Nothing says Christmas in soap like action-packed weddings, and Emmerdale has gifted us some highly memorable ones.
During the soap’s 52 year history no fewer than seven couples have got spliced over the festive period. It would have been nine if it wasn’t for Chas Dingle dumping cheating Carl King at the altar, and another groom dying on his wedding day.
Let’s take a look back at these festive weddings and relive all the shocks and surprises…
Kim and Frank’s second wedding was a grand affair (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas weddings: Frank and Kim Tate
Frank and Kim hoped it would be second time lucky when they said I do on December 22, 1994. The couple’s first marriage had ended in divorce following Kim’s affair with handsome stockbroker, Neil Kincaid. But they were reunited after Frank saved Kim’s life during the plane crash of 1993.
In a break from the usual setting of St Mary’s, Kim and Frank opted to get hitched outside of Emmerdale in the rather grand Ripon Cathedral. Keen horse-woman Kim looked breathtaking in a corseted high-necked lace gown complete with a white dressage hat and veil.
The ceremony was followed by dinner and dancing, as the locals gathered to wish the newlyweds well. But the day ended on a sour note when Frank went to present Kim with her wedding gift – an expensive car – and found the motor had been nicked!
Biff and Linda’s big day ended in tragedy (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Linda Glover and Biff Fowler
Linda and Biff’s 1996 wedding day was full of drama, from beginning to end. First up the groom-to-be woke up nursing a huge hangover, which was not made any better by Seth Armstrong‘s herbal-cure-all-remedy.
Then Biff’s mum Sandra rocked up and tried to talk her son out of going ahead with the wedding, but thankfully she didn’t succeed. Biff and Linda exchanged vows in front of their nearest and dearest, while Jack Sugden acted as their wedding photographer.
Earlier in the day Biff had learnt that his best mate, and Linda’s brother, Dave was planning to run away with Kim Tate. He caught up with Dave at the reception and begged him to reconsider. But tragedy struck that night as Dave was killed rescuing Kim’s baby son James from a fire at Home Farm.
So what should have been the happiest day of Linda and Biff’s lives turned out to be one of the worst.
Ashley and Bernice’s happy ever after did not last long (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Bernice Blackstock and Ashley Thomas
Ashley and Bernice were total opposites, but their adorable love story captured a nation. Nearly 10 million viewers tuned in to see the ditsy barmaid marry her vicar on Christmas Day 2000.
Unlike the majority of Emmerdale weddings, this one actually went without a hitch. Even Bernice’s estranged father, Rodney, managed to watch the ceremony without causing scene.
Bernice looked radiant in an ivory gown and veil, and carried a bouquet of red roses. And proud groom Ashley donned his traditional dog collar.
Unfortunately the couple’s happy ever after wasn’t to be. Less than a year after promising to remain faithful, Bernice was unable to resist the lure of sexy chef Carlos Diaz. She fell pregnant and gave birth to baby Gabby, who had to undergo a DNA test to determine who her daddy was. Classy stuff.
Tom’s sons objected to his choice of bride (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas weddings: Tom King and Rosemary Sinclair
Tom and Rosemary were as vile as one another, in other words the perfect match. Nearly everyone was opposed to them as a couple, particularly Tom’s sons Jimmy, Matthew and Carl who believed Rosemary was a gold-digger.
However, Tom was serious about Rosemary, and proved this by asking her to marry him. Their wedding date was set for Christmas Day 2006, with a church wedding and lavish after party at Home Farm.
The actual ceremony went without a hitch and was rather romantic. But it was the shocking events that unfolded at the reception that have gone down in Emmerdale history.
Tom was getting ready in his bedroom when a shadowy figure entered. An argument broke out, and Tom was pushed to his death through the upstairs window. His horrifying murder sparked the soap’s biggest ever whodunit, and even Tom’s new bride Rosemary found herself in the frame.
