Emmerdale Farm in 1985

1985 was Emmerdale Farm's 14th year. Storylines included Alan Turner running down and hospitalising Jackie Merrick, an armed robbery on a security van, a crop spraying incident which lead to the poisoning of twelve toddlers and the arrival of Kathy and Nick Bates. 93 episodes were broadcast this year.

Production

A special 1,000 episodes Emmerdale Farm souvenir.

Richard Handford continued his run of producer for a second complete year.

Following the arrival of Caroline Bates the previous February, the decision was made to introduce her two children, Kathy and Nick Bates. Both would go on to remain with the programme for a considerable amount of time. Stephen Marchant was cast as Alan Turner's son, Terence. Terence would go on to have a brief relationship with Sandie Merrick before departing Beckindale. The character would return again over twenty years later, played by a different actor.

With the arrival of new BBC soap EastEnders in February, ITV made more of an effort to push Emmerdale Farm. As a result, the programme's typical summer break was shortened, remaining off air for just under a month in August - the shortest period of time since 1977. Emmerdale Farm found itself often competing with EastEnders in the 7.00pm slot in many regions of the country and consistently found itself beating the London-based soap in the direct head-to-heads. By August, the BBC moved EastEnders to the 7.30pm slot in order to avoid the competition. Following the summer break in September, all ITV regions began showing the same episode on the same day.

To prove its worth in the prime time slot, the decision was taken to increase the programme's pace and begin bigger and more topical stories. Series creator Kevin Laffan was reportedly increasingly unhappy with some of the changes, apparently objecting to the increase of sex, violence and gore within the show and was also concerned that the character of Annie Sugden was softening. In August, Laffan stepped down from the programme and made very little input thereafter. Despite his objections to the increase in sex in the show however, Jack Sugden's affair with Karen Moore seemed to prove a hit with those who tuned in, as viewing figures reached their highest in the show's run thus far. Press also began to change their opinions as reports from the likes of the Sunday People claimed that "infidelity and intrigue have transformed the once-sleepy story of Yorkshire folk into the Dynasty of the Dales".

November saw Emmerdale Farm celebrate its 1,000th episode. The event was marked with a Variety Club lunch held at the Queen's Hotel in Leeds on 7th November. HRH Princess Michael of Kent infamously attended the event, failed to recognise any of the cast and revealed she didn't actually watch the show. Onscreen, the event was covered in a tribute special - Emmerdale Farm Celebrates, hosted by Richard Whiteley.

In December, The Woolpack lost one of its best customers as Walter, portrayed by Al Dixon, made his final appearance prior to Dixon's death in 1986.

