Emmerdale Farm in 1987

1987 was Emmerdale Farm's 16th year. Storylines included the villagers protests against a proposed nuclear dump, Joe Sugden's ill-fated love affair with Ruth Pennington, the return of Marian Wilks with new husband Paolo, Eric Pollard's hate campaign against Sandie Merrick and the collapse of NY Estates. 100 episodes were broadcast this year.

Production

The Sugden family in 1987.

Michael Russell continued as producer for the show.

The year was mainly dominated by the nuclear dump story. Such bold political ground was new for Emmerdale Farm and some quarters of the press criticised the show as being politically biased for airing an anti-nuclear storyline in an election year. Elsewhere, some viewers worried the programme was changing to become more 'topical' and wrote in with their concerns to the production team. The show also began to slowly edge away from storylines revolving around Emmerdale Farm and the Sugdens as more focus was placed on the village of Beckindale and the likes of Home Farm and Hotten Cattle Market.

The only changes in cast this year were the arrival of Julia Chambers as Joe Sugden's new love interest, Ruth Pennington and the brief return of Marian Wilks (now 'Rosetti') with a new actress portraying her - Debbi Blythe.

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures	Chart Position
1	1112	Tuesday 6th January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
2	1113	Thursday 8th January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
3	1114	Tuesday 13th January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
4	1115	Thursday 15th January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
5	1116	Tuesday 20th January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
6	1117	Thursday 22nd January	Steve Trafford	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
7	1118	Tuesday 27th January	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
8	1119	Thursday 29th January	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
9	1120	Tuesday 3rd February	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
10	1121	Thursday 5th February	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
11	1122	Tuesday 10th February	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
12	1123	Thursday 12th February	Ken Blakeson	Fiona Cumming	n/k	n/k
13	1124	Tuesday 17th February	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
14	1125	Thursday 19th February	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
15	1126	Tuesday 24th February	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
16	1127	Thursday 26th February	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
17	1128	Tuesday 3rd March	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
18	1129	Thursday 5th March	Charles Hodges	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
19	1130	Tuesday 10th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
20	1131	Thursday 12th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
21	1132	Tuesday 17th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
22	1133	Thursday 19th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
23	1134	Tuesday 24th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
24	1135	Thursday 26th March	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
25	1136	Tuesday 31st March	Jackie Newey	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
26	1137	Thursday 2nd April	Jackie Newey	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
27	1138	Tuesday 7th April	Jackie Newey	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
28	1139	Thursday 9th April	Jackie Newey	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
29	1140	Tuesday 14th April	Jackie Newey	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
30	1141	Thursday 16th April	Tim Vaughan	Vivienne Cozens	n/k	n/k
31	1142	Tuesday 21st April	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
32	1143	Thursday 23rd April	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
33	1144	Tuesday 28th April	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
34	1145	Thursday 30th April	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
35	1146	Tuesday 5th May	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
36	1147	Thursday 7th May	Tim Vaughan	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
37	1148	Tuesday 12th May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
38	1149	Thursday 14th May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
39	1150	Tuesday 19th May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
40	1151	Thursday 21st May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
41	1152	Tuesday 26th May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
42	1153	Thursday 28th May	Simon Masters	William Slater	n/k	n/k
43	1154	Tuesday 2nd June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
44	1155	Thursday 4th June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
45	1156	Tuesday 9th June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
46	1157	Thursday 11th June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
47	1158	Tuesday 16th June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
48	1159	Thursday 18th June	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
49	1160	Tuesday 23rd June	Andrew Holden	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
50	1161	Thursday 25th June	Andrew Holden	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
51	1162	Tuesday 30th June	Andrew Holden	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
52	1163	Thursday 2nd July	Andrew Holden	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
53	1164	Tuesday 7th July	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
54	1165	Thursday 9th July	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
55	1166	Tuesday 14th July	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
56	1167	Thursday 16th July	James Robson	Darrol Blake	n/k	n/k
57	1168	Tuesday 21st July	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
58	1169	Thursday 23rd July	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
59	1170	Tuesday 28th July	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
60	1171	Thursday 30th July	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
61	1172	Tuesday 4th August	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
62	1173	Thursday 6th August	Ken Blakeson	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
63	1174	Tuesday 11th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
64	1175	Thursday 13th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
65	1176	Tuesday 18th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
66	1177	Thursday 20th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
67	1178	Tuesday 25th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
68	1179	Thursday 27th August	Steve Trafford	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
69	1180	Tuesday 1st September	Charles Hodges	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
70	1181	Thursday 3rd September	Charles Hodges	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
71	1182	Tuesday 8th September	Charles Hodges	Simon Somers	n/k	n/k
72	1183	Thursday 10th September	Charles Hodges	Simon Somers	n/k	n/k
73	1184	Tuesday 15th September	Charles Hodges	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
74	1185	Thursday 17th September	Charles Hodges	Richard Handford	n/k	n/k
75	1186	Tuesday 22nd September	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
76	1187	Thursday 24th September	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
77	1188	Tuesday 29th September	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
78	1189	Thursday 1st October	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
79	1190	Tuesday 6th October	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
80	1191	Thursday 8th October	Peter Dillon	William Slater	n/k	n/k
81	1192	Tuesday 13th October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
82	1193	Thursday 15th October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
83	1194	Tuesday 20th October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
84	1195	Thursday 22nd October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
85	1196	Tuesday 27th October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
86	1197	Thursday 29th October	Chris Barlas	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
87	1198	Tuesday 3rd November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
88	1199	Thursday 5th November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
89	1200	Tuesday 10th November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
90	1201	Thursday 12th November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
91	1202	Tuesday 17th November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
92	1203	Thursday 19th November	Simon Masters	David Crozier	n/k	n/k
93	1204	Tuesday 24th November	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
94	1205	Thursday 26th November	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
95	1206	Tuesday 1st December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
96	1207	Thursday 3rd December	Michael Russell	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
97	1208	Tuesday 8th December	James Robson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
98	1209	Thursday 10th December	James Robson	Bob Hird	n/k	n/k
99	1210	Tuesday 15th December	James Robson	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
100	1211	Thursday 17th December	James Robson	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k

