Victoria Sugden

Victoria Anne Barton (neé Sugden) is the daughter of Jack and Sarah Sugden, the wife of Adam Barton, the half-sister of Jackie Merrick and Robert Sugden and the adoptive sister of Andy Sugden.

1994–99: Early years
Victoria was born on 31st March 1994 to Jack Sugden and his then fiancee Sarah Connolly. Victoria made an big impact from the very beginning when, just days after she was born her cries woke her grandmother Annie Sugden from the coma she had been in after being injured in the plane crash.

In May 1994, Victoria's parents Jack and Sarah married. Weeks later, Victoria stopped breathing due to a hole in her heart. She had to have an operation but made a full recovery.

In 1999, the Sugdens were struggling financially so the family got a lodger, Richie Carter. He and Sarah soon began sleeping together and when Jack found out, he threw them out so they moved into the village. Jack refused to allow Sarah access to the children so she began a custody battle. Jack sent the children to his mother in Spain and, on her return, Victoria moved in with Sarah and Richie.

2000–2006: Sarah's death
In 2000, finances were a real problem so when Jack said the insurance money would be useful if there was a fire. So Andy set fire to the barn, unaware Sarah and Richie were inside, discussing their future. Richie escaped but Sarah died so he told the police that he'd seen Jack outside the barn. Thinking Jack had started the fire so he would get his daughter back, he was arrested and remanded in custody. The children stayed with Kathy Brookman and her niece, Alice Bates. Jack was found not guilty at his trial as Richie withdrew his statement.

In 2002, Victoria had an imaginary friend called Walter Todd. She refused to go out unless he could come too. Like many children, she grew out of it. In 2003, she collapsed and was rushed to hospital, later diagnosed with a ruptured appendix. Jack was annoyed with Siobhan Marsden for not spotting it sooner.

These years were difficult for the Sugdens. Fortunately Jack was dating Woolpack landlady, Diane Blackstock, who became Victoria's new mother. When Diane had colon cancer, Victoria was her rock and told the congregation at Jack and Diane's wedding. Victoria was bridesmaid at Andy and Katie's wedding. Only months afterwards, Victoria found Katie and Robert in bed together. Robert insisted she say nothing and Victoria took him seriously, refusing to talk at all, until Diane persuaded her to open up.

Victoria was upset further when Robert left in October 2005. Andy told Katie about Robert's affair with Sadie King, so she dumped him. In revenge, Robert started dating Andy's ex, Debbie Dingle. He convinced her and her daughter, Sarah, to leave with him but when she arrived alone, he dumped her. Max King had been leaving with Robert but seeing how angry Robert was, asked Andy for a lift to the station. Furious with Andy, Robert drove straight at him and caused a car crash. He and Andy escaped with cuts and bruises but Max died. Realising what had happened, Jack told Robert to leave the area and never return. Later, Victoria made friends with school pal, Kayleigh Gibbs. Realising Kayleigh's dad, Martin, was interested in Louise Appleton they helped them get together and were thrilled when Louise asked Martin and Kayleigh to move with her. Together, the girls were a handful, gatecrashing Jamie's rave and starting a campaign of terror against pensioner Edna Birch. They also told Aaron Livesy about Carl King's one night stand with Delilah Dingle.

In 2006, Victoria visited her grandparents in Spain. She returned later than expected as she'd lost her passport. Jack went to collect her but Victoria scared him and Diane by returning alone. She told them that she'd dated a local lad named Enrique. Appalled, Jack phoned Annie but Annie knew nothing about it and Victoria said she'd lied but later told Katie that Enrique was not only real, but 16 years old, not 14. She also confided that she had a tattoo and showed it to her. Victoria asked her not to tell anyone, but she told Andy.

2007–2009: Desperate for justice
On 2nd February 2007, Victoria and Kayleigh went out clubbing. Kayleigh went home but Victoria went to a nightclub and chatted up an 18 year old man. He took her round the back of the building and tried to kiss her. She struggled to stop him and Billy Hopwood scared him off by emptying bins nearby. Billy took Victoria home but the brakes failed, causing them to crash into a lake. Victoria was trapped and almost drowned, escaping just as Jack, Andy and Daz arrived. Furious, Jack accused Billy of abducting her but Victoria said that Billy had saved her life.

