharma was born on October 17 2012 to parents Gennie Walker and Nikhil Sharma. Gennie hadn’t discovered she was expecting until she was 18 weeks pregnant, but had initially put off telling Nikhil as she feared he didn’t want children. Nikhil helped deliver his daughter when Gennie went into labour and was forced to give birth at The Grange B&B.
Poor Archie was also left without a mother when Rachel died (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
29. Archie Breckle
Archie Breckle’s mum Rachel fell pregnant with him after a one-night stand with her married boss Jai Sharma. Not wanting his wife Charity Dingle to discover the truth, Jai coerced Rachel into keeping schtum. Baby Archie arrived three months early on December 13 2012 but spent the first few weeks of his life in NICU. He came home in January 2013 and Jai’s dirty secret was soon exposed.
David and his daughter Amba (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
30. Amba Metcalfe
Amba Metcalfe is the daughter of exes Priya Kotecha and David Metcalfe. She was the 30th babe to be born in Emmerdale and the second in the backseat of a car. Priya went into labour in David’s shop on May 16 2014. She was driven to hospital by Alicia Metcalfe and Leyla Harding, but the car broke down enroute. With no phone signal to ring for help, Priya was forced to give birth in the vehicle with Alicia and Leyla acting as her midwives.
Emmerdale births numbers 31-40
Carl has recently been embroiled in the Tom plot (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
31. Carl Holliday
Carl Holliday is the surprise son of Jimmy King and Juliette Holliday. He was conceived after a mix-up at the fertility clinic meant Juliette was impregnated by Jimmy’s sperm and not that of her chosen donor. On October 7 2014, Juliette visited Jimmy in the village and ended up going into labour at Mill Cottage. Her baby, who she later named Carl (unaware that it was the name of Jimmy’s late brother Carl) was delivered by Jimmy’s wife, Nicola.
Debbie brought her bother up while Charity was in prison (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
32. Moses Dingle
Moses Dingle’s parents are Charity Dingle and her former fling Ross Barton. He was born on 11 June 2015 whilst Charity was serving a prison sentence for perverting the course of justice. Charity hadn’t told anyone she was pregnant before giving birth, so Moses’ arrival came as a huge shock to everyone. He came back to live in the village and was cared for by sister Debbie Dingle until Charity was released.
33. Johnny Woodfield
Johnny Woodfield arrived on September 11 2015 at Hotten General Hospital. He is the son of Vanessa Woodfield and her then-boyfriend Kirin Kotecha. However, for the first few months of Johnny’s life Vanessa believed Adam Barton was her son’s father after Kirin’s own dad Rakesh Kotecha had doctored the results of a DNA test.
Jai doesn’t see daughter Eliza much now (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
34. Eliza Macey
Eliza Macey is the daughter of Megan Macey and her estranged husband Jai Sharma. She was born in the local hospital on March 3 2016 after Megan went into labour in the woods. Eliza was deprived of oxygen at birth and as a result was diagnosed with bilateral spastic diplegia, a mild form of cerebral palsy.
Laurel and Ashley’s miracle daughter, Dotty barely knew her dad (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
35. Dotty Thomas
Dotty Thomas is the daughter of the late Reverend Ashley Thomas and his wife Laurel. On September 2 2016 Laurel’s waters broke. She went into hospital to be observed, but was told she wasn’t in labour and sent home. Back at Mulberry Cottage things progressed rapidly and Dotty was delivered on the cream sofa by her proud dad.
As Isaac is growing up, he’s won fans’ hearts (Credit: ITV)
36. Isaac Dingle
Isaac Dingle was born unexpectedly on October 2 2017 after Moira Dingle went into labour without even realising she was pregnant. He was delivered by Moira’s unhinged sister-in-law Emma Barton at Butlers Farm before she snatched him. Isaac was eventually found in the village church and returned to his mum in hospital. A subsequent DNA test proved his father was Moira’s estranged husband, Cain.
Rebecca was bringing Seb up in Liverpool but she has tragically died (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
37. Sebastian White
Sebastian was conceived after a one-night stand between Rebecca White and her former brother-in-law Robert Sugden. Robert tried to pressure Rebecca into having a termination, but she refused and continued with the pregnancy. Little Sebastian was born on November 9 2019 after Rebecca went into labour on the side of a road.
