Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 1. Robron
Taking the top spot are Emmerdale’s most ever shipped couple – Robert and Aaron. Can you believe it’s been over 10 years since their first kiss? At the time, viewers knew Aaron was gay, but Robert was engaged to Home Farm heiress, Chrissie White.
What started out as a forbidden affair turned into one of soap’s most electric partnerships. Robron mania took over and their supporters couldn’t get enough, immortalising their favourites in artwork and fan fiction.
Their love story may have been addictive, but it was never straightforward. Even after they became an official couple, Aaron’s past demons and Robert’s roving eye threatened to destroy what they had. When Aaron went to prison, Robert slept with Rebecca White and got her pregnant.
In 2018, after one previous failed attempted, Robron tied the knot. Their romantic wedding was watched by millions, but less than a year later Robert was jailed for the murder of rapist Lee Posner. He refused to let Aaron waste the next 14 years of his life and filed for divorce.
Aaron has kept it in the family and is currently bedding Robert’s half-brother, John. But we all know which Sugden is his true soulmate.
2. Eric Pollard and Val Pollard
Eric’s has had a lot of ladies in his life, but there’s only one he’s ever truly loved and that was his Valerie. The fifth Mrs Pollard was feisty, ruthless and manipulative. In other words, Eric’s perfect match.
Partners in the bedroom as well as in business, the couple ran The Grange B&B together for years. They became foster parents to teenage runaway Amy Wyatt, and Val also took young Finn Barton under her wing.
The Pollards’ marriage had its fair share of ups and downs. While taking some apart from one another, Val slept with a man on holiday and contracted HIV. The heartbreaking discovery caused Eric to disown his wife, although he eventually forgave what she’d done.
In 2015, the pair made plans to flee the village after Val was faced with a prison sentence for committing fraud. They conspired to fake Val’s death then Eric was going to join her for a new life overseas. But sadly they never got that far when Val became one of the victims of the summer fete helicopter crash.
Eric still regularly visits Val’s grave to reminisce over the good old days.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 3. Cain Dingle and Moira Dingle
If you want sizzling chemistry than look no further than Cain and Moira. 11 years married and they still fancy the pants off one another. Coira started out as a steamy affair, but have gone on to become one of the soap’s most enduring and iconic couples.
The past decade has thrown up all kinds of challenges for Cain and Moira. They’ve endured the death of Moira’s daughter Holly, her alcohol addiction, his prison stint and numerous affairs – on both sides.
Cain has been Moira’s rock in recent weeks as she’s undergone radiotherapy treatment. But it could be one betrayal too much when she finds out he had sex with Ruby while she was in surgery having her brain tumour removed.
Could 2025 be the end of their epic love story?
4. Zak Dingle and Lisa Dingle
Lovely Zak and Lisa were the heart of Emmerdale for many years and one of its strongest couples.
Both had been married before – Zak to Nellie Dingle, and Lisa to Barry Clegg – but neither union was a happy one. In one another, Zak and Lisa found true love and contentment.
They became husband and wife in January 1998, and eleven months later Lisa unexpectedly gave birth to baby daughter Belle in the pigsty at Wishing Well Cottage. Like most marriages, Lisa and Zak had their normal ups and downs. His brood were forever causing dramas, but Lisa acted as the voice of reason and was the glue that held the family together.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 5. Jack Sugden and Diane Sugden
Jack and Diane were friends long before they became lovers, which is probably what made their relationship so successful.
Romance blossomed after Woolpack landlady Diane supported Jack through the death of his second wife, Sarah. They were married in September 2004, while Diane was undergoing treatment for cancer. Jack’s previous marriages had been turbulent, but with Diane he found true contentment.
The only thing that came between the couple were Jack’s unruly kids. The constant rifts between Robert, Andy and Victoria put pressure on the couple’s marriage and they even separated for a while.
They found their way back to one another, but Diane was left heartbroken when Jack died in Spain while visiting his elderly mother, Annie. Diane brought Jack’s body back to the village and laid him to rest. She carried on being a mother figure to his offspring until her exit in 2021.
6. Seth Armstrong and Betty Eagleton
Emmerdale golden couple Seth and Betty were childhood sweethearts who reconnected later in life.
In 1994, Betty arrived in the village in search of her old love. She had been widowed a few months earlier, and Seth was also on his own after the death of his wife, Meg. It was second time lucky for the pair, who threw a 1940s themed party for the locals in celebration of their love.
