Emmerdale Farm in 1986

1986 was Emmerdale Farm's 15th year.

100 episodes were broadcast during the year. Storylines included the birth of Robert Sugden shortly before the death of his mother Pat in a car accident, Joe Sugden's relationship with Karen Moore, Matt Skilbeck's arrest following the death of Harry Mowlam, the arrival of Dolly Skilbeck's illegitimate son, Graham Lodsworth, Seth Armstrong being left for dead following an attack by badger baiters and Sandie Merrick's affair with Phil Pearce.

Production

Christopher Chittell joins the cast as Eric Pollard in September.

Michael Russell was appointed producer in the summer, taking over from Richard Handford with Episode 1080 (2nd September 1986). Following the decision to make changes to the programme in order to compete with the other soaps at prime time the previous year, 1986 was notable for its increase in dramatic stories.

Frazer Hines returned full-time to the role of Joe Sugden in March. The character was paired with Karen Moore, whom brother Jack had begun an affair with two years previously. Their relationship wasn't to last however and ended when Annie Hulley left the serial in August. At the same time, Helen Weir bowed out after six years as Pat Sugden. In real life, Weir had married onscreen husband Clive Hornby in 1984 and upon giving birth to their son, Thomas, this year decided to quit the show in order to focus on motherhood full-time. The character was killed off in a dramatic car crash which would see Jack Sugden dealing with the consequences of his wife's death for the remainder of the year. For Pat's onscreen funeral, the decision was made to bring sister Janie back briefly for the first time since 1974. The character was now portrayed by Lesley Duff and had reverted to her maiden name of 'Harker'.

In March, Al Dixon passed away after being taken ill with a stroke the previous September. Dixon's final episode as recurring Woolpack customer Walter had aired the previous December and the last time cast saw him was at the 1,000 episodes luncheon the previous November.

Additions to the cast for this year included Peter Alexander as Phil Pearce and Christopher Chittell as Eric Pollard. Initially, Chittell was only required to appear in a handful of episodes but found himself reappearing regularly in the show and eventually became a permanent cast member. To date, he is the longest serving actor still appearing in the show.

For the first time since 1977, Emmerdale Farm did not take a summer break and remained onscreen all year round.