In July 2007, Victoria and Kayleigh went on a school trip. The trip was run by a hunky instructor, Christian Schwarz, and the girls wanted to impress him. Victoria refused to get into a canoe, terrified of water after the truck crash, and hit Christian when he tried to get her into the water. Victoria was suspended for 3 days and on her return, everyone thought she was cool for hitting a teacher.

As Victoria got older, she was curious about her mother's death but Sarah was not discussed. Just before Mother's Day 2007, Jack gave Victoria money for a present for Diane but she put flowers on Sarah's grave, infuriating Jack. Billy told Daz about the flowers and he told Jack, who apologised but Victoria had questions she needed answering. Jack refused to discuss her mother but was warned repeatedly that the facts about Sarah's death would be best coming from him. However, he ignored these warnings.

On Victoria's 13th birthday, Jack gave her a necklace that had belonged to Sarah. He thought she'd lost interest in how her mother died but Jasmine Thomas told him Victoria had asked for her help and showed him an article she'd found. She suggested he tell Victoria but he refused, insisting Jasmine tell Victoria that she hadn't found anything. Unfortunately Victoria saw them talking and becoming suspicious, went to the library and found the article that Jasmine had. She demanded answers from her father and he admitted being on remand for Sarah's murder but didn't kill her. Angry about Jack keeping secrets from her, she told him about Diane's affair with Billy and to ask Val if he wanted proof. When confronted, Diane admitted she had feelings for Billy.

Jack told Andy and Daz about Diane and Billy's affair. Victoria told Billy that she blamed him for destroying her family but he told her that Jack wasn't a saint and asked if she knew what had happened to her mother. Victoria asked again if Jack had killed Sarah but Jack refused to discuss it, so she got drunk. Looking at newspaper clippings about the fire, she saw a picture of Richie Carter, who survived. Victoria visited and insisted that Richie tell her what happened. He said Jack wasn't responsible but she didn't believe him, returning to see Andy and Jack out looking for her. She took a can of petrol from the garage, dousing the furniture at home with it and demanded answers from Jack and Andy, threatening to light it if they didn't tell her the truth. So Andy did, admitting that he was responsible for the fire and Sarah's death.

Shocked, she ran upstairs but tripped and banged her head. Jack saw she was bleeding and lit the petrol when he turned on the hot tap to wet a flannel, causing a massive explosion. Outside, Daz was knocked to the ground but inside Andy, Victoria and Jack had to escape through her bedroom window, assisted by Jonny Foster and Billy Hopwood. Billy and the Sugdens were taken to hospital but all were discharged within days. When questioned, Victoria denied starting the fire, blaming Andy for not telling her sooner that he had started the barn fire. Victoria was charged with threat to cause criminal damage by arson and was released on bail. Realising she hadn't intended any serious harm, she was ordered to see a psychiatrist, who helped her deal with Andy's bombshell. After finishing her sessions with the psychiatrist, Victoria told Diane that she was being bullied. Diane said she was there if Victoria needed her but Jo made sure that Victoria was left alone.

Andy was sent to prison for 3 years and Jack went to Spain as Annie was ill so Victoria, aided by Jo, reconciled with Diane and moved into The Woolpack. Prison changed Andy and on his release, abused Jo physically and mentally. Victoria was stunned when she found out and initially refused to believe it but was scared when she saw Andy attack Jo. This later turned to anger and she refused to speak to him or live with him, while Diane was away visiting her daughter, Bernice. She stayed with Val and Eric and only returned to the Woolpack after Andy returned to Butler's Farm.

During the past few months, Daz and Victoria had been quietly growing closer than expected. Encouraged by Val to fight for the man she wanted as he had a girlfriend, Victoria did. She was thrilled with her success but Val was horrified to find them kissing one day in the bar and branded them freaks. She told Daz to stay away from her, reminding him that she was very young. Realising Val was right, he backed off, upsetting Victoria and when she complained, he told her she'd get over it. Wanting to win him back, she bought him a Christmas present but hid it when she saw Scarlett had also given him a chain. Daz found Victoria's present and wore it. They kissed again but he ran off when Val caught them.

Later that day, Victoria took a bottle of vodka to the lake where Jake and Aaron were messing around. Daz and Scarlett arrived too and jealous, Victoria ripped Scarlett's chain from Daz's neck, throwing it across the ice in a rage and Daz went to retrieve it. When he got to it, he heard the ice crack under him and Victoria. She fell into the lake and trying to get out, she found the body of Shane Doyle.