The odds were stacked against David and Alicia on their wedding day (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Alicia Gallagher and David Metcalfe
Alicia and David took centre stage when they tied the knot during Emmerdale’s 2013 festive episode. The couple’s decision to get married on Christmas Day did not please everyone, particularly David’s ex Priya Sharma, who was expecting his baby at the time.
But Priya wasn’t the only problem Alicia and David had to contend with.
On the morning of the nuptials. David was struck down by a grim sickness bug and panicked he wouldn’t be able to make it through the ceremony without puking. Alicia found her boiler had broken so couldn’t get ready at home. She went over to The Woolpack where future stepmum Val Pollard offered to style her hair, then burnt it!
There was also a last-minute dress disaster, but Alicia and David did end the day as husband and wife.
Andy and Katie’s Christmas wedding was one to remember (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas weddings: Katie Addyman and Andy Sugden
Christmas Day 2014 marked the second trip down the aisle for Andy Sugden and Katie Addyman. The couple’s first marriage was destroyed by Katie’s affair with brother-in-law Robert. And 10 years later he was out to cause trouble again.
Days before the wedding, Andy got into a punch up with Robert, which resulted in the groom getting a black eye. But Robert was about to add insult to injury. As Katie and Andy exchanged vows in the church they discovered Robert had sabotaged their wedding rings. Inside Katie’s ring was inscribed the words ‘village bike’, and Andy had ‘village idiot’ inside his.
But Robert wasn’t the only local who wanted to cause a scene. Andy’s jealous ex-girlfriend Bernice Blackstock crashed the service and started screaming abuse at everyone. She had to be carted off by mum Diane to calm down.
By some miracle the couple did eventually get married, but their love story ended in tragedy two months later when Katie was killed by Robert.
Paddy married his lady in red (Credit: ITV)
Chas Dingle and Paddy Kirk
Christmas 2020, aka the one where we were all in lockdown, was a difficult time for millions. But Paddy and Chas brought the joy with their heartfelt wedding.
Paddy decided the holiday season was the perfect time to make an honest woman out of Chas. He secretly arranged every detail of their surprise wedding. but when Chas suggested Christmas weddings were cursed, he panicked and called it off.
Chas felt awful when she realised what Paddy had been up to. Deciding that getting hitched at Christmas wasn’t so bad after all, Chas popped on the gorgeous red gown he’d bought her and summoned Paddy to St Mary’s, where she asked him to marry her!
In front of a congregation of three (Paddy’s best mate Marlon, his dad Bear and Chas’s son Aaron), the happy couple exchanged vows. Afterwards they went back to The Woolpack, which the locals had transformed into a winter wonderland.
Carl King wrecked his brother’s wedding day (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
And the ones that didn’t happen: Matthew King and Anna De Souza
It seemed ladies man Matthew King had finally been tamed when he popped the question to Anna De Souza. But Anna’s father, Donald – who was a rival of the King clan – refused to give his blessing.
Weeks before the wedding, Donald and Matthew got into a heated row. Donald suffered a heart attack and Matthew stood and watched him die instead of trying to help save him. The coroner ruled Donald had died from natural causes, but Matthew’s brother Carl knew what really happened.
Carl hated Matthew anyway so seized the chance to ruin his happiness. He gatecrashed Matthew and Anna’s big day and exposed the groom’s shameful secret to everyone. Unsurprisingly Anna didn’t fancy marrying Matthew after learning what he’d done to her dad. She dumped him at the altar and fled.
In revenge, Matthew tried to mow Carl down in a van, but ended up careering into a wall. He died at the scene of the crash, in Anna’s arms.
Cheating Carl King got what he deserved (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Chas Dingle and Carl King
Chas jilting love rat Carl King at the altar was the best Christmas gift fans could have asked for. The landlady had discovered her boyfriend was bedding barmaid Eve Jenson (the granddaughter of Edna Birch). But instead of just dumping him, Chas decided to bide her time to take revenge on Carl.