38. Emmerdale births: Ryan Stocks – a flashback
In a first for Emmerdale, the soap aired the birth of a character in a flashback episode. Viewers were taken back to New Year’s Eve 1990 when 14-year-old Charity Dingle gave birth to her son, Ryan, whose father was police officer and Charity’s abuser Mark Bails. It was revealed that Charity believed Ryan had died during birth and fled the hospital, unaware that he was saved by the doctors. Ryan was later adopted by Irene Stocks, the midwife who had delivered him.
Baby Grace tragically only lived for 29 minutes (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
39. Grace Dingle
Grace ‘Gracie’ Dingle was the late daughter of Chas Dingle and Paddy Kirk. She was born on October 1 2018, but lived for only 29 minutes. Chas and Paddy had sadly been informed that Grace was incompatible with life after a scan revealed she had Bilateral Renal Agenesis, a condition where the kidneys and bladder fail to develop.
40. Eve Dingle
Chas and Paddy’s rainbow baby, Eve Theodora Dingle, arrived on October 23 2019 in the rather unsavory setting of The Woolpack men’s toilets. Chas and her cousin Marlon Dingle found themselves trapped in the toilets and then the door handle broke off. With no way in or out, Marlon was forced to roll up his sleeves and help deliver Eve into the world. Thankfully Paddy made it just in time to see his daughter being born.
Emmerdale births numbers 41-46
Victoria took to mothering immediately, despite her rape (Credit: ITV)
41. Harry Sugden
Victoria Sugden welcomed 2020 with the arrival of her baby boy, Harry John Sugden on January 1. The circumstances surrounding Harry’s conception were unhappy after Victoria was raped by Lee Posner, a man she’d met on a night out. Despite fearing she wouldn’t bond with her baby, it was love at first sight for Victoria.
Tracy suffered with postnatal depression after Frankie’s birth (Credit: ITV)
42. Frankie Robinson
Frankie Robinson is the daughter of Tracy and Nate Robinson. She was born in Hotten General Hospital on February 25 2021 and named in honour of Tracy’s late father, Frank Clayton, who had died 18 months before she was born.
Gabby went into labour with Thomas alone (Credit: ITV)
43. Thomas Tate
Thomas Tate was the result of a night of passion between Gabby Thomas and heir to Home Farm, Jamie Tate. But when Jamie didn’t want to know, pregnant Gabby was taken in by his mum, Kim Tate, who then plotted to gain custody of her grandchild. Gabby ended up giving birth to Thomas in the living room of Home Farm on October 28 2021. Gabby and Kim eventually came to an agreement about Thomas’s future after Gabby followed Kim’s request to give him the surname Tate.
Amelia went into labour alone in a barn during the storm (Credit: ITV)
44. Esther Spencer
Esther Alison Spencer was conceived after 15-year-old friends Amelia Spencer and Samson Dingle hooked up at a house party. Her arrival was certainly nothing short of dramatic. Amelia went into labour while sheltering in a barn from a ferocious storm. The teen gave birth to her daughter on October 7 2022, with Charity Dingle, Noah Dingle and Kerry Wyatt by her side. She called the tot Esther, which means Star.
Mack no longer has contact with his son (Credit: ITV)
Gus is baby Ivy’s dad, but he is now in prison for fraud (Credit: ITV)
46. Ivy Malcolms
Ivy Malcolms is the biological daughter of Rhona Goskirk and her first husband, Gus Malcolms. Her journey to earth started at some point in the mid-2000s when Rhona and Gus underwent IVF treatment and therefore had their embryos frozen. Years later, Gus and his second wife Lucy then used one of the embryos to conceive a child, forging Rhona’s signature to do so. Lucy delivered a baby girl, called Ivy, on November 16 2023, but died during childbirth.