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures	Chart Position
1	1012	Tuesday 7th January	David Angus	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
2	1013	Thursday 9th January	David Angus	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
3	1014	Tuesday 14th January	Andrew Holden	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
4	1015	Thursday 16th January	Andrew Holden	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
5	1016	Tuesday 21st January	Eric Wendell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
6	1017	Thursday 23rd January	Eric Wendell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
7	1018	Tuesday 28th January	Eric Wendell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
8	1019	Thursday 30th January	Eric Wendell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
9	1020	Tuesday 4th February	Eric Wendell	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
10	1021	Thursday 6th February	Jim Hawkins	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
11	1022	Tuesday 11th February	Eric Wendell	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
12	1023	Thursday 13th February	Tim Vaughan	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
13	1024	Tuesday 18th February	Tim Vaughan	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
14	1025	Thursday 20th February	Tim Vaughan	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
15	1026	Tuesday 25th February	David Angus	Richard Handford	13,750,000	9
16	1027	Thursday 27th February	David Angus	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
17	1028	Tuesday 4th March	David Angus	Richard Handford	13,500,000	10
18	1029	Thursday 6th March	David Angus	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
19	1030	Tuesday 11th March	Eric Wendall	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
20	1031	Thursday 13th March	Eric Wendall	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
21	1032	Tuesday 18th March	Eric Wendall	Richard Handford	12,900,000	n/k
22	1033	Thursday 20th March	Eric Wendall	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
23	1034	Tuesday 25th March	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	13,200,000	15
24	1035	Thursday 27th March	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
25	1036	Tuesday 1st April	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
26	1037	Thursday 3rd April	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
27	1038	Tuesday 8th April	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	13,600,000	9
28	1039	Thursday 10th April	Tim Vaughan	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
29	1040	Tuesday 15th April	Michael Russell	William Slater	12,600,000	15
30	1041	Thursday 17th April	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
31	1042	Tuesday 22nd April	Michael Russell	William Slater	11,500,000	13
32	1043	Thursday 24th April	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
33	1044	Tuesday 29th April	Allan Swift	William Slater	11,200,000	15
34	1045	Thursday 1st May	Allan Swift	William Slater	n/k	n/k
35	1046	Tuesday 6th May	Allan Swift	William Slater	11,150,000	13
36	1047	Thursday 8th May	Allan Swift	William Slater	10,300,000	19
37	1048	Tuesday 13th May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	10,850,000	13
38	1049	Thursday 15th May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	n/k	n/k
39	1050	Tuesday 20th May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	n/k	n/k
40	1051	Thursday 22nd May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	n/k	n/k
41	1052	Tuesday 27th May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	n/k	n/k
42	1053	Thursday 29th May	Roy Russell	Richard Standeven	n/k	n/k
43	1054	Tuesday 3rd June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	10,500,000	n/k
44	1055	Thursday 5th June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	n/k	n/k
45	1056	Tuesday 10th June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	n/k	n/k
46	1057	Thursday 12th June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	11,500,000	6
47	1058	Tuesday 17th June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	n/k	n/k
48	1059	Thursday 19th June	Steve Trafford	Keith Washington	n/k	n/k
49	1060	Tuesday 24th June	Jack Lewis	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
50	1061	Thursday 26th June	Jack Lewis	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
51	1062	Tuesday 1st July	David Angus	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
52	1063	Thursday 3rd July	David Angus	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
53	1064	Tuesday 8th July	David Angus	Mervyn Cumming	10,150,000	10
54	1065	Thursday 10th July	David Angus	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
55	1066	Tuesday 15th July	Ginnie Hole	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
56	1067	Thursday 17th July	Ginnie Hole	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
57	1068	Tuesday 22nd July	Jack Lewis	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
58	1069	Thursday 24th July	Jack Lewis	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
59	1070	Tuesday 29th July	Jack Lewis	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
60	1071	Thursday 31st July	Jack Lewis	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
61	1072	Tuesday 5th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	10,650,000	8
62	1073	Thursday 7th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
63	1074	Tuesday 12th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
64	1075	Thursday 14th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
65	1076	Tuesday 19th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	10,550,000	n/k
66	1077	Thursday 21st August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
67	1078	Tuesday 26th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	11,650,000	n/k
68	1079	Thursday 28th August	Eric Wendell	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
69	1080	Tuesday 2nd September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
70	1081	Thursday 4th September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
71	1082	Tuesday 9th September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
72	1083	Thursday 11th September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
73	1084	Tuesday 16th September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
74	1085	Thursday 18th September	Ken Blakeson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
75	1086	Tuesday 23rd September	James Robson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
76	1087	Thursday 25th September	James Robson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
77	1088	Tuesday 30th September	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
78	1089	Thursday 2nd October	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
79	1090	Tuesday 7th October	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
80	1091	Thursday 9th October	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
81	1092	Tuesday 14th October	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
82	1093	Thursday 16th October	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
83	1094	Tuesday 21st October	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
84	1095	Thursday 23rd October	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
85	1096	Tuesday 28th October	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
86	1097	Thursday 30th October	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
87	1098	Tuesday 4th November	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
88	1099	Thursday 6th November	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
89	1100	Tuesday 11th November	Jackie Newey	William Slater	n/k	n/k
90	1101	Thursday 13th November	Jackie Newey	William Slater	n/k	n/k
91	1102	Tuesday 18th November	Jackie Newey	William Slater	n/k	n/k
92	1103	Tuesday 20th November	Charles Hodges	William Slater	n/k	n/k
93	1104	Thursday 25th November	Charles Hodges	William Slater	n/k	n/k
94	1105	Thursday 27th November	Charles Hodges	William Slater	n/k	n/k
95	1106	Tuesday 2nd December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
96	1107	Thursday 4th December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
97	1108	Tuesday 9th December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
98	1109	Thursday 11th December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
99	1110	Tuesday 16th December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
100	1111	Thursday 18th December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k