With cousin Charity in on her plan, Chas told Carl she was pregnant. The couple got engaged and set the date for Christmas Day 2010. Chas made all the arrangements for their festive nuptials, making sure no expense was spared. Carl was happy to meet her every wish, while Chas secretly pocketed his dosh in the process.
As the wedding day arrived, Chas waited until Carl was stood at the altar before exposing Carl’s betrayal to the entire congregation. Chas also announced she wasn’t actually pregnant and the whole thing had been a scam to extort money.
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.
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Elsewhere Belle is desperate to find Piper and considers visiting Tom to get her dog back. Will she go through with it?
All this and more in Emmerdale spoilers for Christmas Eve.
The family don’t know how to deal with drunk April (Credit: ITV)
1. April out of control in Emmerdale spoilers
Things are still tense between Marlon and April following the revelation about Donna’s death and Marlon trying to set Ross up. Marlon has found out April has been trying to buy cannabis and also that Ross is living rent free in Tall Trees.
At the end of his rope Marlon threatens Ross to stay away from April for good, believing her rebellion is all because of him. Ross is cruel to April later on, following through with Marlon’s wishes and she is distraught.
And it seems Marlon has only made things worse when April spirals even further out of control. She steals a bottle of wine from the pub and begs Cathy to drink it with her, but Cathy says no. Rejected April drinks it alone and makes a show of herself in front of Brenda, Bob, Wendy and Marlon.
Marlon is furious and when April then spills wine on Donna’s memory card, he lashes out. Snapping at his daughter, Marlon only serves to make the situation even worse.
Will it be happy ever after for Kim and Will? (Credit: ITV)
2. Where is Kim in Emmerdale spoilers?
Kim goes for her traditional Christmas Eve ride and is full of happiness when she leaves the stables. However before too long, Kim’s horse is seen wandering along. Where is Kim?
Will is worried when he drives down a country road and sees the horse without his wife. Will spots a body lying on the ground and rushes over to her. With Kim unconscious he calls 999 and forgets all his revenge plans.
Realising he does actually love Kim and wants to make it work, he knows he needs to pull the plug on tomorrow’s plans to bring her down. But Peter has other ideas…
Piper wasn’t in the casket and Belle wants to find her (Credit: ITV)
3. Belle decides to confront Tom
Having discovered there was no body in the coffin she believed had Piper in it, Belle is beside herself. Her mind is racing as she wonders where the pooch could be. Did Piper really die? Or did Tom trick her into thinking she had as another cruel manipulation tactic? Confused Belle doesn’t know what to think.
Wanting answers she considers paying Tom a visit to find out where Piper is. But after everything he’s put her through, is that really a wise move? Or should Belle try and move on without Piper?
Ruby’s Christmas is not the happy affair she’d like it to be (Credit: ITV)
4. Ruby on edge in Emmerdale spoilers
With Ruby still keeping her horrendous secret close to her chest, she is under pressure as Steph insists Anthony has Christmas Day with them. Forced to agree, Ruby also invites Chas and her family, meanwhile Caleb invites Cain and Moira.
So it’s set to be a very busy Christmas at the Mill, but Ruby still knows it will be difficult. As she prepares to face it, will the distractions of family help her get through? Or is Anthony’s presence just going to ruin her Christmas completely?
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
Births and deaths have been the theme for many a Christmas in Emmerdale. It’s a favourite time of year to welcome new life into the village, as well as killing off other characters.
Take last festive season for example. It saw the birth of Dawn and Billy Fletcher‘s son, Evan, then just days later, gangster Damon Harris was shot dead by Charity Dingle. And it’s not a new tradition either – the soap had its first Christmas Day baby back in 1998, and its first festive fatality over 30 years ago.
Here’s a full run down of all the Emmerdale hatches and dispatches that have happened at Christmas.
A child is born in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas births: Belle Dingle
For Christmas 1998 Emmerdale gave fans the best surprise present – baby Belle Dingle.