On Boxing Day, Victoria told Daz that she had seen a body in the lake. Daz told Diane who called her psychiatrist, infuriating Victoria, so she said she had made it up. Diane wasn't convinced as Victoria was having terrible nightmares so on 30 December, she and Daz returned to the lake where they heard bubbling and saw a hand. Daz called the police and they took Victoria home, telling Diane what they'd found. Donna Windsor-Dingle identified the body as Shane Doyle.

On 5th February 2009, Victoria found out that Andy planned to give up the farm and visited her mum's grave. Daz found her and she said that everyone in her life had gone. Daz said he would always be there for her, suggesting she visit Jack in Spain and she agreed. However, Diane had bad news - Jack had died of a massive heart attack. She went to Spain, bringing Jack and Annie back, and buried him on February 10.

Victoria decided to live with Annie in Spain but Daz asked her to stay, saying he couldn't imagine life in the village without her.

2009: Getting closer to Daz
Daz and Victoria grew closer. In January 2009, Val warned Daz to maintain a brotherly relationship with Victoria as she realised they were getting too close. Victoria's attempts to make Daz her boyfriend upset him, leading to attempts to distance himself. Daz and Victoria's became very close especially after the incident where she fell through the lake and saw the dead body of Policeman Shane,Victoria obviously became rather withdrawn and frightened after what she had seen and Daz became very protective of her and looked out for her which began to irritate his girlfriend Scarlet who didnt get on at all with Victoria and didnt like the growing bond between the two.

In early 2009, Victoria started dating Chas Dingle's son, 16 year old Aaron Livesy. She bunked off school to spend time with him but Andy insisted she leave Aaron alone, angry that she was missing school. Daz agreed with him. Diane suggested leaving her alone, telling Andy that Victoria would only become stubborn if openly opposed. Daz and Aaron fought about it on a couple of occasions but Victoria dumped Aaron on discovering he was a virgin. Victoria promised Aaron she wouldn't tell anyone but Aaron told Daz that he'd slept with Victoria. When confronted, Victoria denied it, telling Daz that she loved him. Tension continued to build between Daz and Victoria. On Victoria's birthday, Daz said Scarlett was organising her present to be delievered the next day. On 1 April, a sports car was delivered and Scarlett planned that the three of them would test drive it but it was a two seater so Scarlett insisted Daz take Victoria. While out driving, Daz and Victoria got lost and stopped. She confronted Daz about their feelings for each other and Daz admitted being thrown by how he felt about her as she is meant to be his sister. They slept together and Victoria thought Daz would now dump Scarlett but was crushed when he asked her to keep sleeping together a secret. She agreed but warned Daz ominously that he wouldn't get away with what he'd done and began dating Aaron again and this time, she slept with him. Victoria was also rude to Scarlett, upsetting her and angering Daz.

Just before Daz and Scarlett went to Dublin for the weekend, Victoria announced she was pregnant. On his return, Daz took Victoria for a drive and started talking about taking her to a doctor so she admitted she'd lied. Furious, Daz threw Victoria out of the car and drove off alone. Andy noticed that Daz and Victoria weren't getting on but when he asked what it was about, neither would tell him. Daz also moved back into Dale View with Jake.

Daz left the village after the truth about his and Victoria's relationship was revealed to Andy, Aaron and Scarlett. Victoria was saddened to lose another person she loved as her biggest fear is that everyone she loves will abandon her and this seemed to be confirmed with Daz's departure. She tried contacting him but he wouldn't take her calls. Since then, Victoria and Aaron's relationship has been very rocky as Debbie's father, Cain, used it to help Debbie win custody of her daughter, Sarah.

2009-2013: Friendship with Hannah Barton
Following losing Jo, Jack, Daz and then Sarah, Andy became clinically depressed. Katie and Paddy noticed that he was struggling to cope with the farm and on seeing for herself, how bad he was, Diane coaxed him into returning with her to the pub. She got him medical attention and unsure when he would be able to return to the farm, gave up the lease. The school were thrilled that Victoria was concentrating on her studies and she made friends with Hannah Barton, new tenant at Butler's Farm. Kayleigh, however, didn't like Hannah and was constantly nasty and made Victoria feel bad for even speaking to her. Outside school, Victoria was happy to be friends with Hannah so eventually Hannah told her about the nasty text messages she was receiving. Victoria knew Kayleigh was responsible but insisted that wasn't her style and tried to stop her but Kayleigh ignored her and quoted Victoria in her next message. Hannah realised that Victoria knew and confronted her. Victoria admitted it but Hannah lost her temper, shoving Victoria's head down a toilet and flushing it. Debbie, Maisie and Charity pulled Hannah away but John, Hannah's father, demanded an explanation so Hannah admitted that Victoria knew she was being bullied, much to Andy and Diane's horror. Andy confiscated Victoria's phone and told the Bartons that Kayleigh was responsible when he compared the numbers.

