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Christine "Chrissie" White (previously Sugden) was the mother of Lachlan White as well as the ex-wife of Robert Sugden. She was believed to be the daughter of Lawrence White until 2016, when he revealed he wasn't her biological father. She died alongside Lawrence in a car crash in January 2018.

Biography[]

1980-2014: Early life[]

Christine White was born in 1980 to Ellen White and John Richards. However, Chrissie grew up with Lawrence White as his legal father even though he knew of this. He had allowed Ellen to see other men whenever Lawrence was not sexually active. However, Lawrence was not to tell Chrissie the truth until years later. In 1986, Chrissie gained a younger half-sister Rebecca White who was Lawrence's daughter. In the late 1990s, Chrissie dated Donny Cairn and they had a son Lachlan White on the 26th July 2000. Chrissie and Donny later split up and Chrissie met and started a relationship with Robert Sugden

2014-2015: Home Farm, marrying Robert Sugden and Lachlan's sexual assault on Alicia[]

Chrissie moves into Home Farm with her father Lawrence White and teenage son Lachlan. Upon her arrival, she realises her fiancé Robert Sugden previously had a life in Emmerdale and has unfinished business with his family. She becomes relieved when her father Lawrence and Robert manage to get along after Lawrence suffered an angina attack when Home Farm was robbed, which Chrissie and Robert were also caught up in. Chrissie begins making wedding plans and becomes unhappy when her sister Rebecca was unable to book a flight in time for the wedding.

Chrissie befriends David and Alicia Metcalfe, grateful that Alicia is taking an interest in Lachlan as he has made friends with her son, Jacob. She even suggests that they invest in David's shop, which David agrees to. Sadly, Lachlan's interest in Alicia becomes unhealthy and leads to him sexually assaulting Alicia. Chrissie initially believes Lachlan's version of events but, on finding a pornographic video on his laptop and his past history, later realises that Alicia is telling the truth. She then calls the police herself, insisting to Lachlan and Lawrence that Lachlan must take responsibility for his actions.

Chrissie later discovers that Robert organised the robbery at Home Farm, so locks him in a barn and threatens to set fire to it. After pouring petrol everywhere, it is revealed only to be water as she wanted to scare him like he frightened her and Lawrence. Chrissie shares a passionate kiss with Cain Dingle at the garage, which Harriet Finch photographs after being hired by Robert to spy on Cain. Robert continually blackmails Cain with the photographs, and expresses his disgust towards Chrissie, revealing to Lawrence what she has done with Cain. Eventually, Cain kidnaps Robert and tortures him until he agrees to get rid of the photographs. However, Cain's wife, Moira, finds out and slaps Chrissie in front of Cain and Robert for kissing her husband.

2015: Discovering Robert's affair and the helicopter crash[]

She soon discovers that Robert has been having an affair with Aaron Livesy and throws him out. Chrissie repeatedly attempts to get Robert to sign the divorce papers, but he refuses. Chrissie commits arson by pouring petrol over Robert's car and sets fire to it, unaware that drunk Adam Barton had fell asleep in another nearby car. Robert puts the fire out, but he and Chrissie are unaware that another fire has reached some gas canisters. The gas canisters heat up quickly and causes an explosion, with one gas canister hitting a flying helicopter. It careers uncontrollably over Emmerdale and crashes into the town hall where Debbie Dingle and Pete Barton's wedding reception is being held. Debbie is knocked unconscious and not breathing. Everyone else suffered minor injuries. Ruby Haswell is killed almost instantly in the crash, but Kyle Winchester is nowhere to be found. Cain gets trapped under some rubble that falls on top of him while trying to find Kyle. Kyle appears in the town hall, and is able to pull Cain from the rubble he is trapped under. Cain manages to get Kyle out, moments before the helicopter falls into the village hall and explodes. The explosion leaves sisters Diane Sugden and Val Pollard trapped in the mirror maze. Diane is pulled from the mirror maze, leaving Val in the maze, who is also killed when a large shard of glass falls on her, impaling her chest. The following day in The Woolpack, Chrissie reveals that she caused the helicopter crash. Val's furious and Eric Pollard throws them both out and demands that she goes to the police. Chrissie flees the village to stay with Rebecca.

Chrissie returns some weeks later and pleads guilty to arson. However, she pleads not guilty to reckless arson. Eric is desperate for justice and holds Chrissie hostage in Home Farm with a cricket bat. Robert later arrives and convinces Eric to leave. Chrissie is later arrested for the attempted murder of Robert after he is shot by an unknown assailant, however, she is not charged when Lawrence informs the police that he shot Robert to protect Chrissie. She later develops feelings for her solicitor Rakesh Kotecha as he helps her when she and Lawrence are arrested for the shooting. Chrissie makes a pass at him, but he rejects her advances due to his engagement to Priya Sharma.

During this period of time, Chrissie finds herself shunned by the rest of the village, but finds solace in the arms of local barmaid Chas Dingle, who is also the mother of Aaron Dingle (the man Robert had an affair with). Their time together is cut short when Chrissie becomes one of the suspects in Robert's shooting. 

