With his health in decline, could an Emmerdale exit be imminent?
Pollard opened his fortune cookie from Leyla (Credit: ITV)
Leyla sends Pollard a message from the grave
Whilst in the midst of a drug addiction years ago, Leyla Harding feared she might die, so she wrote letters and planned her funeral.
Although her death came about as a result of a limo crash rather than drugs, the funeral plans were still used.
It was an especially emotional day for Pollard, who saw Leyla and fellow victim Amy as daughters. He shared with Tracy that he felt guilty for still being alive.
“Incredible, isn’t it? Doddery old fella like me past his threescore and ten, and I’m burying two bright, vibrant young people. I shall never understand this life,” he said.
At the wake, it was revealed that Leyla really had gone to town on the planning and many of the guests received their own fortune cookie containing personalised messages.Â
Pollard opened his fortune cookie to reveal the message: “See you soon.” He jokingly responded, “cheek!”
Pollard has struggled since his diagnosis (Credit: ITV)
Did Emmerdale hint at Pollard’s death?
Viewers know that back in 2023, Pollard was diagnosed with Parkinson’s after experiencing numbness and tingling.
Since then, the story has been revisited on various occasions, with producer Laura Shaw explaining: “The unique position of a show like Emmerdale means we can tell this story really authentically over a long period of time and we can really shine a light on what a diagnosis like this means and follow Pollard on his journey of learning to live with it.”
Scenes towards the end of last year had fans concerned that the end was near for Emmerdale’s longest serving character after there was a shortage in the medication Pollard needed.
He lived to fight another day, but now with Leyla’s message, should we be concerned that Emmerdale is setting us up once again to say goodbye to Eric Pollard?
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.
What do you think of our story? Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think!
Recent Emmerdale scenes have seen Pollard confide in Kerry, and now fans fear that the two could hook up.
Things have been tough for Eric Pollard of late. As well as coping with Parkinson’s, his partner Brenda ended their relationship after he lost her savings in a cryptocurrency scam.
Pollard has been desperate to make some money so he can pay Brenda Walker back and he came up with a dangerous plan. Fortunately, Kerry managed to stop him.
But fans are now worried that Kerry and Pollard’s closeness could lead to something more.
Kerry tried to help Eric (Credit: ITV)
Pollard and Kerry grow close
Kerry Wyatt recently started working as a cleaner for Pollard and became aware that he was struggling.
After encouraging Pollard to open up, he revealed that he felt like a failure because he hadn’t managed to give Brenda her money back yet. Kerry told Pollard to give himself a break and not get overwhelmed.
Kerry opened up to Pollard about her own fire drama back in 2019 when she and Amy accidentally started the fire that killed Frank Clayton.
After managing to talk Pollard out of arson, Kerry went to check up on him the following day. The pair spent the afternoon together, with Pollard referring to Kerry as family and insisting she do yoga with him.
Fans fear something will happen between Kerry and Pollard)
Emmerdale fan theory sees Pollard and Kerry hook up
Seeing Pollard cosy up to Kerry has many fans worried about where the storyline could be going.
“Kerry and Eric, a platonic friendship or something more in the future?,” asked one fan on Reddit. A second fan responded, writing: “Kerry and Pollard platonic only please. Anything more, YUCK!”
“Eric and Kerry are going to end up together, aren’t they?!,” wrote a third fan alongside a sad face emoji.
Other fans suggested Kerry would use Pollard – even though he doesn’t currently have any money. “Why am I sensing Kerry is going to steal or try and get with Eric?,” wrote a fourth fan, with a fifth adding: “Kerry, he’s old enough to be your grandad!”
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 spoilers for next week reveal that Ruby Fox-Miligan is still struggling following the death and disappearance of Anthony. Desperate to protect Steph, she demands that Chas recant her previous warning to Laurel and Nicola about Anthony.
But with Laurel suffering a crisis of conscience after having whacked him with a candlestick, Chas unwittingly sets into motion a terrible sequence of events for guilt-ridden Laurel. Will Laurel confess to the police that she attacked Anthony?
Elsewhere, desperate Pollard tells Kerry how he plans to burn down the shop. And, as Bob struggles with his grief, he and Cathy are united by the arrival of Heath’s headstone.