Initially Hannah and Victoria insisted that the school not be informed until Victoria came home bruised and admitted fighting Kayleigh after she insisted Kayleigh leave Hannah alone. Moira Barton insisted that the school be informed, leading Kayleigh and Victoria to be "internally excluded". They now have all their lessons in a separate room to everyone else and aren't allowed any contact with Hannah.

On New Year's Eve 2013, Victoria finished her final shift at The Grange and started work at The Woolpack where she began training as a Sous Chef under Marlon Dingle's guidance.

2014–: Relationship with Adam Barton
In January 2014, Victoria befriends Finn Barton who reveals that he is gay and has feelings for David Metcalfe, who owns the local shop. Victoria celebrates her 20th birthday in March, making her one of the longest continuously appearing characters on the series. Robert returns to the village in September with fiancé Chrissie White, her father Lawrence White, and step-son Lachlan White in tow. Initially, Victoria is, like a majority of the village, bitter towards Robert, but as time passes, she warms to him again and comes to accept his return along with Andy. Victoria then restarts her relationship with Adam as he attempts to get her back by buying her a puppy, and cooking naked in The Woolpack kitchen. She spends New Year's Eve with Adam. In February 2015, Victoria attends Robert and Chrissie's wedding, but it ends in tragedy when Andy discovers Katie's deceased body at Wylie's Farm; she had been pushed on to some loose floorboards by Robert. Victoria supports Andy as he attempts to commit suicide only hours after Katie's funeral. She pleads for him to see hope, along with Diane, Chrissie, and Robert. Andy later goes to stay with the Whites at Home Farm.

Victoria is heartbroken in June 2015 to learn that Adam has slept with local vet Vanessa Woodfield and has impregnated her. She goes on a downward spiral, and slaps Vanessa in the street when she sees her. The following day, Adam notices Victoria attempting to drive her car, knowing that she has not passed her driving test and does not have a provisional license, and tries to stop her. She does not listen, and as she drives off, she runs over Ashley Thomas. He appears to be fine, however, he later collapses and is comatised. Victoria is terrified she will be imprisoned, so Adam gives her a false alibi. However, Ashley's alcoholic ex-wife Laurel Thomas drunkenly announces that Ashley has died while in hospital, unaware that he is still comatised. Victoria cannot deal with her guilt and hands herself in to the police, and she is arrested. She is later released, and is delighted to hear that Ashley is alive. Adam and Victoria rekindle their relationship and decide to run away and get married, with the help of Aaron. Robert and Andy are furious to discover this, but Adam and Victoria leave before they can stop them. A couple of weeks later, Aaron, Finn, Andy, Diane and Moira watch on happily as Adam and Victoria get married.

Victoria is shocked when Robert's affair with Aaron is revealed in July 2015 but assures him that she doesn't judge him for wanting to be with a man and he has her support though he continues to be in denial. In August 2015, Victoria survives the helicopter crash that brought down Debbie and Pete's wedding but unfortunately claimed the lives of Val Pollard and Ruby Haswell. Victoria is one of the few people to care when Robert is shot in September 2015 and looks after him when he is released from hospital. In February 2016, it is revealed that Aaron was sexually abused by Gordon Livesy when he was a child. Victoria is pleased when Robert supports him through the trial and is later delighted when Robert starts a new relationship with Aaron. In July 2016, Victoria encourages Robert to move in with Aaron which he did. In September 2016, Victoria is upset when Robert reveals he helped Andy go on the run after he was framed by Chrissie for shooting Lawrence. She is later devastated when her sister in law, Holly is found dead from a heroin overdose. She supports Adam and Moira through their loss. In October 2016, Victoria is delighted when Aaron and Robert get engaged. She and Adam decide to start trying for a baby.

In February 2017 Victoria helps the Dingles organise an impromptu wedding for Aaron and Robert. The next day, she is gutted when her new brother in law is sent to prison for 12 months on a GBH charge. After months of trying to get pregnant, Diane pays for Victoria and Adam to get fertility tests done. Vic's results conclude she is perfectly healthy but the couple are devastated when they learn Adam is infertile.