Ladies’ man Joe Sugden stands out in Emmerdale history as being quite a character – but the soap has given us so many gripping heroes and villains in its 50 years, from scheming rogue Eric Pollard and naughty vicar Harriet Finch to rebellious Katie Sugden.
And whether they’ve been caught up in illicit affairs, fled killers, had a ding-dong with a Dingle or survived a plane crash, everyone in the Dales has been through the wringer more than once.
Now, on day two of our three-part series as the show marks its milestone year, five stars who made their debuts in different decades share their memories – from Frazer Hines, who joined in the 70s, to Katherine Dow Blyton, who rocked up in the 2010s.
The 70s- Frazer Hines, played Joe Sugden from 1972- 1994
One of the original characters of Emmerdale Farm, Joe developed over his time in the show to have other interests outside of farming. “As you progress, the writers see what you’re up to in your private life. I played a lot of charity cricket, so they brought in cricket matches,” Frazer explains. “I used to ride as a jockey, so they brought that in Joe becomes a point-to-point rider.”
Joe had more than his fair share of romances. Frazer recollects: “I used to get a lot of fan letters; in those days you couldn’t show a couple in bed, so Joe used to make love on a rug in front of his fire and I used to get fan letters asking to borrow the rug because it was very lucky, he seemed to get a lot of women on this rug.”
Even 50 years after Joe first appeared on-screen, Frazer’s love for his character remains. “People used to say, ‘Frazer, you’re lucky, you’re young, and you’ve got an eye for the ladies, so there’s no acting required’ and that’s what I always felt.”
The late Sheila Mercer played Joe’s mother Annie Sugden - but the pair initially didn’t get on. Frazer, now 78, recalls: “The first few days, I thought I couldn’t work with Sheila – she was quite snappy.
“One day she said, “I’m going for a picnic in Roundhay Park, would you like to come?” and I thought I can’t be rude and say no, so I went with her, and from that moment on we got on like a house on fire, because I got to know her.
“She used to do Sunday lunches, we were like a real family in many ways. She was like a second mother to me.”
The 80s- Chris Chittell has played Eric Pollard from 1986 to the present day
Even though he’s more the wise old family man these days, everyone in the Dales knows Eric Pollard’s reputation as a ruthless, Scrooge-like conman.
“I loved him as a baddie, as a rotten individual. I would crease myself at some of the antics he got up to,” Chris laughs.
“I keep on being reminded by our public of some of the stuff he had the cheek to do. There was a great moment when he had a feud with the Tates and Frank cubed Pollard’s car at a breakers’ yard and deposited it outside his house, and I just thought that was so ironically funny.”
Chris, now 74, is now the longest-serving actor and character in the show’s history.
“I’m privileged to still be part of a great body of people that care a lot about their profession,” he explains. “It takes more than just a couple of people to make something so brilliant.
“Our wonderful cast, crew and production are as one; the humour, the banter, the care and commitment are integral to our success as a programme.”
The 90s- Deena Payne, played Viv Hope from 1993- 2011
Petite and feisty, postmistress Viv was the font of all village gossip. However, Viv’s dominant presence did not happen overnight. “When I first arrived, I really didn’t have much of a clue,” Deena admits.
But when Viv became a widow, Deena, now 68, really brought her to life.
“I felt she could be a bit more of a gossip, be a bit stronger,” explains Deena. “I loved the padded shoulders in the 70s and 80s, and I thought, ‘My pins are alright’, so short, tight skirts and heels. I went for 60s hair, I really like it when it’s backcombed, and then I went into my wardrobe and suggested bright colours: yellows, greens. I just thought, ‘Go over the top girl!’, mutton dressed as lamb!”.
A busybody, Viv would frequently get people’s backs up with her judgements, which Deena relished. “There’s a side of me and my personality that I really didn’t want anyone else to see, that I exorcised through Viv.”
Despite being killed off in 2011, Deena has not given up hope for Viv’s return one day.
“You haven’t seen my body,” Deena jokes. “She could walk into The Woolpack in a very short cream skirt and cream wings!"
The 200s, Sammy Winward played Katie Sugden from 2001- 2015
As Andy Sugden (played by Kelvin Fletcher ) hit his teenage years, he met a girl in detention who would change his life: Katie.
“Katie first came in as a bit of a rebel, a bit like Andy, that’s probably why they connected early on,” Sammy, now 36, recalls. “When I got the job, my first thought was, ‘Oh my God! how am I going to live up to the Sugden family’?
“Katie was brought in to do controversial storylines, like the underage sex and miscarrying the baby, so she went through a hell of a lot.
“I felt really grateful to be asked to do it, but it was nerve-wracking because you knew there would be people watching who had been through it, so there was that pressure to play it right.
“But I just felt really proud to be part of it, to be honest, and everyone was so welcoming.”
Andy and Katie split up and took up with other people - but it was only ever going to be each other they gravitated towards.
“Katie and Andy got back together, and then I decided that I wanted to move on,” she recalls.
Andy and Katie remarried, but Robert's meddling in their lives meant til death us do part came sooner than Andy and Katie had thought when Katie was killed.
“I suppose it did work perfectly, for Andy to be left without Katie,” Sammy muses. “It was a special bond.”
Katherine Dow Blyton has played Harriet Finch from 2013 to the present day
Being part of Emmerdale’s 50th anniversary is a dream come true for Harriet actress Katherine, as she grew up watching the soap from the start with her grandma Florrie.
Katherine, 57, says she finds it ‘mind-blowing’ that she’s now on Florrie’s favourite show. “It’s nice to be part of that history,” she says.
“Who would have thought it when I was a little girl going, ‘one day I’m going to be in that programme’ and now I’m celebrating 50 years of it. I feel very proud.”
In 2014, Florrie became an accidental Emmerdale cast member after Katherine was asked to decorate Harriet’s home with pictures of relatives.
Katherine says: “There’s still a picture of Florrie and my aunt on the mantelpiece, so she gets more screen time than me. For somebody who’s not been around for 30 years, that’s not bad.”
Harriet, the unlucky-in-love vicar-turned-policewoman, is currently part of a love triangle storyline with Kim Tate (Claire King) and Will Taylor (Dean Andrews).
Katherine hopes her alter-ego will finally find The One.
“It would be nice wouldn’t it, but there’s nobody left!,” says Katherine. “Maybe they need to bring in some young buck who likes an older lady.”
She’s loved her storylines, however. “The real reason I wanted to play her was that she was a vicar, but not a goody two shoes.
“She was a bad vicar who wore leather jackets and had a sense of humour. She’s had some lovely storylines - been in trouble a few times, had sexy times in church and has even helped bury a body. It’s been good.”
- Extracted from 50 Years of Emmerdale by Tom Parfitt (Cassell, £20). Emmerdale is on weekdays at 7.30pm and on catch-up on ITV Hub