Chrissie is happy to hear that Lawrence and Bernice Blackstock are engaged. However, on the night before the wedding, Chrissie sees Bernice kissing her ex-lover, Andy Sugden. Chrissie informs Lawrence but he marries Bernice anyway, much to Chrissie's disgust. Bernice is devastated upon finding out that her mother Diane has been stabbed by Chas Dingle, with Chrissie supporting her and puts their differences behind them. Chrissie stands trial for the helicopter crash, where she is convinced that Robert is going to testify against her and is surprised when he testifies for her. She finds out that he did this because Lachlan made him realise that it was the right thing to do. She is grateful and thanks Robert. Chrissie is relieved to be found not guilty and she receives a suspended sentence. Eric is appalled at this and throws a red paintball at her in the courtroom, leading to his arrest. After Priya ends her relationship with Rakesh, he gets drunk and tries to kiss Chrissie. However, she rejects his advances.

2016: Relationship with Andy Sugden and Lawrence's shooting[]

In March 2016, Chrissie sees Aaron, Robert and Victoria Barton together at The Woolpack. After the couple leave, Chrissie reassures Victoria that Robert's relationship with Aaron is none of her business. She also supports Robert as he can finally accept his sexuality and realise who he is. She begins a fling with Robert's adoptive brother, Andy.

Chrissie is convinced that Bernice is cheating on Lawrence but is shocked to discover that Lawrence has given Bernice his permission. She is even more shocked to discover that he had the same arrangements with her mother, Ellen. Chrissie then begins to doubt her true paternity and Lawrence confirms her suspicions by telling her that he is not her biological father. Chrissie is devastated to hear this and goes in search of her real father. Ronnie Hale arrives in the village, and immediately leading Chrissie to believe that Ronnie is her biological father. After finding out Lawrence and Ronnie were having a gay affair and that Lawrence was not Chrissie's biological father, Chrissie and Lachlan are kicked out of Home Farm. With nowhere left to stay, Diane offers to let Chrissie and Lachlan stay at the B&B. After Ronnie tries to convince Lawrence to do the right thing by allowing Chrissie and Lachlan back into Home Farm, Lawrence shot a bullet through the window of Ronnie's van. Terrified, Ronnie drives away as quickly as possible. Weeks later, Aaron punches Andy in front of Chrissie, revealing that Andy had ordered Ross Barton to shoot Robert ten months earlier.

Lachlan breaks into Home Farm and holds Lawrence at gunpoint. Lawrence wrestles with Lachlan for the shotgun, but Lachlan accidentally pulls the trigger, shooting Lawrence in the stomach. Chrissie immediately arrives to help Lawrence. With paramedics and police arriving on the scene on the scene, Lachlan quickly heads back to the B&B. After discovering that Andy cheated on her with Bernice, Chrissie plants evidence, making Andy look guilty for Lawrence's shooting. Lawrence wakes up after an operation and tells Chrissie that he told the police that Andy shot him. Andy is arrested and charged with attempted murder. Chrissie concocts a plan to have Andy found guilty. She blackmails Rakesh, after discovering that he set fire to The Mill cottage which nearly killed Ronnie and Nicola King, forcing him to convince Andy to plead guilty in court.

On the day of the court case, Andy pleads not guilty to Lawrence's shooting. Rakesh helps him escape from the crown court prison. Andy jumps into the boot of Moira's car to get back to the village. Andy immediately rushed back to Home Farm and demands answers from Chrissie. As Andy's adoptive sister Victoria and the police arrive at Home Farm, Chrissie grabs a kitchen knife and slits her wrist. Chrissie hands Andy the knife, screams hysterically and rushes outside. She informs the police and Victoria that Andy tried to kill her. Days later, Andy leaves the village forever as a fugitive, with help from Robert and Bernice, who vow revenge on Chrissie.

By September 2016, Chrissie and Victoria have built Lachlan a treehouse business. Robert tries to sabotage the treehouse but falls and hangs upside down with a bungee cord attached to his foot. Victoria helps him down, with Robert then revealing that Chrissie framed Andy for attempted murder.

2016-2017: Rebecca's arrival, Lachlan's imprisonment[]

On 11th October 2016, A Dementia Yorkshire event is held in the fields of Home Farm. Durning Ashley Thomas' speech at the event, a helicopter lands near the field, with Rebecca stepping out. Chrissie is furious with Rebecca for arriving by helicopter after she accidentally killed three people the previous year for causing a helicopter crash. Rebecca then slaps Robert for cheating on Chrissie with Aaron. Rebbeca then decides to remain in the village to help with the business. Lawrence is relieved when DNA results reveal that Rebecca is Lawrence's biological daughter. On Rebecca's birthday, Lachlan reveals that Rebecca had an affair with Robert when he was dating Chrissie. Chrissie slaps Rebecca, but Rebecca slaps her right back. Lawrence becomes stressed by Chrissie and Rebecca's subsequent feud.