Betty wore the trousers in their relationship and was often telling Seth off for whatever mischievous thing he was getting up to. They almost split after Betty discovered Seth was broadcasting her daily routine to the village via a hidden webcam. But despite his cheeky ways, Seth was Betty’s rock and protector.
In 2003, the couple said goodbye to start a new life in Australia. Homesick Betty ended up returning home and Seth decided to fly back to his Betty. Sadly he died on the flight home, but Betty arranged for Seth’s body to be buried in the woods, just as he wanted.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 7. Kim Tate and Dave Glover
Kim’s affair with farmhand Dave started out as lust, but he ended up being the love of her life.
The lady of the manor sought comfort in Dave’s hunky arms after her marriage to Frank hit the rocks. Dave was everything Frank wasn’t – young, energetic, exciting. The lovers couldn’t keep their hands off one another as they romped their way around the village.
It was a good few months before Frank realised what was going on. He busted their affair after planting hidden cameras in Dave’s cottage.
Things got even messier when Kim discovered she was pregnant. Frank offered her a million quid to dump Dave and name him as the father – which she did. Baby James was born and a DNA test confirmed he was Frank’s son.
Dave went on to marry Kathy Bates, but he and Kim couldn’t deny their true feelings. Realising they still loved one another, Kim and Dave made a plan to run away together with James. But tragically they never got that far.
On Christmas 1996, a fire broke out in the nursery of Home Farm and Dave was killed after rescuing James from the blaze.
8. Andy and Katie Sugden
Childhood sweethearts Andy and Katie first met at Hotten Comprehensive and fell madly in love. At 16 the couple decided to try for a baby. Katie became pregnant, but heartbreak followed when she suffered a miscarriage.
After finishing his GCSEs, Andy went into farming, following in the Sugden family tradition. The demanding job meant long hours, and neglected Katie ended up seeking comfort in the arms of Andy’s brother, Robert. Katie and Robert’s steamy affair had viewers gripped as they waited to see which brother Katie would choose.
She went ahead with marrying Andy, but couldn’t resist Rob. When Andy discovered their betrayal he tried to murder his brother, and divorced Katie.
In the years that followed, Andy and Katie both remarried, but there was always a sense of unfinished business between them. In 2014, a decade after their first wedding, Andy and Katie said I do again. But the marriage lasted less than two months after Robert killed Katie to stop her outing his secret romance with Aaron.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 9. Sam Dingle and Alice Dingle
It was love at first sight for Sam Dingle the day he met farmer’s daughter Alice Wilson. Both were the shy, nervous sorts, who lacked experience with the opposite sex, but they just clicked.
The couple’s happiness was shattered when Alice was diagnosed with cancer. She was advised to terminate her pregnancy to start chemotherapy, but she refused. Alice gave birth to a baby boy, who she and Sam named Samson. Alice then began treatment for her cancer and she and Sam married in a tearjerking ceremony.
Tragedy struck weeks later when Alice was told her chemo wasn’t working. Crippled with pain from her illness, she made a pact with Sam to help end her suffering.
Alice died on July 31, 2006 after Sam assisted in her suicide by giving her an overdose of morphine. She passed away shortly afterwards in his arms.
10. Paddy Kirk and Chas Dingle
Chas has always had a weakness for bad boys, but changed type when she got together with dependable Paddy. A world away from her awful exes, Paddy treated Chas with love, care and respect. It’s just a shame she didn’t extend him the same courtesy.
First time round, Chas cheated on Paddy with Carl King and he threw her out. It was a good few years before Paddy agreed to give things another go, and fans really enjoyed their renewed romance.
The couple experienced tragedy in 2018 with the loss of their baby daughter Grace. Rainbow baby Eve arrived the year after, and on Christmas Day 2020 Chas and Paddy became husband and wife.
Viewers wanted them to stay together, but the Emmerdale writers had other ideas. Chas’s affair with nasty Al Chapman destroyed their marriage and pushed Paddy to the brink of suicide.
Paddy has since found happiness with new missus Mandy, while Chas might be about to get engaged to boyfriend, Liam Cavanagh. Her and Paddy remain friends and co-parents.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 11. Cain and Charity Dingle
It’s been a long time since Cain and Charity last romantic entanglement, but we couldn’t leave them off our list. Based on chemistry alone, they are one of the soap’s most iconic couples.
Emmerdale’s answer to Bonnie and Clyde have a long and complicated past, dating back to when they were underage teens. Charity got pregnant with daughter Debbie at 13, but she and Cain chose to give their daughter up for adoption.