But it wasn’t only the viewers who were shocked by the tot’s unexpected arrival. Mum Lisa Dingle didn’t even realise she was pregnant before her contractions kicked in while she was tending to one of the family’s poorly pigs.
Thankfully she wasn’t alone. Vet Paddy Kirk was by Lisa’s side and helped deliver Belle into the world. Paddy rushed back into Wishing Well and summoned the family outside. And there, lying in a manger (well, a pigsty) was Lisa cradling her newborn daughter.
Stunned Zak was lost for words at the sight of his seventh child and fainted on the spot!
Bernice with her baby daughter Gabby (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Gabby Thomas
Bernice might look like a picture of serenity, cradling her newborn daughter Gabby, but there was a lot of angst and drama surrounding the tot’s arrival into the world.
The Woolpack landlady went into labour on the morning of Christmas Day during a row with her estranged husband Reverend Ashley Thomas. Their marriage was in crisis after Bernice had admitted to an affair with Spanish chef Carlos Diaz.
Unsure whose child she was carrying, Bernice allowed Ashley to accompany her to the hospital, but also requested Carlos’s presence there. As Bernice’s contractions intensified in the delivery suite, outside things were kicking off. Nicola took a swing at Carlos, while Bernice’s parents Rodney and Diane were tearing strips off one another.
Little Gabby was born that same day. Bernice was over the moon, as were the two potential fathers. A DNA test later confirmed Gabby was Ashley’s and Carlos quit the village not long after.
It was love at first sight for new parents Dawn and Billy (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas births: Evan Fletcher
Christmas came early for Dawn and Billy Fletcher with the birth of their beautiful baby boy, Evan.
Dawn went into labour on December 21, 2023 in the middle of the village Christmas fair. Billy was elsewhere, so Dawn had to lean on enemy Aaron Dingle for support as her contractions kicked in. Although to be fair to Aaron, he did a good job given the awkward circumstances.
The mum-to-be made it back to Home Farm in time to have the water birth she’d been longing for. Billy was by Dawn’s side as she delivered a son, who they named Evan, after his paternal grandfather.
The first year of Evan’s life has been a highly traumatic one after the tot was diagnosed with leukemia. But the brave little soul has proved what a fighter he is and even came home in time for Christmas.
Poor Leonard (in the back seat) was one the victims of the plane crash (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Leonard Kempinski
The Emmerdale plane crash, also known as the Beckindale air disaster, marked a huge turning point in the soap’s history. The episode aired on December 30, 1993 and was watched by an audience of 18 million – its highest ever viewing figures.
The village was partly destroyed when an airliner crashed into the surrounding countryside. Farmer Joe Sugden was driving his mum Annie Sugden and her husband Leonard Kempinski to the airport when he had to swerve the car to avoid debris from the doomed plane. The impact of the crash killed Leonard, and left Annie in a coma for three months.
Leonard wasn’t the only local to lose his life that night. The plane crash also claimed three others – Elizabeth Pollard (Eric’s second wife), Zoe Tate’s former boyfriend Archie Brooks and local father Mark Hughes.
It also left Home Farm heir Chris Tate with life-changing injuries that resulted in him being wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
Gorgeous Dave met a fiery end (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Dave Glover
Dave played with fire by sleeping with lady of the manor Kim Tate. And he ended up getting burnt. Very badly.
Kim and the handsome farmhand had an on/off affair behind her husband Frank’s back for two years. When Kim discovered she was pregnant in December 1995 she didn’t know who the father was. She loved Dave, but when Frank offered her a million pounds to ditch her lover, and put his name on the birth certificate, Kim chose the cash.
Baby James was born the following year, and a DNA test later confirmed he was Frank’s. Despite all this, Kim couldn’t give up Dave, and vice versa. The duo decided they’d run away and start a new life together, but never made it that far.
On Christmas Day 1996, a fire broke out in James’s nursery at Home Farm. Dave battled through the flames to save the tot and was able to pass him through a window, but he wasn’t so lucky. He made it to hospital, but died from his injuries the following day.