Ruby is struggling to hold it all together (Credit: ITV)
1. Ruby struggles as Steph asks difficult questions
Steph is shocked when she realises that Anthony’s car has gone. When she takes her frustrations out on Caleb and Ruby, Caleb tries to tell her that this is how her grandfather has always been.
Meanwhile, Ruby crumbles under the emotional turmoil of her secret. Will she crack under pressure?
Ruby wants Chas to lie (Credit: ITV)
2. Chas backtracks on a ‘lie’
Chas admits to Ruby that she warned Nicola about Anthony being a danger to children. Ruby is furious and tells Chas that she has to take back what she said, so as to protect oblivious Steph.
Later, Chas backtracks to Nicola and Laurel. They’re both left incredulous, but cover for their horror – believing that they are in some way responsible for his disappearance.
Laurel wrestles with her conscience (Credit: ITV)
3. Laurel wants to confess
Following Chas’s revelation, Laurel agonises over what she’s done. She tells Nicola that she needs to tell the truth and go to the police. Can Nicola convince her to keep quiet?
Emmerdale spoilers continued
Pollard is playing with fire (Credit: ITV)
4. Pollard comes up with a dangerous plan
Pollard confides in Kerry, telling her that he feels like he’s failed Brenda by not paying back her life savings by now. Kerry tries to convince him that Brenda would rather wait for the money if it means Pollard not risking his health more than he already has.
As she insists he give himself a break, she’s oblivious to the extent of Pollard’s inner turmoil. Later that week, she’s horrified when she sees matches and flame accelerants stored in the shop.
Pollard comes clean and tells her that he’s going to burn down the shop for the insurance money. Kerry tries to talk him down, telling him that arson is far from a victimless crime. Can she talk Pollard out of his plan?
Matty feels blindsided when Amy tells him she wants a baby (Credit: ITV)
5. Amy is feeling broody
After looking after Frankie, Amy starts to feel broody. Moira’s stunned when she realises that Amy wants a baby – and encourages her to speak to Matty.
Later, Matty is left speechless when Amy nervously broaches the subject. In shock, he ends the conversation as she attempts to soften the blow – feeling guilty for raising the subject in the first place. Will Matty come around to the idea?
Bob and Cathy bond over their grief (Credit: ITV)
6. Bob and Cathy are united in their grief
Manpreet walks in to hear Bob on the phone. She realises that Heath’s headstone is to be erected tomorrow, and asks how he’s feeling. Bob puts on a brave face, but it’s clear he’s dreading it.
Later, Cathy feels frustrated with Bob as he puts off going to see the headstone. Outside, Bob confides in Pollard that he can’t face saying goodbye. Drawing on his own experiences, Pollard shares some comforting words, which resonate with Bob.
Bob finally sees Heath’s headstone, and tells Cathy that they have made Heath proud. Together, they settle down beside the grave and unpack his favourite treats. Cathy says he’d love it if he were there – as Bob assures her that Heath is always with them.
Bob confides in Manpreet (Credit: ITV)
7. Also in Emmerdale spoilers next week…
After kissing Brenda, Bob opens up to Manpreet about his feelings. Meanwhile, with April still missing, Marlon decides to increase the reward for information on her whereabouts. This leaves Rhona, Mary and Ross worried.
Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, news and gossip. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. We want to hear your thoughts!
In Emmerdale spoilers for next week, Pollard comes up with an extreme plan that will fix all of his money woes. But can he be talked down?
Eric’s world began to spiral when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. And as the time went on, things only got worse and worse. He ended up investing all of his and Brenda’s life savings into crypto-currency – only to lose everything to the scam.
But now, he’s adamant to change it all. Wanting to put things right with Brenda, Eric comes up with a drastic plan; to burn down the shop.
Eric decides to set fire to the shop. (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale spoilers: Eric comes up with a plan
Kerry began working as a cleaner for Eric shortly after he and Brenda split up. So when she sees that he is clearly struggling with something, she is eager for him to open up to her. And he reveals he feels like a failure because he hasn’t gotten the money back yet.
She tries to reassure him that Brenda wouldn’t want him to get overwhelmed with his health condition. But even she is unaware of the true extent of his turmoil.
Later in the week, Kerry is alarmed to spot matches and accelerants in the shop, immediately getting suspicious. Not giving Eric an out, he admits he is going to burn down the shop and claim the insurance money to repay Brenda.
Kerry tries to make Eric see sense. (Credit: ITV)
Can Kerry stop him without revealing her past?