The latest of the Emmerdale births
Evan brought happiness when he was born, but he is now fighting for his life (Credit: ITV)
47. Evan Fletcher
Evan Fletcher is Emmerdale’s newest addition and the son of Dawn and Billy Fletcher. He arrived on December 21 2023, four days past his due date, via a water birth at Home Farm. Proud father Billy was holding Dawn’s hand throughout the delivery. The couple then chose to call their new born son Evan in tribute to Billy’s late father. Evan has had a rough ride in his first year of life, however, when he was diagnosed with leukaemia
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
Emmerdale have always been brilliant at shining a light on their more mature stars, better known as the golden oldies.
They may not offer the sex appeal and excitement of their younger generations, but they’ve got a wealth of life experience. There’s not much these ladies and gents haven’t seen or done. Just look at Eric Pollard – he’s now the soap’s longest serving character, and there’s never been a dull moment when he’s on screen.
To celebrate their greatness, let’s take a look at 11 of Emmerdale’s greatest OAP icons, both past and present…
Annie Sugden was the original Emmerdale matriarch (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale golden oldies: Annie Sugden
Annie was the OG matriarch of Emmerdale and one of the soap’s most beloved icons. Played by the late Sheila Mercier, Annie remains the longest-serving female character in Emmerdale’s 52 year history.
Introduced in the very first episode of Emmerdale, Annie was the widow of farmer Jacob Sugden. Not much was known about Jacob, but viewers learnt he’d been an alcoholic and neglectful husband, often leaving Annie to look after their farm and children.
Annie was a mum of three to sons Jack and Joe, and daughter Peggy. She doted on her brood, but tragically, all of her children died before she did.
There were other traumas in Annie’s life. She had to contend with constant financial woes, and she also battled an addiction to painkillers. In 1993, she was seriously injured when a plane hit the village, which was known back then as Beckindale. Annie was left in a coma for three months, and woke up to discover her second husband, Leonard Kempinski had been killed in the tragedy.
After an incredible 32 years, Annie decided to swap the Yorkshire Dales for a new life in sunny Spain. A year after her sad departure it was revealed Annie had married for a third time, to former Woolpack landlord Amos Brearly. More on him later.
Over the next decade and a half fans were treated to the occasional visit from Annie. She was last seen on screen in February 2009 when she returned to lay her eldest, Jack to rest.
Annie lived out the rest of her years in Spain, and passed away in August 2020 at the ripe old age of 100.
Seth was one of Emmerdale’s all time greats (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Seth Armstrong
Fans always had a soft spot for Seth. The character, whose real name was Archibald Seth, was played by actor Stan Richards from 1978 to 2004.
A loveable rogue, Seth was always in and out of trouble. His hobby was poaching, and after years of illegally shooting birds on Home Farm land he was made gamekeeper there in 1980. In later years he formed an unlikely friendship with lady of the manor, Kim Tate.
Seth was widowed in 1993 when his wife Meg passed away, and months later his house was destroyed in the plane crash. But his fortunes changed in 1994 when Seth was reunited with his teenage sweetheart, Betty. The couple fell back in love, but Seth’s appetite for mischief often got him in trouble with his other half.
Who remembers when the cheeky chap set up a webcam, which broadcast Betty’s daily movements to everyone on the net, just to get a free breakfast? Betty chucked Seth when she found out what he’d done, but he found a way to win her back.
Seth said farewell to the village in 2003 when he moved away to Australia. He passed away off-screen, following Stan Richards death from emphysema in February 2005.
Carrying out his final wishes, Seth’s body was illegally buried in the woods, with only his nearest and dearest knowing the truth.
Betty was a force of nature (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Betty Eagleton
Busybody Betty always knew what everyone in the village was up to. She loved nothing better than a good old gossip over a glass of her favourite tipple, sherry. But despite her nosiness, Betty was an adored member of the community and a friend to all.
She arrived back in 1994, and embarked on a romance with her former love Seth. Both had been widowed and made plans of their own to marry, but decided at the last minute they were too old to be exchanging vows.
Betty definitely wore the trousers in their relationship. She was the first to call Seth out if he’d been up to no good (which was often!). There were plenty of comedy moments between the couple, which actress Paula Tilbrok played to perfection. Seth might have been useless at times, but we’ll always remember how he stepped in to protect Betty when her nasty ex Reggie Wilkie tried to cause trouble.