Vic’s death was one of the saddest moments in Emmerdale history (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Vic Windsor
Christmas Day 1998 marked Belle Dingle’s first on earth, and postmaster Vic Windsor’s last.
The much-loved character was killed off in an armed robbery, carried out by Andy Sugden‘s jailbird dad, Billy Hopwood. The crook needed money for his new planned life abroad with Andy and decided to burgle the Post Office on its quietest day of the year. But he didn’t bank on Vic catching him red-handed.
The crook was armed with a shotgun and threatened to pull the trigger on Vic. A tussle ensued, Vic went crashing into a set of shelves and was fatally injured. He pleaded with Billy to call for help, but the thief scarpered, leaving Vic to die alone.
11.1 million heartbroken fans watched his passing and mourned his loss.
Louise killed Ray in self defence (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Ray Mullen
Evil stalker Ray Mullen met a grisly end on Boxing Day 2003, but we can’t say he didn’t deserve it.
The creepy businessman was the boyfriend of Woolpack landlady Louise Appleton. But what she didn’t realise was that he was also her stalker. For months, Louise had been bombarded by threatening letters from a mystery tormenter. Having made Louise terrified for her safety, Ray then persuaded her to move away with him to Italy.
After saying their goodbyes, the couple made their getaway on Christmas Day. But enroute Louise realised what kind of monster Ray really was. She fought back and their car careered off the road. Ray was knocked out cold and Louise fled the scene. But her nightmare was far from over.
The drama continued on Boxing Day when Ray reappeared at Mill Cottage for a final, deadly showdown. The pair fought and Louise ended up killing Ray in an act of self defence. Her pal Terry Woods discovered the scene of carnage, and helped Louise make it look as if Ray had died by accident to avoid her getting charged.
It worked and Louise got away with murder.
Tom King was pushed out of a window (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Tom King
As far as Emmerdale Christmas episodes go, Tom King’s festive murder in 2006 is one of the finest.
The King patriarch had just married gold-digging Rosemary Sinclair – much to the horror of his sons. The reception at Home Farm was in full swing, but the day was about to take a sinister turn.
Tom was upstairs when a shadowy figure entered his bedroom and attacked him with a bronze statue. Seconds later, Tom came crashing through the window in front of his horrified guests. He died of a broken neck.
His shocking murder sparked the soap’s biggest ever whodunit, with many of the locals in the frame. The investigation went on for months before Tom’s son Carl was unmasked as the killer.
Matthew King
Matthew met his maker on December 16, 2008 – the day of his ill-fated wedding to Anna De Souza.
The shocking events unfolded after Matthew’s brother Carl crashed the nuptials at Home Farm. Carl informed Anna that Matthew had watched her dad Donald die weeks earlier and refused to help him.
Shattered by the revelation, Anna fled the ceremony, while Matthew and Carl had a furious punch up. Matthew then got behind the wheel of a white van and attempted to mow his brother down.
Carl jumped out of the way and Matthew swerved the vehicle to avoid hitting Anna, but crashed into a wall and was catapulted through the windscreen.
Although fatally injured, Matthew was able to tell Anna he loved her one last time before he died in her arms.
Charity murdered Damon Harris on Christmas Day 2023 (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Damon Harris
Last Christmas Charity Dingle became a killer when she accidentally shot gangster Damon ‘Harry’ Harris dead. And it was all Mackenzie Boyd‘s fault!
Mack had an affair with Harry’s daughter, Chloe. But when he dumped her to go back to Charity, Harry swore his revenge. He kidnapped Mack and held him hostage in a deserted warehouse. After torturing his victim, Harry plotted to kill Mack.
He pulled out a gun and was about to pull the trigger when Charity (who had tailed Harry to the warehouse) jumped in to protect her husband. In the scuffle the firearm went off and Harry took a bullet. He was instantly killed.
In the aftermath, Charity battled PTSD, which nearly led her to kill again when she stabbed Mack in a trauma-induced daze.