The plan obviously sends Kerry into a state, as she remembers how she and Amy caused the fire that killed Tracy and Vanessa’s dad, Frank.
She tries to tell him that arson is not a victimless crime, although she remains reluctant to share how she knows that – because she would be confessing to a murder she got away with!
But without telling him the truth, Kerry struggles to find a way to get through to Eric. But will she manage to convince him it is a bad idea? Or are we about to see another fire in the village?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release at 7am on ITVX.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.
Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, news and gossip. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know your thoughts!
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
In Emmerdale spoilers for tonight Belle’s concerns grow and Tom thinks he has gotten away with everything. But has he?
Elsewhere, John begins to open up more to Aaron, and Brenda gets the wrong idea.
Read below for full Emmerdale spoilers for tonight’s episode (Tuesday December 17).
Emmerdale spoilers
Emmerdale spoilers: Charity visits Tom in hospital (Credit: ITV)
1. Belle is terrified
Last night saw a code red in prison, with Tom getting rushed to hospital after he attempted to take his life. But of course, it was all just another one of his manipulation strategies to come out on top.
But for Belle, she doesn’t know this. And the thought of potentially being the reason that someone took their own life is too much for her.
While the Dingles all try their hardest to support her in any way they can, she begins to question if she is capable of standing up in court. So in her time of need she turns to Paddy for some words of wisdom.
However, will she walk away from their conversation with a new found courage? Or is she going to be questioning herself even more?
2. Charity takes things into her hands
The Dingles always rally around their own in time of need, and Charity isn’t going to sit back and watch Belle fall apart over something that isn’t true.
So when she realises Tom faked his suicide attempt, she manages to get access to his hospital room – of course she does, she’s Charity Dingle.
At first Tom is taken aback to see her there, but when she tries to get him to admit he faked the whole thing to affect his court day, Tom realises she’s only there because Belle must be questioning everything.
Charity leaves the hospital fearing she has made the situation worse. And when Tom tells Ollie that Belle will no longer testify, is he right?
3. Billy refuses to go to Home Farm
Jai blindsides Billy and Dawn, asking them to move out of Holdgate by the end of the week. Of course the pair weren’t expecting that, but Dawn believes heading back to Home Farm would be the best thing they could do.
However, this doesn’t go down well with Billy, as he completely refuses to go back there, even with the bleak situation they are in.
With Dawn getting more and more frustrated, what will they do?
John decides to tell Aaron about Aidan Moore (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale spoilers 4. John opens up
Aaron has been blindsided by an unwanted camping trip with John. And last night’s episode (December 16) saw Aaron open up to him about Gordon.
In today’s Classic Emmerdale spoilers for episodes airing on ITV3 on Monday, December 16, Rodney proves he can play just as dirty as Eric, Del and Paddy get closer, and could Viv be pregnant?
These episodes originally aired on June 8 and 9, 2006.
Throwing punches!
Rodney’s horrified when a story appears in the Hotten Courier containing salacious rumours about his son Paul, and making out that girlfriend Kelly is a porn star.
Kelly and Paul are hurt and feel Rodney’s let them down. When a photographer suggests they pose for a photo together they reluctantly agree. But Eric is lurking and can’t resist a cutting remark – earning himself a punch from Rodney! And of course the photographer has captured the whole thing!
Del and Paddy get closer but Toni’s about to interrupt their romantic evening… (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Paddy gets romantic in Classic Emmerdale
Elsewhere, Marlon prepares a special aphrodisiac meal for Del and Paddy and then makes himself scarce. But just as the lovebirds are about to take things upstairs, a jealous Toni comes home and hangs around.
Steph sticks to her story
Meanwhile, Alan goes to visit Steph and braves asking her outright if she killed Terence. But she sticks to her story and tells him Adam was the one who killed her brother.
Classic Emmerdale: Is Viv pregnant?
Viv thinks she’s pregnant and announces her good news at a family dinner. But her family aren’t convinced and insist she goes to see Dr Adam for a test. Viv’s confused when the test is negative and reels off her symptoms. Adam suggests it could be the menopause and Viv is horrified!
Rodney tells Kelly he was looking out for her (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Rodney’s on top!
Rodney explains he hit Eric to protect Kelly’s honour but it’s probably cost him his seat on the council. When Kelly hears what Eric’s been saying, she whacks him too! The photographer is too slow to capture the moment – so Kelly does it again!