His death in 2005 left Betty heartbroken, but she found the courage to carry on.
In 2015, Paula Tilbrook announced she was retiring after 21 years of playing Betty. The actress described her decision to leave Emmerdale as ‘both the saddest and happiest day of my life’. The character moved to Australia with her new beau, Reuben Archibald, who hilariously was a dead ringer for her beloved Seth.
Betty’s last on-screen appearance was on Christmas Day 2015. Four years later, Paula passed away aged 89.
Amos ran the Woolpack for 43 years (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale golden oldies: Amos Brearly
Emmerdale original Amos Brearly was the pipe-smoking landlord of The Woolpack and famed for his bushy sideburns.
His name had been above the village boozer since 1948, which means he’d already been landlord for 24 years when viewers were first introduced to him. Amos was a terrible gossip – you couldn’t tell him a secret unless you wanted half of the village to know. He could also be rather moody and the sight of blood would make him faint.
His greatest friend was Henry Wilks, who joined forces with him in 1973 to run the Woolie together. Although they frequently clashed, Amos and Henry created an iconic partnership which they managed to keep going for 19 years.
Amos had his brushes with death – he was the victim of an armed robbery and survived a stroke, which ended his days as landlord.
Amos only had eyes for one woman in Emmerdale – Annie Sugden. He proposed to her in 1972, but she turned him down. They remained friends, and when Amos asked Annie to marry him again in 1995, she accepted.
He left Emmerdale that year and went to live with Annie in Spain. The couple went on to marry, but what became of Amos, who knows!
Indomitable Eric is Emmerdale’s longest-serving character (Credit: ITV)
Eric Pollard
There’s only one Eric Pollard. And where would Emmerdale be without him?
A permanent fixture on our screens since 1986, Eric has been entertaining audiences for 38 years. But did you know he was only meant to stay for 12 episodes? Actor Chris Chittell’s portrayal of scheming Pollard was such a hit with viewers it was decided to keep him on full time. And we’re grateful they did.
Eric has certainly lived a colourful life. He’s been engaged in several business (mainly illegal) ventures, made plenty of enemies, and had lots of brides.
To date, there have been five Mrs Pollards. These include his second wife Elizabeth Jefferies, who perished in the plane crash of 1993. Eric committed bigamy by marrying Elizabeth, as he was still wedded to his first missus, Eileen.
Wifey number three was Filipino student Dee de la Cruz, then Eric said I do with social climber Gloria Weaver. The true love of Eric’s life was his fifth wife, the indomitable Valerie ‘Val’ Pollard, who left the biggest void in his life when she died in 2015.
Although initially characterised as a ruthless villain, Eric has mellowed over the years and shown us moments of tremendous vulnerability. Never more so than with his battle against Parkinson’s disease.
Eric was diagnosed with the incurable condition in 2023, and has struggled to accept his ailing health. But there’s still life in the old boy yet! However not another wedding after Brenda recently ended their relationship following his betrayal investing all their cash.
If looks could kill, Edna! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Edna Birch
Edna had the sharpest tongue in the village, but underneath her stern exterior was a wise mind and kind heart. She was a friend to many, particularly Betty Eagleton, Pearl Ladderbanks and Sandy Thomas.
She was introduced to audiences in 2000, although Edna had already lived in Emmerdale for years. Characterised as a proud and strong-willed lady, Edna could be incredibly judgey and rarely held back in voicing her opinions.
She had two great loves in her life. First up was the church. As a devout Christian and committed member of the St Mary’s congregation, Edna’s faith was central to all she did. And of course, there were her adorable canine companions, Batley and Tootsie.
Edna’s backstory was explored in 2014 with the introduction of Lawrence White. It was revealed Lawrence had had a gay love affair with Edna’s husband Harold. Edna had reported Lawrence to the police and he was jailed, with Edna believing he died behind bars.
Tragically Edna’s time in Emmerdale was cut short when actress Shirley Stelfox (who also played the original Rose in Keeping Up Appearances) passed away in December 2015 following a short battle with cancer. The character was killed off the following year.