Heath’s plans for a night out when tragically wrong (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale Christmas deaths: Heath Hope
Emmerdale fans were left in shock after long-term character Heath Hope was killed off last New Year’s Eve.
Heath, his twin sister Cathy and their friend Angelica King were desperate to see in 2024 at a house party in Hotten. So the trio decided to steal nurse Wendy Posner’s car to drive to the venue. But tragedy struck enroute when the vehicle came off the road.
Heath’s dad Bob and Wendy came across the scene of the accident, and found injured Angelica and Cathy in a state of shock. But there was no saving poor Heath, whose lifeless body was slumped in the back seat. He was just 16.
Cathy initially took the blame for causing the crash, but it later transpired Angelica had been behind the wheel. She confessed and was sent to prison for causing death by dangerous driving.
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
Emmerdale tonight saw Marlon tell Ross to stay away from his daughter – but April found out and made her disgust towards him known.
And, it seemed that a bad atmosphere was felt by other villagers too, with Wendy and Brenda getting on the wrong side of a grieving Bob.
Here’s everything that went down in Emmerdale tonight (Monday, December 23).
Marlon interfered (Credit: ITV)
Marlon told Ross to stay away in Emmerdale tonight
After finding out that April was trying to buy weed online, Marlon decided to take action (something needed to be done!)
With April rebelling after finding out the true circumstances around Donna’s death (sobs), Marlon saw Ross letting himself out of his house and had words.
Ross explained that everything had been above board because April had given him the keys to stay for the night. Perhaps he should’ve checked with an actual adult before taking an angry teenager for their word?
Marlon demanded the keys back (and rightfully so) before telling Ross that he must stay away from April. His reason being? He was basically threatened by feeling like he had to compete with Ross – a guy that April clearly idolises.
Later on, April went to find Ross and saw him sitting next to some packed bags. She then tried to open up to him about her current frustration towards her dad. But, Ross wasn’t in the understanding mood.
Actually listening to Marlon’s warning, Ross made out that he didn’t care about April. Upset, April stormed back home and then found out that Marlon had been the one to interfere with her and Ross’ friendship. It’s fair to say that this revelation didn’t go down well at all…
Bob just wanted the day to go to plan (Credit: ITV)
Heath’s memorial fell flat
With it coming up to the one year anniversary of Heath’s death, Bob wanted to distract himself whilst also paying tribute to his late son. What better way to do this than with a carol concert?! Even though Heath wasn’t really one for carols…
Bob tried his best, putting some red tinsel around the speakers in the village, making everything festive. But, some bickering between Wendy and Brenda put a pin in Bob’s plans.
Brenda wanted to make some mulled wine from scratch but Wendy was having none of that, opting for a shop bought version. Where’s that Christmas spirit, Wendy?
After the memorial had finished (had it really started though?, be honest), Brenda apologised to Bob and helped him choose a headstone for Heath’s grave. Bob couldn’t decide on which one would be best, but Brenda spotted a stone that was ‘very Heath.’ And, that was that.
Piper wasn’t in the casket (Credit: ITV)
Belle finally realised Piper’s true fate
Viewers have known for quite some time that Piper the Dog is actually alive, and that her ‘death’ was all just another one of Tom’s lies. And, now, Belle and Vinny finally know the truth.
After admitting that Piper’s death was bugging her, Vinny and Belle bravely dug up her grave and opened her casket. Instead of a rotting animal corpse, inside lay a brick.
Belle then realised that Piper was never dead, wondering what really happened to the adorable pup. We smell a reunion on its way…
Also in Emmerdale tonight…
With Dawn having moved back into Home Farm, she was busy wrapping Christmas presents for the kids. Kim then asked Dawn if it was okay to spoil Lucas, Clemmie and Evan on the 25th. Dawn was more than happy with Kim’s offer.