Rodney tells Eric that he’s realised family is more important and even if he is elected, he’s going to resign immediately. He adds that he’s bought Holdgate Farm, which will be opening as a spa and health club, managed by Kelly and Paul.
When the votes are counted, Eric smugly reveals he’s won and tells Rodney not to be too confident about converting Holdgate into a business.
But Rodney has the last laugh when he points out that Val won’t be impressed if he tells her Eric humiliated her son and wants his business plans ruined!
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
Our Emmerdale review this week is a mixed bag. There were things we loved and things we didn’t. A few things that we thought were really cleverly done and some that really weren’t.
Here’s what we thought in our Emmerdale review of the week.
Eric lost all of Brenda’s savings (Credit: ITV)
Eric’s gamble
We have been surprised by how invested we are in Eric’s impulsive behaviour and the fall out. We’ve been musing about why this has drawn us in, when it’s really a rather low-key storyline. And here’s what we reckon – it’s old school, isn’t it?
Classic Emmerdale is full of stories about money worries, scams and fraud, so in terms of subject matter this feels like something from back in the day (though back then, it would have been Pollard doing the scamming!).
But more than that, it’s been a slow burn. Eric changed his medication a while ago. It was a throwaway, inconsequential storyline that we didn’t think was important. But since then his behaviour has become more impulsive, and now his whole world has fallen apart because he’s gambled away all his money and Brenda’s too on a cryptocurrency scam.
It’s so sad to see Eric suffering and to watch Brenda’s heart breaking. We wish there was a way back for them. But it doesn’t look good, does it?
Why is Jade so scary? (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale review: Evil Jade
Jade continues to be a strange mix of mega-villain and petty criminal. And we do not like it. Nothing about her weird pursuit of Ross makes sense. In fact nothing about her at all makes sense.
She is a master criminal who has a team of henchmen and one henchwoman, evil enough to dangle poor April off a multi-storey carpark. She knows everything about everyone. She has a fancy car and someone to drive her round in it. And yet her line of business appears to be running half-hearted boxing matches. She’s hardly Lex Luther is she?
What was her plan when she viciously assaulted a little girl? If her minion had dropped poor April, Jade still wouldn’t have had her money.
Why are all these hard men so scared of her? Is it the beret? And WHY OH WHY didn’t Ross, or Billy, or Aaron or Mack just call the police?
Anyway given she’s still determined to get her mitts on the missing £3000 so it seems it’s not the last we’ve seen of Jade. YAY.
There was a silver lining to April’s ordeal (Credit: ITV)
April, Marlon and Ross
The awful cloud of the whole Jade thing though, had a silver lining. Two in fact. First of all we love the revisiting of April and Ross’s relationship. They have a sweet, quirky bond that really works.
And secondly, how good was Marlon and April’s chat about Donna? It’s nice to see them together and their relationship changing as April grows up. Plus it’s always good when soaps show the long-lasting effects of grief – just as Emmerdale is doing with Moira and Holly.
Caleb’s not listening to Ruby (Credit: ITYV)
Rubbish husbands in our Emmerdale review
Marlon’s a treasure, but elsewhere in Emmerdale, the husbands are definitely lacking. They’re all just useless! Cain’s moping about feeling sorry for himself after he *checks notes* slept with his sister-in-law. Poor lamb.
Caleb’s busy ignoring wife Ruby’s obvious distress about her dad’s presence and not even asking her what’s up.
Mack’s playing Disney dad but being a right wally about it (and frankly, he deserved that punch from Ross, and the slap from Jade’s henchwoman). Eric’s lost Brenda’s life savings… the men of Emmerdale aren’t covering themselves in glory, are they?
Forgotten characters
Mary’s back! Yay! And even Ivy got a mention this week. We find it really frustrating how characters vanish for weeks at a time in Emmerdale. Now, if we could just find Rhona…
Moira’s got lovely hair (Credit: ITV)
Things that didn’t make sense in Emmerdale this week
There were a few things that left us scratching our heads this week, so we thought we’d lump them all together.
First of all, how quiet was that multi-storey carpark, in the middle of Hotten, three weeks before Christmas? The only cars parked in the whole place belonged to Jade, Billy and Aaron. There were no people around. No office workers, no Christmas shoppers. No one saw a thing. What luck,
Elsewhere, we were bemused by Moira’s very sweet memories of Holly leaving notes for the fairies in the bottom of a tree trunk. Except Holly was about 16 or more when the Bartons first came to Emmerdale.