Sandy was a real sweetheart (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale golden oldies: Sandy Thomas
Former Navy officer Sandy brought his own brand of eccentricity to village life and certainly livened things up at the vicarage.
The dad of local reverend Ashley Thomas, Sandy and his son had a complicated past. They had fallen out years previously after Sandy helped his wife Dorothy end her life, something which went against Ashley’s Christian beliefs.
Sandy gave us so many LOL moments, even if his family found his innuendo-laden jokes rather embarrassing.
But it was no laughing matter when Sandy found himself on the receiving end of Ashley’s temper. Ashley was in a dark place after his marriage split from Laurel and took his hurt out on Sandy. For months, viewers watched on in horror and as the defenseless pensioner was subjected to terrible physical and mental abuse. Ashley was eventually brought to justice and Sandy forgave him for what he’d done.
Sandy continued to live at Mulberry cottage after Ashley’s death in 2017. He bid us all farewell the following year, opting to join his old mate Betty down under. In 2020, news reached the village that Sandy had died peacefully in his sleep.
Pearl always looked glam (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Pearl Ladderbanks
Flirty, feisty and forthright – that was our Pearl. She provided the perfect sparring partner for uptight Edna. Pearl also brought a touch of glamour to the Dales with her striking outfits and immaculate hair and make up.
She came to the Dales in 2003 and immediately caught the eye of fellow OAP Len Reynolds. Pearl and Len became a couple and went on to marry. However, their relationship was put to the test when Pearl’s rapist son Frank came to stay in the village. The couple were ostracised by the locals for housing an abuser, and even considered moving away.
Wherever Pearl went trouble often followed. She got conned into investing in a get-rich-quick scheme and got into debt after borrowing money from Eric Pollard. Pearl briefly fled the village, but was found in Leeds working under the alias of Irene.
After Len’s death, Pearl faced problems at work when Vanessa Woodfield tried to push her out of the vets, saying she too old to be their receptionist. But it was Paddy Kirk who gave Pearl her marching orders after discovering she’d been stealing money from the surgery to fund her gambling addiction. Pearl foolishly tried to fake having Alzheimer’s to excuse her behaviour, but was found out.
In 2019, actress Meg Johnson took an extended break, with Pearl’s absence explained that she’d gone on a caravan holiday. The character was last seen on screen in March 2020, and in 2024 news reached the village that Pearl had passed away.
Poor Rishi met a sad end (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Rishi Sharma
We always felt a little sorry for lovely Rishi, particularly with a son as nasty and manipulative as Jai.
Big-hearted Rishi was forever trying to clean up whatever mess Jai had made – whether it was within his personal life or at work. And daughter Priya gave the poor man many sleepless nights too.
In 2018, Rishi finally found some happiness of his own when he began dating local doctor Manpreet Sharma. Both Jai and Priya suspected Manpreet was taking their father for a ride and tried to warn him off her. But Rishi was besotted. The pair went on to marry in Las Vegas in 2019.
When the Sharma clan were hit by a financial crisis, Rishi ended up making a deal with the devil – also known as Kim Tate. A fire broke out at the family’s factory and Rishi was forced to give up his share in the business. More bad times followed when Manpreet called time on the marriage and told Rishi she no longer loved him.
Then in 2023 came the biggest shock of all when Rishi admitted to Jai he wasn’t his biological dad. It turned out Rishi’s younger brother Amit was actually the real father.
Weeks later, on the day of Jai’s wedding to Laurel Thomas, Rishi was discovered dead at the bottom of the stairs of Holdgate. It was later revealed Rishi had fallen to his death while rowing with Amit.
Rodney modelling one of his iconic bolo ties (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale golden oldies: Rodney Blackstock
In his life before Emmerdale, Rodney worked on a fairground, and even tried his hand at being an author. The biggest vices in his life were women and wine. Not much has changed then.
Rodney was introduced in 2000 as the estranged father of Bernice. He’d walked out on his daughter when she was just five years old and left Diane to raise her alone. It later transpired he’d had an affair with Diane’s sister Val Lambert, the product of which was a son, Paul. He went on to have Nicola with his second wife Maureen.