Main Cast

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Amos Brearly	Ronald Magill	Full year	100	1069	1
1	Annie Sugden	Sheila Mercier	Full year	100	1042	1
1	Jackie Merrick	Ian Sharrock	Full year	100	486	1
4	Alan Turner	Richard Thorp	Full year	99	383	10
4	Dolly Skilbeck	Jean Rogers	Full year	99	698	1
4	Henry Wilks	Arthur Pentelow	Full year	99	1062	13
4	Jack Sugden	Clive Hornby	Full year	99	652	1
4	Matt Skilbeck	Frederick Pyne	Full year	99	1072	1
4	Seth Armstrong	Stan Richards	Full year	99	530	1
10	Caroline Bates	Diana Davies	Full year	97	249	12
11	Sandie Merrick	Jane Hutcheson	Full year	97	377	1
12	Kathy Bates	Malandra Burrows	Full year	89	97	21
13	Samuel Skilbeck	Benjamin Whitehead	Full year	85	238	10
14	Joe Sugden	Frazer Hines	From March	73	842	22
15	Donald Hinton	Hugh Manning	Until May, July to September, December	53	489	14
15	Pat Sugden	Helen Weir	Until September	53	463	1
17	Karen Moore	Annie Hulley	February to August	44	92	18
18	Phil Pearce	Peter Alexander	From June	43	43	N/A
19	Jock MacDonald	Drew Dawson	January to March, June to October, from December	38	113	18
20	Robert Sugden	Richard Smith	April to May, July to November	29	29	N/A
21	Nick Bates	Cy Chadwick	March to April, June, from September	27	30	23
22	Bill Middleton	Johnny Caesar	February to March, July, September to October, from December	22	87	16
23	Eric Pollard	Christopher Chittell	September to November	16	16	N/A
24	Archie Brooks	Tony Pitts	August, November to December	14	103	17
25	Tom Merrick	Jack Carr	September only	4	65	20
26	Sita Sharma	Mamta Kash	Until January	2	48	16

Storylines

January

• Jackie Merrick has relationship problems with Sita Sharma. He waits for her outside her home one night and sees her saying goodnight to another man. Jackie confronts her and calls her a derogatory name, so she slaps him. They both decide their relationship is over.
• Jack Sugden and Pat Sugden go for a scan and their baby is fine. They are told they are having a boy. When they tell Jackie, he is not interested as he is still upset about his break up with Sita.
• Harry Mowlam carries on his hate campaign against the Skilbecks and Sugdens. He keeps getting drunk in The Woolpack and says he can buy out everyone in the village if he wanted. He is warned to keep quiet by his partner in crime Derek Warner as the police are widening the search for suspects and witnesses regarding the robbery. Matt Skilbeck notices some of Mowlam's sheep are neglected. He takes them away for care but 3 of them die in Matt's care. Mowlam is livid and wants compensation. Mowlam hounds Matt's wife Dolly Skilbeck and gives her another fright by making a pass at her. Matt is aghast and is being pushed to breaking point by Mowlam. The next day, Mowlam is caught rustling some of Matt's sheep. Matt tries to stop him driving away by hijacking the truck. The truck crashes and Mowlam drags Matt from the truck and savagely beats Matt up, and even tries to kill him by having him in a bear hug. Matt retaliates and squeezes Mowlam's neck to get free. Mowlam then falls down the river bank and vows to get even with everyone in the village who he feels has crossed him.
• The day after Matt's fight with Mowlam, Matt is bruised and hurt but feels in a happier mood as he thinks he finally stood up to Mowlam. Henry Wilks goes for his morning walk and finds a badly injured Mowlam by the river bank. Henry gently turns Mowlam onto his back and Mowlam then dies in front of Henry. Henry quickly alerts the police. Matt is shocked when he is told that Harry Mowlam is dead. He hands himself in and faces tough questioning. The police know Matt had several run ins with Mowlam, and that his wife suffered a miscarriage because of Mowlam, meaning Matt had motive to kill him. Matt explains that when Mowlam had him in a bear hug that he grabbed his neck to get free. The police think that after the fight, Matt went down the bank and held him underwater for what he did to his wife and their baby. Matt is charged with Harry Mowlam's murder.

February

• The whole villagers are in shock that Matt has been charged with murder. However no one is sad to hear that nasty Harry Mowlam is dead. Alan Turner says that Mowlam died as he lived, by the sword, and the villagers should be pleased that he is now dead. Alan now is hankering after Mowlam's Farm. The autopsy says that Mowlam died by drowning, as well as contusions to the neck and throat. Jack, Henry and Jackie raise the money for Matt's bail. Matt is unsure if he killed Mowlam as he had a blackout after the fight. Henry takes Matt to where he had the fight, and he says he found Mowlam's body 20 yards away, meaning it is unlikely that a temporarily delirious Matt dragged a heavy man all that way down stream then killed him. Mat is sure his problems are over when he tells the polcie this, and while Ian MacArthur believes Matt, MacArthur's boss DS Webb says Matt is lying or has bad memory and he still killed Mowlam.

Who lives where

to be added

Awards and Nominations

to be added