Samson Dingle

Samson John Dingle is the son of Sam and Alice Dingle.

2005-2006: Alice's cancer and birth
Alice Wilson discovered she was pregnant in July 2005 whilst she and boyfriend Sam Dingle were living in Norfolk. Sam was scared about becoming a father and went home to Wishing Well Cottage and didn't tell his family about the pregnancy. Alice followed Sam back to Emmerdale and told Sam's family about the pregnancy and realised Sam only ran away due to being scared. Sam didn't want to return to Norfolk so Sam and Alice moved back to the village, to have family around them and help with the baby when it came. Alice had blood taken but the results came back with an abnormally high white blood cell count and she feared he had cancer. Alice didn't tell Sam about the tests, not wanting to scare him but she eventually opened up to him and he realised he could lose both Alice and their baby. Sam and Alice told the Dingle's about Alice's possible cancer and they supported them. In October 2005 Alice was diagnosed with cancer but pretended that she had been given the all clear. The following month local doctor Adam Forsythe read Alice's notes and discovered that she had cancer. Adam told Alice that she should have a termination, and start chemotherapy but Alice refused to get rid of her baby and tells Sam of her actual diagnosis. Sam visited Adam and asked him to make Alice better, but Adam told him that Alice will need chemotherapy as soon as possible which would mean terminating the pregnancy.

In January 2006 Sam and Alice went for a ultrasound scan and discovered that their son was a little small. A nurse tried to persuade Alice that in the third trimester the risk to the baby from chemotherapy is small, but she refused to undergo it until the baby is born. A follow up scan revealed that the baby was in distress and Alice was told she would need a cesarean section immediately. On 12th January 2006 Alice delivered a little boy with Sam by her side, but their son was rushed into intensive care baby unit due to him being premature. Sam named their son Samson and Alice loved the double meaning of the name and asked that he have John as a middle name after her father. Alice started chemotherapy soon after. Samson was allowed to come home in February 2006. Alice decided to stop chemotherapy and Alice decided to right a journal of advice she would give Sam and Samson as he is growing up. Due to the cancer, Alice became weaker and soon struggled to hold Samson. On 31st August 2006, Sam helped Alice to die by administrating a fatal does of morphine. The Dingle's were surprised when Sam's brother Cain Dingle took the blame for administering the fatal dose so that Samson did not lose both of his parents.

2007-2015: Early life and social services
In March 2007 Sam became worried about Samson and rushed him to the hospital. The Dingle's were told Samson was suffering from meningitis. Sam kept a vigil at Samson's hospital bedside and even threatened to kill himself if his son dies. Sam and the family were relived when Samson is given the all clear. In October that year Sam decided he wanted to move out for a bit of independence but he is turned down for a council house. Zak and Lisa didn't want Sam and Samson to move out but Sam rents Dale View off of Home Farm Estates. After a day Sam asked to move back home but Lisa refused realising they need to let go. The following month Samson accidentally drank out of a glass with vodka after Daz left it out. Sam called an ambulance although Samson was fine. Sam received a visit from the hospital social worker so he ordered Daz to leave. Sam struggled financially and Zak offered to let him move back to Wishing Well Cottage but Sam declines. Sam has to allow Daz to move back in due to his financial situation.

In January 2008 Samson managed to get out of the house unnoticed and is accidentally knocked over by Val Lambert's car and is knocked out. Samson is rushed to hospital and Sam is told that Samson has broken his arm. Social services gives Sam a warning over Samson's care. A few days later Sam does a dodgy job for Eli Dingle as Carl King was demanding the overdue rent. Police officer Ross Kirk discovers that Sam had a large quantity of cocaine and arrests him for possession with intent to supply. Sam is released with a fine after he turns Eli into the police. After the arrest Terry Woods reports Sam to social services and he receives another visit from social services. The social worker warns Sam that Samson could be put into care and she advises Zak and Lisa to apply for custody of Samson to prevent him from entering the care system. Zak and Lisa worry about Sam's behaviour so they reluctantly apply for temporary custody of Samson. Sam ran away with Samson to a deserted house as he didn't want to lose him son. Zak and Lisa make an television appeal for Sam to return home safely with Samson. Sam is forced to come out of hiding when Samson develops a high fever. Sam moves back in with the Dingle's at Wishing Well Cottage when the social worker says he could lose Samson if she continues to have fears over Samson's welfare and Sam's ability to be a parent. In February 2010, Sam and Samson temporarily move into Farrers Barn after Shadrach Dingle floods Wishing Well Cottage. In December, Sam receives a letter from Samson's school saying that Samson may suffer from dyslexia although a few months later he reads lines in the school play.

Sam and Lisa become concerned about Samson after he refuses to participate in PE lessons. Rachel Breckle accuses Samson of bullying her niece Amelia Spencer and insists that she is going straight to the headteacher. Samson admits that he pushed Amelia but insists that Amelia has been bullying him, not the other way around. Over summer 2011 Samson helps Sam out with game keeping at Home Farm. Sam's niece Debbie Dingle becomes concerned that Samson may have hit her daughter Sarah when she develops a bruise after playing with Samson. Samson denied hitting Sarah and it is later revealed that Sarah was suffering from a rare blood disease which caused the bruising. Samson and Amelia soon become friends. In March 2012, Zak becomes disorientated whilst collecting Samson from school and they end up in Home Farm woods. Sam is furious with Zak and bars him from picking Samson up from school. A few months later Zak is sectioned into a mental institution. After Zak is released Sam is wary about Zak looking after Samson and asks reluctant Cain to babysit for him.

Samson and Amelia notice that Rachel and Sam are good friends and together they leave a valentines card to Rachel from 'Sam' in Rachel's son Archie's pram. Sam and Rachel begin a relationship soon after and Samson looks to Rachel as a mum. Sam and Samson move in with Rachel and Archie at Tenant's Cottage. Rachel's sister Ali, her son Sean and Ali's girlfriend Ruby moved in with them after they are evicted. The living arrangements frustrate Samson so Lisa suggested that they all move back into Wishing Well Cottage. Sam was arrested in January 2014 after Home Farm was set on fire and Samson was distraught. Samson is released after Rachel confesses after being threatened by Sam's cousin Charity Sharma as Charity's estrange husband Jai was the father of baby Archie. Sam was not happy with the family blaming Rachel for the fire and turned up at Marlon Dingle's house with Samson and asked to stay although they soon moved back home. Sam begins a relationship with Tracy Shankley but he ends it after Samson gives away his tablet computer to get a girl to like him like Sam is buying Tracy things. After Rachel returns to give evidence at Charity's trial she begins trying to win back Sam. They eventually get back together. They move back to Tenant's Cottage but Rachel tells Sam that they need to leave the village with Samson and Archie to escape Jai after her locks her in a fridge. Rachel takes her frustrations out on Sam when Jai begins custody proceedings for Archie. Sam often asked Lisa and Zak to take Samson as he didn't want him to be a round Rachel whilst she was in her moods. Rachel leaves the village, Sam and Samson stay on at Tenant's Cottage and Sam invites Jai's pregnant estranged wife to stay with them when she was homeless.