Rodney has always had an eye for the ladies. This randy old goat has so many notches on his bedpost we’re surprised there’s one left. Rodders’ conquests include Louise Appleton, Steph Stokes and Kelly Windsor. He even tried his hand at being a male escort.
His long-standing bromance with Eric Pollard has also delighted fans over the years.
Bear totally pulls off that leopard gown (Credit: ITV)
Bear Wolf
His name might sound intimidating, but lovely Bear is a total softie.
The former wrestler was introduced into the soap as Paddy Kirk’s long-lost father. Back in the 1960s, Bear had an affair with Barbara Kirk, which resulted in her giving birth to a son, Paddy. Barbara raised Paddy to believe her husband was his real father.
The truth was revealed in January 2019 when Paddy found a letter that Bear had written his mum around the time she fell pregnant. A DNA test confirmed Bear was Paddy’s father, and the pair had an emotional reunion in Belfast.
Shortly after Bear arrived in Emmerdale and decided to stay there to make a fresh start with his son. He originally moved into The Woolpack, but now lives in Tenant House.
Over the past five years Bear has proved to be a rock for Paddy. He supported him through his split from Chas, helped him overcome a battle against depression, and has been a lovely grandad to little Eve. He was also an amazing friend to Faith Dingle during the last weeks of his life. All Bear needs now is the love of a good woman.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
Daz is Amelia’s biological dad and she – along with daughter Esther – will leave Yorkshire for a new life with Daz in Leicester.
So we thought the time was right for a quick reminder about who Daz was, what he got up to during his years on Emmerdale and where he’s been.
Here’s the lowdown on everything you need to know about Daz Spencer.
Daz went through a lot (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Who is Daz Spencer?
Daz is the biological father of Amelia, and brother to Dan Spencer – who thought he was Amelia’s dad, and who brought her up.
After a quick stint in the village in 2014, Daz moved on and then returned for two years in 2017.
Daz’s history included time in the army. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant and served in Afghanistan.
When he arrived in Emmerdale, he claimed he was working as a private security consultant after 18 years of service, and told brother Dan he’d left the army of his own accord.
But that wasn’t exactly true…
Daz kissed bride Kerry at Dan’s stag do (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Daz arrives in Emmerdale
Dan wasn’t overjoyed to see his brother but he agreed to let him stay, mostly because son Sean talked him into it. But it wasn’t long before Dan was regretting his decision, when Daz kicked off his stay by arranging a robbery at David’s shop.
Dan saw everything and not surprisingly, he fell out with his brother. After some digging, it came out that Daz had actually been kicked out of the army rather than leaving of his own accord. Fed up with all the lies, Dan kicked him out.
Daz returns to the Dales
A couple of years after his initial 2014 arrival, Daz made it back to the village. He wasn’t quite done with his drama yet…
In 2017, Daz was homeless and roaming the streets. Kerry spotted him begging and trying to con money in Hotten. She tracked him down to a ‘Haircuts for the Homeless’ event, but he bolted as soon as he saw Kerry.
Kerry is nothing if not tenacious, mind you, and didn’t give up. She brought the brothers together, which ended up in a scuffle, and Daz left. But Kerry took pity on him and let him have a shower in her and Dan’s house before he went.
Dan lost his temper and Kerry snapped. Fed up with how badly he was treating his brother, she tricked Dan into going to the pub with his friends, stole his keys and locked him out of the house, in order to teach him a lesson about what Daz had been through.
Amelia and Kerry pleaded with Dan and eventually he relented and allowed Daz to stay in his camper van. Daz got a job at the cafe and settled into village life.
Daz and Dan didn’t always see eye to eye (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale: Daz and Dan make up
With relations still prickly between Dan and Daz, tensions came to a head when Dan discovered Daz was carrying a knife.
Amelia had begged him to get rid, but he said it was a memento of his army days that he’d held onto it out of sentimentality.
Eventually, it was revealed that Dan had been involved in an incident whilst homeless, where he had been beaten up and urinated on by a group of thugs while he was sleeping. Daz ended up in hospital with a fractured skull and broken ribs. He couldn’t even eat food for a week. Not surprisingly, Daz had developed PTSD.
