1997

Events

 * 2nd January - The Sugdens leave Emmerdale Farm.
 * 7th January - Dave Glover's funeral takes place.
 * 22nd January - Frank Tate is revealed to be the father of baby James, not Dave Glover. Betty Eagleton storms out of her 63rd birthday party (after her partner Seth Armstrong mistakenly believes it's her 65th) and discovers Kelly Windsor and her teacher Tom Bainbridge kissing.
 * 30th January - Zak Dingle meets girlfriend Lisa Clegg's husband, Barry.
 * 13th February - Dee de la Cruz arrives in the village (First appearance of the character).
 * 20th February - Ned Glover attacks Chris Tate for making advances to his daughter Linda. First appearance of Paddy Kirk.
 * 27th February - The Cairns family move to Emmerdale. At the quarry, Andy Hopwood falls into the water and is rescued by Robert Sugden and Donna Windsor. He says he discovered a woman's body inside a car.
 * 4th March - The car found by Andy Hopwood at the quarry is lifted out of the water and revealed to be Kim Tate's. Her husband Frank goes to identify her body. Eric Pollard proposes to Dee de la Cruz.
 * 5th March - Barry Clegg's rocket explodes.
 * 31st March - 13 year old Emma Cairns gives birth to a baby daughter. Kim Tate's funeral takes place.
 * 1st May - Eric Pollard and Dee de la Cruz marry.
 * 7th May - Frank Tate is released from prison.
 * 8th May - Biff Fowler's father Ron Hudson dies of Huntingdon's disease.
 * 15th May - Ron Hudson's funeral takes place.
 * 22nd May - Frank Tate suffers of a heart attack following an argument with his wife Kim, who had recently returned after a few months away.
 * 27th May - Frank Tate dies of his heart attack. (Final appearance of the character)
 * 3rd June - Frank Tate's funeral takes place.
 * 30th July - Kate Sugden, Rachel Hughes' mother, dies offscreen of a brain haemorrhage.
 * 7th August - Alice Bates is abducted by Karen Johnson, the American girlfriend of her father Nick.
 * 12th August - Jack Sugden and Rachel Hughes notice Alice Bates being led from the services by Karen Johnson. Jack literally risks his life to stop them getting away and when Alice says that she wants to be taken home, Karen is arrested.
 * 21st August - Lord Alex Oakwell and Tara Cockburn marry.
 * 10th September - Lisa Clegg calls off her wedding to Albert Dingle when the police come looking for him over an armed robbery.
 * 16th September - Will Cairns is kidnapped by a young woman.
 * 30th September - Fiona Mallender leaves Will Cairns to die in a regularly filled grain silo.
 * 16th October - Linda Fowler is involved in a car accident caused by Lord Alex Oakwell. Steve Marchant and Kim Tate's engagement party takes place.
 * 21st October - Linda Fowler dies in hospital of injuries sustained in the car accident.
 * 29th October - Linda Fowler's funeral takes place.
 * 4th November - Sarah Sugden discovers her husband Jack has been having an affair with Rachel Hughes.
 * 5th November - Ned Glover gets revenge on Kim Tate for his daughter Linda's death by setting fire to her stables.
 * 10th December - Marlon Dingle's plan to rip off Eric Pollard goes awry and results in him and his cousin Sam being beaten up.
 * 24th December - James Tate is kidnapped by Jan Glover.
 * 25th December - Marlon Dingle is disowned by his family for the hijack.

Real life events

 * This year is the 25th anniversary of when Emmerdale first aired.
 * 1st January - Emmerdale starts regularly broadcasting on a Wednesday.
 * 27th October - Eden Taylor-Draper (the third Belle Dingle) is born.
 * 25th December - Emmerdale shows its first ever Christmas Day episode.