But we didn’t spend too long wondering about that because we were very distracted by Moira arriving home with a toss of her luscious locks. Which, though enviable, seemed slightly out of keeping for someone who’s just had major brain surgery.
How did the surgeons at Hotten General manage to get inside Moira’s noggin without so much as harming a hair on her head? Impressive work!
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release at 7am on ITVX.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.Â
Follow us on Facebook @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, gossip and news. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside
In Emmerdale spoilers for Monday December 16 to Friday December 20 Brenda Walker gets the wrong end of the stick about Eric Pollard’s relationship with Kerry Wyatt.
And with their relationship already in tatters is this the straw that will break the camel’s back?
Brenda can’t believe what she’s hearing upstairs (Credit: ITV)
When Kerry notices Pollard is struggling with his housework, she steps in to help. They head upstairs to get their clean on, but then Brenda comes home.
She arrives with leftover food, but when she hears them upstairs, she thinks the noises are something else entirely. Confused and heartbroken, can Brenda ever really trust Eric again?
Brenda was devastated by Pollard’s behaviour (Credit: ITV)
Brenda and Eric are falling apart
It’s not been a good time for the couple recently. Eric couldn’t get hold of his usual medication and his new medication made him act impulsively. However neither realised that could be a side effect of what he’s been taking.
Eric proposed to Brenda and then splashed the cash on a lavish engagement party, plus a honeymoon cruise around the world. Brenda was particularly delighted when she realised they’d be stopping in Canada to see her granddaughter Molly.
Then the financial advisor’s phone number went dead, both Eric’s and Brenda’s accounts were completely empty and Eric realised he’d been scammed. The police said they couldn’t do anything as Pollard had invested the money willingly.
Brenda said she couldn’t ever get over it, especially when she realised he only proposed because of the influence of the meds. But she then vowed to stand by him, although later admitted to Bob she was only staying because Pollard is ill and couldn’t cope alone.
So will this latest turn of events be enough to make Brenda realise she’s can’t stay? We know actress Lesley Dunlop who plays Brenda is leaving, so will this be the thing that drives her away from Emmerdale?
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
Viewers have slammed the current Emmerdale Eric storyline as being “unrealistic”, as he lost all of his and Brenda’s money.
For a while, Pollard has struggled as his usual Parkinson’s medication has not been available. So, his behaviour has been quite erratic.
In the time he’s been on new meds, he has proposed to Brenda, booked them a honeymoon cruise and succeeded to lose everything.
Brenda struggles to forgive Eric (Credit: ITV)
Eric’s cryptocurrency scam
Last night, Brenda struggled to see a future with Eric after finding out he invested her savings into a cryptocurrency scam – and lost everything.
When Jacob heard the news, he suggested the only way forward could be to sell the shop. At first, Eric was horrified at the thought, but he quickly realised it might be the way to keep Brenda.
Eric was adamant the money would still appear, believing it to be a huge misunderstanding. But when he tried to phone the guy in charge, he was heartbroken to hear the number was no longer in service.
As reality began to sink in that he had made a huge mistake, Jacob encouraged him to phone the police. But Brenda informed them she already had. And because the money was invested willingly, there was nothing they could do.
Fans react to Emmerdale Eric storyline (Credit: ITV)
Fans react to Emmerdale Eric storyline
Viewers slammed this as “unrealistic” as banks would still try to help as much as they possibly can. Especially for Brenda, as she was not the one who transferred her own money.
One wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “In reality the banks would be liable for Eric’s situation. Unusual activity and large amounts would have been flagged and stopped.”
Another added: “There are places that could help, even just a little bit. Eric should listen to the ads on the radio. If you have been scammed more than £3K then they can help.”
“If you are scammed in any way, even if you think you made the choice willingly and cannot be helped, you should absolutely contact your bank and the police. That’s a ridiculously irresponsible take to allow go unquestioned in a narrative,” an annoyed third fan penned.
Another pointed out it might not have been of his own free will as he was under the influence of medication: “I was yelling at the TV last night for Liam to say to Brenda to tell the police about his Parkinson’s and meds and lack of judgement – surely that would then get his money back as wasn’t his free will (as such) like the police said?”