And, Will and Kim continued to act all loved up amid all of the festivities. But, of course, Kim’s husband was still plotting away…
Elsewhere, Steph took Ross in after finding him feeling sorry for himself outside. Nothing like a spot of good will at Christmas. And, Jacob and Sarah flirted with each other at Heath’s memorial. Sweet.
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
With Christmas fast approaching, here’s when you can catch Emmerdale on TV during the festive schedule shakeup.
Emmerdale will air every day this week, but not always at its usual time. With lots of drama to play out on screen, including Will’s revenge plan on Kim and Belle’s reunion with Piper, fans won’t want to miss a minute.
So here’s what time Emmerdale will be on your screens.
Belle is reunited with Piper (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale’s Christmas schedule
As is to be expected, Emmerdale will feature prominently in ITV’s Christmas schedule.
The soap will air a 30 minute episode on Monday, December 23 at 7.30pm. On Christmas Eve, Emmerdale will move to the 7pm slot, where it will also air for half hour.
On Christmas Day, Emmerdale has only been allocated a 30 minute slot, which will air on ITV1 at 6.30pm. However, there will be an hour long episode on Boxing Day, which will also start at 6.30pm.
On Friday, December 27, Emmerdale returns to the 7.30pm slot, where it will air for half hour.
April is out of control (Credit: ITV)
What is happening in Emmerdale this week?
Emmerdale is its usual mix of joy and drama this festive period. Happiness heads Belle Dingle‘s way when she is reunited with her beloved dog Piper.
After Belle confides in Vinny that she believes Tom lied about Piper being dead, the two of them dig up Piper’s grave and discover her body isn’t there.
On Christmas Day, while Belle is visiting her dad’s grave, she’s overwhelmed by joy when Piper comes charging over. Vinny and Gabby have managed to find the missing dog, giving Belle the best Christmas present.
Elsewhere, Will feels the pressure over his plan to take down Kim Tate. Later, Will panics when he finds Kim unconscious, while on Christmas Day there is a flash forward scene showing a struggle has occurred at Home Farm. But who is involved?
Meanwhile, Marlon can’t cope with April’s behaviour, but he is devastated when she goes missing. He frantically searches for his daughter, but where has she got to?
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 star Beth Cordingly has said there is ‘no way’ that an affair will develop between Ruby and Cain – and we’re relieved!
Last month, Ruby Fox-Miligan slept with her brother-in-law Cain Dingle, with the pair agreeing to keep the fling a secret.
The storyline hasn’t pleased fans, but viewers will be happy to know that it won’t be developing into a full-blown affair.
Cain had a fling with sister-in-law Ruby (Credit: ITV)
Ruby cheats on Caleb with Cain
Last month, Cain struggled to cope while his wife Moira Dingle was undergoing surgery for a brain tumour.
In a special episode, Cain’s story was told in reverse chronological order. Viewers first saw him with bloodied hands while drinking whiskey.
As the clock went back further, viewers were shocked and annoyed when Cain and Ruby were shown putting their clothes on, while telling each other that no one should ever find out about what they’d done.
The following day, Caleb Miligan found a box of emergency contraception in the bin (You could have hidden it better, Ruby!) Fortunately for Ruby, Caleb was convinced it belonged to daughter Steph, so Cain and Ruby’s secret remains a secret, for now.
Ruby will not be embarking on an affair (Credit: ITV)
Beth Cordingly speaks out
Emmerdale star Beth Cordingly has said her character Ruby will not be having an affair with Cain.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Beth said there was ‘no way’ an affair would develop between the pair. She added: ‘[The one-night stand] was two people pressing the self-destruct button, who both just happened to be there, and they probably regretted it as it was happening.
‘Whenever I bump into Jeff [Hordley, who plays Cain] or Nat [J Robb, who plays Moira], I’m like, “Has Moira found out yet?” as if it’s real. I’m dreading it!’
The actress also opened up on the possibility of Ruby getting pregnant with Cain’s baby. She said: ‘Well, we saw Caleb find the morning after pill in the bin, didn’t we? So, we know Ruby’s taken it.