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures	Chart Position
1	919	Tuesday 8th January	Andrew Holden	David Crozier	15,750,000	8
2	920	Thursday 10th January	Andrew Holden	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
3	921	Tuesday 15th January	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	16,000,000	n/k
4	922	Thursday 17th January	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	15,900,000	n/k
5	923	Tuesday 22nd January	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	15,350,000	11
6	924	Thursday 24th January	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
7	925	Tuesday 29th January	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
8	926	Thursday 31st January	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	14,550,000	12
9	927	Tuesday 5th February	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	14,800,000	10
10	928	Thursday 7th February	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
11	929	Tuesday 12th February	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	14,850,000	12
12	930	Thursday 14th February	Hugh Miller	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
13	931	Tuesday 19th February	Andrew Holden	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
14	932	Thursday 21st February	Andrew Holden	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
15	933	Tuesday 26th February	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
16	934	Thursday 28th February	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
17	935	Tuesday 5th March	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
18	936	Thursday 7th March	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
19	937	Tuesday 12th March	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	13,800,000	14
20	938	Thursday 14th March	Steve Trafford	Chris Lovett	13,850,000	13
21	939	Tuesday 19th March	Simon Masters	William Slater	13,800,000	15
22	940	Thursday 21st March	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
23	941	Tuesday 26th March	Simon Masters	William Slater	14,550,000	5
24	942	Thursday 28th March	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
25	943	Tuesday 2nd April	Simon Masters	William Slater	13,550,000	9
26	944	Thursday 4th April	Simon Masters	William Slater	13,800,000	8
27	945	Tuesday 9th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,500,000	n/k
28	946	Thursday 11th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,150,000	n/k
29	947	Tuesday 16th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,400,000	6
30	948	Thursday 18th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,100,000	8
31	949	Tuesday 23rd April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,350,000	5
32	950	Thursday 25th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	12,850,000	9
33	951	Tuesday 30th April	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,700,000	6
34	952	Thursday 2nd May	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	13,350,000	9
35	953	Tuesday 7th May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	12,850,000	7
36	954	Thursday 9th May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	n/k	n/k
37	955	Tuesday 14th May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	14,150,000	n/k
38	956	Thursday 16th May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	12,450,000	n/k
39	957	Tuesday 21st May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	13,450,000	4
40	958	Thursday 23rd May	Eric Wendell	Tony Virgo	12,350,000	8
41	959	Tuesday 28th May	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	11,400,000	10
42	960	Thursday 30th May	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	n/k	n/k
43	961	Tuesday 4th June	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	11,800,000	12
44	962	Thursday 6th June	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	12,050,000	9
45	963	Tuesday 11th June	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	13,050,000	4
46	964	Thursday 13th June	Douglas Watkinson	William Slater	12,300,000	9
47	965	Tuesday 18th June	John Mash Eric Wendell	William Slater	11,500,000	14
48	966	Thursday 20th June	John Mash Eric Wendell	William Slater	11,700,000	10
49	967	Tuesday 25th June	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
50	968	Thursday 27th June	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
51	969	Tuesday 2nd July	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	10,500,000	10
52	970	Thursday 4th July	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	10,400,000	11
53	971	Tuesday 9th July	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	11,650,000	8
54	972	Thursday 11th July	Tim Vaughan	Fiona Cumming	11,550,000	9
55	973	Tuesday 16th July	Eric Wendall	Vivienne Cozens	12,100,000	7
56	974	Thursday 18th July	Eric Wendall	Vivienne Cozens	11,850,000	8
57	975	Tuesday 23rd July	Eric Wendall	Vivienne Cozens	11,900,000	6
58	976	Thursday 25th July	Eric Wendall	Vivienne Cozens	11,200,000	10
59	977	Tuesday 30th July	Andrew Holden	David Crozier	11,850,000	8
60	978	Thursday 1st August	Andrew Holden	David Crozier	11,500,000	13
61	979	Tuesday 6th August	Andrew Holden	David Crozier	12,100,000	9
62	980	Tuesday 3rd September	Michael Russell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
63	981	Thursday 5th September	Michael Russell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
64	982	Tuesday 10th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
65	983	Thursday 12th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
66	984	Tuesday 17th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
67	985	Thursday 19th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
68	986	Tuesday 24th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
69	987	Thursday 26th September	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
70	988	Tuesday 1st October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
71	989	Thursday 3rd October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
72	990	Tuesday 8th October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
73	991	Thursday 10th October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
74	992	Tuesday 15th October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
75	993	Thursday 17th October	Michael Robartes	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
76	994	Tuesday 22nd October	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	n/k	n/k
77	995	Thursday 24th October	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	n/k	n/k
78	996	Tuesday 29th October	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	12,200,000	14
79	997	Thursday 31st October	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	n/k	n/k
80	998	Tuesday 5th November	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	n/k	n/k
81	999	Thursday 7th November	Tim Vaughan	Carol Wilks	n/k	n/k
82	1000	Tuesday 12th November	Michael Russell Tim Vaughan	Vivienne Cozens	12,600,000	18
83	1001	Thursday 14th November	Michael Russell Tim Vaughan	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
84	1002	Tuesday 19th November	Simon Masters	Vivienne Cozens	12,850,000	n/k
85	1003	Thursday 21st November	Simon Masters	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
86	1004	Tuesday 26th November	Simon Masters	Vivienne Cozens	12,250,000	n/k
87	1005	Thursday 28th November	Simon Masters	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
88	1006	Tuesday 3rd December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	n/k	n/k
89	1007	Thursday 5th December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	n/k	n/k
90	1008	Tuesday 10th December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	12,500,000	n/k
91	1009	Thursday 12th December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	n/k	n/k
92	1010	Tuesday 17th December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	n/k	n/k
93	1011	Thursday 19th December	Michael Russell	Gerald Blake	n/k	n/k

Main Cast

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Matt Skilbeck	Frederick Pyne	Full year	93	973	1
1	Amos Brearly	Ronald Magill	Full year	93	968	8
1	Annie Sugden	Sheila Mercier	Full year	93	942	1
1	Dolly Skilbeck	Jean Rogers	Full year	93	600	1
1	Jack Sugden	Clive Hornby	Full year	93	553	1
1	Seth Armstrong	Stan Richards	Full year	93	431	10
1	Pat Sugden	Helen Weir	Full year	93	410	1
1	Jackie Merrick	Ian Sharrock	Full year	93	386	1
1	Sandie Merrick	Jane Hutcheson	Full year	93	280	16
10	Alan Turner	Richard Thorp	Full year	91	284	1
10	Samuel Skilbeck	Benjamin Whitehead	Full year	91	133	14
12	Caroline Bates	Diana Davies	Full year	89	152	12
13	Henry Wilks	Arthur Pentelow	Full year	87	963	9
14	Donald Hinton	Hugh Manning	Full year	56	436	12
15	Terence Turner	Stephen Marchant	April to December	55	55	N/A
16	Bill Middleton	Johnny Caesar	January to July and October	47	65	19
16	Sita Sharma	Mamta Kash	From May	46	46	N/A
18	Archie Brooks	Tony Pitts	February to May, July to August, October and December	43	89	15
19	Jock MacDonald	Drew Dawson	April to August	31	75	17
20	Karen Moore	Annie Hulley	February to August and December	24	48	17
21	Tom Merrick	Jack Carr	February to April	11	61	20
22	Kathy Bates	Malandra Burrows	From November	8	8	N/A
23	Joe Sugden	Frazer Hines	January only	6	768	21
24	Nick Bates	Cy Chadwick	From November	3	3	N/A

Storylines

to be added

Who lives where

to be added

Awards and Nominations

to be added