On Bonfire Night that year, Chrissie accidentally knocks Rebecca unconscious when she manipulated Lachlan to lead her to the last remaining evidence of Lawrence's shooting. She and Lachlan leave Rebecca for dead and bleeding. Rebecca is found by Doug Potts. At the Home Farm bonfire party, Rebecca announces that Lachlan shot Lawrence and that Chrissie framed Andy. However, Chrissie manages to convince the villagers that Rebecca was deluded due to her head injury. A piece of the smashed vase from when Lachlan shot Lawrence was found on the bonfire and Chrissie finds out that Lachlan had retrieved the piece from the river to dispose of elsewhere, and Rebecca had caught him on camera. Chrissie, seemingly embarrassed by Lachlan's naïvety, told him that the vase piece would not be destroyed in the bonfire. Afterwards, Lachlan flees. Rebecca finds him and manipulates him into confessing. Lachlan then confesses to the police about what happened, tired of all the lying. A horrified Chrissie blames Rebecca, and Lawrence then disowns and kicks Rebecca out. However, Lawrence later mellows towards his biological daughter and reconciled with her, much to Chrissie's dismay.

Chrissie and Rebecca's feud intensifies, especially when Rebecca stands her up in The Woolpack to have sex with Ross. When Lawrence gives Chrissie their mother's wedding ring, Rebecca decides to have Chrissie's name engraved to apologise, however, she seemingly loses it. Chrissie uses this to turn Lawrence against her, however, Ronnie is suspicious. It is later revealed that Chrissie had the ring all along. When Rebecca finds this out, a scuffle on the stairs results in Chrissie falling over the bannister and through a glass table. Robert then enters, and Chrissie is rushed to hospital, where she intends to inform the police that Rebecca tried to murder her. Lawrence reveals his disgust towards Chrissie, so she decides against it. She and Rebecca then finally reconcile.

Convinced that Ronnie is only with Lawrence for his money, Chrissie is determined to show him up as a cheat, however, Rebecca wants no part of it. When Ronnie begins acting cagey and shifty, Chrissie becomes more suspicious. When a digger goes missing from a nearby building site, Chrissie is certain that Ronnie stole it, calling the police. However, Adam is shown to be using the digger, and Lawrence furiously throws Chrissie out of Home Farm for scheming. Ronnie later reveals to Chrissie that he set her up to stop her from being suspicious of him. Rebecca later handcuffs Lawrence and Chrissie together to make them talk again, with Ronnie revealing what he did. Lawrence is furious, however with the help of Rebecca and Chrissie, he forgives Ronnie.

2017-2018: Murder[]

In December 2017, Lawrence made plans to sell up and move to Australia with Chrissie, Rebecca, Lachlan and Rebecca and Robert's newborn son, Sebastian. The following month, just as they were about to drive off, Robert kidnapped Seb, while his sister Victoria acted as a distraction. Robert took off with Seb in his Porsche, and the Whites gave chase.

Chrissie was driving the car whilst chasing Robert. Lachlan was mentally unstable after she convinced his girlfriend, Belle Dingle, to break up with him. He had suicidal thoughts and grabbed the steering wheel from Chrissie and drove the car into the path of an oncoming lorry, killing both Chrissie & Lawrence and leaving Rebecca with serious head injuries.

Personality and traits[]

Chrissie originally started out as a good person, yet with a troubled past. However, events such as finding out the robbery at Home Farm was staged, finding out her husband Robert was having an affair with Aaron Dingle, the helicopter crash in August 2015, Lawrence revealing that he wasn't her father twisted her and made her more devious; what finally caused her to crack was discovering her boyfriend Andy Sugden cheated on her with Bernice Blackstock. To get back at him, she framed Andy for shooting Lawrence and slashed her wrists to make it look like Andy did it. Andy went on the run as a result and was not informed of his daughter Sarah's cancer. After this, she blackmailed Rakesh Kotecha into making Andy plea guilty when she discovered his and Ronnie Hale's secret regarding the mill explosion However, even after these events, Chrissie doted on her son Lachlan.

When it came to Lachlan’s increasingly troubled behavior, Chrissie often buried her head in the sand. It was only when she found out that Lachlan had spy holes set up throughout Home Farm and not even feeling remorse over it did Christie realize Lachlan was seriously not well. Unfortunately, she was unable to get him the help he needed as she would wind up getting murdered when he drove their car into an oncoming van.

Chrissie also liked to dress stylishly, wearing posh clothing when out and about.

Quotes[]

"Why have we stopped?" (first line to Lawrence White when him and Chrissie arrive in the village)


"You're a pedophile!" (To Alicia Metcalfe as Chrissie believes that she led her son on)


"Don't touch me! Get out! You are a liar! Get out!" (To Robert Sugden after Aaron exposes their affair to Chrissie)


"There's only one person in my marriage sleeping with another man and it's not me!" (To Moira Dingle after she accused Chrissie of sleeping with her husband Cain


"Because you slept with Bernice! That pathetic, clownish stain of a woman! You slept with her, and now you're going to pay!" (To Andy Sugden after he works out that Chrissie is framing him for shooting Lawrence)


"I'm terrified of him Diane. I'm scared of my own son" (To Diane Sugden as she admits that she believes that Lachlan tried to shoot Lawrence on purpose)


"Please don't say that to me." (final line to Lachlan White)

See also[]

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