• A little forum update...We're planning an upgrade.

    Find out more about what's planned and how you can help support the forum

    Click here for the details

Emmerdale Characters from the 70s, 80s and 90s who could've been in the show today?

A

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Been watching old clips from the 80s in particular but also late 70s and the early to mid 90s.

Its amazing how many characters have come and gone over the years, Sandie, Kate Hughes and her children; Rachel and Mark,
Michael Feldman, not to mention The Skilbeck's and Joe Sugden.

I was thinking of which characters could've carried on into the
2000s and 2010s, Sandie I think would've been an excellent character in the 1990s she was growing into a long term character by the late 1980s, I would've liked to have seen her interact with the Tate's, I think her and Frank would've embarked on an affair around 1992/93 after Kim's affair with Neil Kincaid.

I also think Rachel Hughes could've slotted in well in the 2000s, as an honorary Sugden, I think she could've transition into the 200s much better than Kathy could've done, who in my opinion had become worn out as a character by 1997/98.

Joe is another character that could've lasted and perhaps even become a stalwart of the village.

What do you think?
 
emm1978

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
I remember some people on forums complaining around the time of the 40th anniversary week in 2012, that it will be dull because the storylines will revolve around characters who've not been around for long, and that there should also have been something that referenced the past.

Then I rewatched the 20th anniversary week episodes from October 1992, and noticed that they had no returning characters, no references to past storylines and the storylines at the time did focus heavily on the newcomers (at the time), most notably Neil Kincaid and Lorraine Nelson.
 
A

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
I was asking which characters could have carried on into the 90s to present day.

For example could Sandie or Jackie have fitted in with the Emmerdale of the 90s or 00s, I think there were a number of characters that could've transitioned into different eras of the show.

Rachel Hughes for example was killed off too soon I think she would've made an excellent honorary Sugden matriarch, the older cousin to Robert, Andy & Victoria.

Incidentally was there a reason as to why Sally Knyvette never returned in early 1994 for the funeral of her onscreen son; Mark?
 
emm1978

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
Several that did date from the 70s and 80s to the 90s have sadly died.

Clive Hornby, Stan Richards, Richard Thorp, Ronald Magill, Arthur Pentelow, Drew Dawson, Hugh Manning, etc...

Rachel's death was part on one of the show's ongoing themes, 'The Curse of The Sugdens', which began with the events of the very first episode.
 
Last edited:
A

ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
With the recent return of Joe Tate I guess Rachel's name will be brought up more now, Lisa mentioned her the other day but not by name.

Joe Tate is technically a Sugden since
Joe Sugden is his step-grandfather, meaning through marriage he is also related to
Robert and Victoria, I cam see there being
Robert vs Joe storyline which kinda echoes the rivalry between Jack & Joe 1.
 
emm1978

emm1978

Telly Talk Active Member
Good ideas... Although I wouldn't want nostalgia to dominate the show. There has to be new developments as well.

The Bates family, who arrived in 1984/85, had no blood connections with previous characters...

Neither, for that matter, did the Hughes family in August 1988. Until Kate married Joe Sugden in April 1989, of course.
 
Top