When Debbie finally re-entered their lives 13 years later, Charity and Cain decided to try again. What followed was years of make ups and break ups. The lovers frequently fell out, but their passionate connection always drew them back together. In 2009 Cain decided he was ready to get married. He proposed to Charity and she accepted. But on the day of their wedding she decided she couldn’t go through with it.
The pair’s relationship finally fell apart after Cain bedded glamour puss Faye Lamb. Charity got her own by starting up with Jai Sharma.
Apart from their brief fling back in 2016, Charity and Cain have remained nothing more than partners in crime. But we still reckon there’s some unfinished business there.
12. Marlon and Tricia Dingle
Marlon has been married five times, but many feel his first wife Tricia was ‘the one’.
The cute couple were love young’s dream and perfectly complimented one another. But that’s not to say they didn’t have their troubles. Early on in their romance, barmaid Tricia agreed to marry Joe Fisher so he could stay in the country with his boyfriend Jason Kirk. Marlon didn’t approve of the arrangement, so they broke up.
It wasn’t long before Tricia and Marlon were reunited – and engaged! They married in a surprise ceremony on Valentine’s Day 2003. But when Tricia temporarily moved to India to star in a Bollywood film, Marlon had a foolish one-night stand with his own cousin Charity.
When Tricia returned home and discovered Marlon’s betrayal she was heartbroken. She decided to leave him and the Dales, but changed her mind at the last minute after Marlon wrote her a list of all things he adored about her.
Deciding to give their marriage another chance, Tricia ran over to The Woolpack on New Year’s Eve 2004 to tell Marlon the good news. But tragedy struck when a huge storm hit the village and Tricia was crushed by the pub’s falling chimney.
She was rushed to hospital and spent several days on life-support, before Marlon made the devastating decision to switch the machine off.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 13. Ashley Thomas and Bernice Blackstock
Bubbly barmaid Bernice and timid vicar Ashley were total opposites, but their romance was a hit with the fans. Ashley never thought he’d be able to woo a beauty like Bernice and was
On Christmas Day 2000, nearly 10 million tuned in to watch Ashley and Bernice tie the knot in a romantic ceremony. Their festive nuptials was one of the few Emmerdale weddings that actually went without a hitch.
Sadly the same couldn’t be said for Ashley and Bernice’s marriage. Only weeks after she pledged to remain faithful, Bernice began an affair with Spanish chef Carlos Diaz. She fell pregnant with baby Gabby and didn’t know who the father was.
A DNA test later confirmed Gabby was in fact Ashley’s, but there was no going back for the Thomas’s marriage. They split and Bernice fled the Dales shortly afterwards, leaving Ashley to raise Gabby on his own.
14. Biff Fowler and Lady Tara Oakwell
Lady Tara was a proper posh bird. But that didn’t stop her lusting after a bit of rough.
Her passionate affair with Biff Fowler began after she employed him to be her personal chauffeur. After weeks of sneaking around the village together, Tara and Biff went public. But he then broke it off after finding out she’d evicted folk from their homes.
Tara went on the rebound with wealthy Lord Michael Thornfield, who was a chum of her late dad. He proposed and she accepted, but on the eve of their wedding Tara ended up back in bed with Biff. She asked if he’d be her bit on the side, but Biff wasn’t comfortable with that idea.
In the end, Tara broke Biff’s heart and married moneybags Michael. But she soon realised the grass wasn’t greener.
Emmerdale greatest couples ranked: 15. Jimmy and Nicola King
Our list wouldn’t be complete with Jimmy and Nicola. Unlike the rest of his brothers, Jimmy has been lucky enough to know the love of a good woman. But that’s not to say his marriage to Nicola hasn’t been without its challenges.
Things got off to a rocky start after Jimmy reckoned Nicola was only with him for his money. She then fell pregnant unexpectedly, but the birth of their daughter Angelica brought the couple closer together. They married and had a very short stint being landlord and landlady of The Woolpack.
In 2011, Jimmy was involved in a road accident and suffered amnesia as a result. He was tricked into an affair with Kelly Windsor and fathered her son, Elliot. Jimmy also had another son – Carl Jr – three years later after a mix-up with a fertility clinic. Nicola was rocked by both Elliot and Carl’s arrivals, but has helped Jimmy raise the lads, even coming to think of them as her own.
Last year the couple faced their toughest test to date after Angelica was imprisoned for causing the car accident which killed Heath Hope. As well as having to cope with Angel being banged up, Jimmy and Nicola discovered they’d been harbouring an abuser when Tom King showed his true colours.
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