‘I suppose the thing about soap is that you have to keep throwing grenades into the scenario. When everyone’s happy and ticking along it’s boring, and no one wants to watch that!’
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 has reportedly filmed a huge stunt that will see three women, including Leyla Harding, fighting for their lives.
The Sun has revealed that three soap favourites will find themselves trapped in a car as it plunges into a frozen lake.
While the identity of the other two characters is not known, it was revealed earlier this year that Roxy Shahidi, who plays Leyla, will be leaving the soap. Could this be how she makes her dramatic exit?
Leyla’s death looks to be looming (Credit: ITV)
Leyla to leave Emmerdale
Earlier this year, a source told The Sun: “Roxy has adored her time on the soap and has made so many happy memories since first joining when she was 17.
“The cast have become like family to her and she has grown so much as an actress. But now feels like the perfect time to spread her wings and try something new.
“She is really excited about her meaty exit storyline, which will see her character Leyla die on screen. She’d rather go out in a blaze of glory and be remembered.”
There have been theories about how Leyla will leave the soap. Originally, some fans suspected that Tom could kill her.
More recently, fans have come up with another theory. With Emmerdale set to air a special A&E episode featuring Jacob being tested ‘professionally and personally’, fans suspect his mum will be one of his patients.
Leyla will soon be leaving the soap (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale planning big stunt
According to The Sun, terrifying scenes were filmed last week, which saw Leyla and two other women trapped in a car as it sunk into a frozen lake.
Sources have told the publication that Emmerdale pulled out all the stops. This included covering a field with candle wax in order to make it look like a frozen lake.
An insider told The Sun that bosses ‘want viewers to have their hearts in their mouths’ as the car slams into the lake.
They added: “It’s a nightmare scenario and everything was done to make sure this was a scene with real impact. Hours were spent creating a layer of ice. Then the actors spent hours out on the frozen field in the pitch black trying to do the storyline justice.”
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
In Emmerdale spoilers for tonight, Belle Dingle tells Vinny that she never saw the body of her dog Piper and she wants to dig up the grave. What will they find?
Elsewhere, Bob can’t take any more of Wendy and Brenda’s bickering, and the pressure piles on Will.
Read below for full Emmerdale spoilers for tonight (Monday, December 23.)
Vinny and Belle make a discovery (Credit: ITV)
1. Belle and Vinny dig up Piper’s grave
Viewers know that Tom previously lied to Belle about her beloved dog Piper. After running her over, Tom lied that he’d had to put the dog down, but really he’d given Piper away.
Tonight, at Piper’s grave, Belle tells Vinny that she never actually saw Piper’s body. Suspecting that Tom might have been lying about Piper’s death, Belle asks Vinny to get a shovel so that they can dig up the grave and see for themselves.
After digging up the grave, they open the coffin. Belle’s mind races when she discovers Piper’s body isn’t inside. Will she find out where Piper really is?
Bob is at boiling point (Credit: ITV)
2. Bob’s had enough in Emmerdale tonight
Heath Hope sadly died at the start of the year after Angelica King crashed the car they were in.
Bob has been busy planning his son’s memorial concert, but his temper reaches boiling point tonight after dealing with Wendy and Brenda‘s constant bickering.
Is Will still prepared to go ahead with his plan again Kim? (Credit: ITV)
3. Will’s feeling uncomfortable
Will has been plotting with Kim’s financial advisor Peter to bring Kim Tate down, but is he having second thoughts?
Tonight, Will feels uncomfortable when Peter arrives at Home Farm and piles on the pressure for their Christmas Day plans.
Sarah and Jacob share a moment (Credit: ITV)
4. Elsewhere in Emmerdale tonight
Following April bunking off school to drink vodka and giving vapes to Cathy, Marlon and April’s relationship is on a knife’s edge tonight.
Meanwhile, sparks fly between Sarah and Jacob. Is this the start of a new romance?
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