When Dan heard all this, he softened towards his brother and told him he, Kerry and Amelia would be there for him.
Amelia found out Daz was her real dad (Credit: ITV)
Another hiccup for the Spencers
Daz is actually the biological father of Amelia, despite Dan raising her.
Dan always believed that he was Amelia’s father. But, Daz did a paternity test in 2018 after Amelia’s mum, Ali, died.
The test revealed that Daz was actually Amelia’s biological dad (which came as a bit of a shock to everyone).
Not surprisingly, Amelia struggled with this news at first. With her head all over the place, she ended up going missing. She was found living with a rather creepy girl called Beth who she’d met in an online chatroom.
Daz left the village in 2019 after drunkenly running down Graham Foster. At first Amelia took the blame for the hit and run, wanting to protect her dad.
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.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter @emmerdaleinside
The mysterious Aidan Moore has popped up in Emmerdale again, raising more questions about what exactly John Sugden is hiding.
Since his arrival in the summer, there has been somewhat of a question mark over John’s head. One question has been about why he has a dog tag with the name Aidan Moore engraved on it.
That same dog tag made a reappearance in Monday’s episode (December 16) while John was enjoying a winter camping trip with boyfriend Aaron Dingle.
Is there more to Aidan’s story than John previously shared?
John arrived in the summer (Credit: ITV)
John Sugden arrives in Emmerdale
The new mystery Sugden arrived in the Dales back in August. Unaware of his identity, Aaron had arranged to meet John via a dating app. Aaron and John ended up hooking up in the van on the side of the road.
Later, it was revealed that John was a secret Sugden and was the half-brother of Aaron’s ex-husband Robert. But after a dog tag with the name Aidan Moore was shown in his belongings, viewers wondered whether John was lying about his identity.
John has continued to arouse suspicion with viewers with his random behaviour. Recently, he called the police on Ross and Billy’s underground fight and then warned those involved that the police were coming.
John Sugden’s dog tag with the name Aidan Moore (Credit: ITV)
Fan theories on Aidan Moore
The name Aidan Moore first popped up in Emmerdale in August, when Victoria returned a box of John’s belongings. The box had been misplaced and she’d found it in Harry’s room.
When John opened the box, there was a dog tag inside inscribed with the name “Aidan Moore.”
Others suggested that Aidan Moore could be John’s stepdad, who was there for John when real father Jack wasn’t. Another theory is that Aidan is his ex-boyfriend, while some fans believe that John IS Aidan Moore. Some fans have even suggested that John – or Aidan – was in prison with Robert Sugden, and now he’s using his knowledge to worm his way into the Sugden family and potentially con them.
The most impressive theory came from an Emmerdale fan on Reddit who delved into the archives and discovered a character called Karen Moore from the 1980s. She had a fling with Jack AND Jack’s brother Joe and moved away in 1986. Could she be a link to Aidan Moore?
John caught Victoria snooping (Credit: ITV)
What has John said about Aidan?
In September, John caught his half-sister Victoria looking through his van. She later demanded that John tell her who Aidan Moore is.
John revealed that Aidan had been his best mate in the army, but he had died while they were serving together in Afghanistan. He revealed that the tragedy happened just before the troops were due to be withdrawn from the country.
John got emotional as he revealed that he had tried his best to save him. “I told him I could, but I was lying, I had to,” he remembered. “I could see the fear in his eyes, I held his hand as he slowly slipped away.”
During Monday’s episode (16 December), John took boyfriend Aaron camping. Aaron was reluctant, but John insisted that ‘being in nature is healing.’
He also told Aaron: “You are just like everyone else, happy in your little box, night after night… four walls and a roof – that is a prison to me. Open air, that is my home.â€
Aaron was persuaded and the two found themselves in the forest. Aaron opened up to John, revealing that the only time he has ever been camping before was with Gordon – his father and the man who abused him.
Following Aaron’s revelation, John secretly pulled the infamous dog tag chain from his pocket. He looked deep in thought as his fingers rubbed over the name Aidan Moore. But, is John still keeping secrets about who Aidan Moore really was?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