Main Cast

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Dolly Skilbeck	Jean Rogers	Full year	98	796	4
2	Jack Sugden	Clive Hornby	Full year	97	748	4
3	Matt Skilbeck	Frederick Pyne	Full year	96	1168	4
3	Joe Sugden	Frazer Hines	Full year	96	937	14
3	Alan Turner	Richard Thorp	Full year	96	479	4
6	Caroline Bates	Diana Davies	Full year	95	345	10
7	Jackie Merrick	Ian Sharrock	Full year	92	577	1
8	Amos Brearly	Ronald Magill	Full year	91	1159	1
8	Henry Wilks	Arthur Pentelow	Full year	91	1152	4
8	Seth Armstrong	Stan Richards	Full year	91	621	4
11	Sandie Merrick	Jane Hutcheson	Full year	90	467	11
11	Kathy Bates	Malandra Burrows	Full year	90	188	12
13	Annie Sugden	Sheila Mercier	Full year except August	84	1126	1
14	Archie Brooks	Tony Pitts	Full year	83	186	24
15	Phil Pearce	Peter Alexander	Full year	78	121	18
16	Nick Bates	Cy Chadwick	Full year	70	100	20
17	Samuel Skilbeck	Benjamin Whitehead	Full year except September	63	281	13
18	Robert Sugden	Richard Smith	From March	56	79	22
19	Jock MacDonald	Drew Dawson	Full year except October	54	167	19
20	Ruth Pennington	Julia Chambers	From June	49	49	-
21	Eric Pollard	Christopher Chittell	January, March to April, June to July, October onwards	49	66	22
22	Donald Hinton	Hugh Manning	March to August and from November	45	534	15
23	Bill Middleton	Johnny Caesar	January, March to April, June to September and from November	40	127	21
24	Marian Rosetti	Debbi Blythe	June and July only	11	51	-

Storylines

January

• Dolly Skilbeck has to face up to her past regarding her illegitimate son Graham Lodsworth.

February

• Graham Lodsworth is sent back to the army.
• Jackie Merrick falls down a mine shaft. He is rescued and is not badly hurt.

March

• The whole of Beckindale has a new battle on its hands. The villagers face an uncertain future as the government plan to build a nuclear dump on Pencross Fell.

April

• Eric Pollard's misdemeanours are uncovered and he is sacked as auctioneer from Hotten Cattle Market. He blames Sandie Merrick for getting him sacked and starts a hat campaign against her.
• The villagers arrange meetings to discuss the nuclear dump proposals. They will not give up without a fight. A councillor, Mr. Bailey visits the village and says the nuclear dump will not affect the village. The villagers argue and put "No Nukes Here" signs all over Bailey's car.
• Eric holds Sandie hostage at Mill Cottage and threatens her with a poker. He gives her a sob story and she drives him home.

September

• Nasty cowman Mr Bracknell terrorises Ruth Pennington, saying she put him out of business. Joe defends her and Bracknell punches him in the face.
• After 6 months of endless campaigns and riots opposing the proposed nuclear dump, the government in London says that the plans for the dump are being abandoned, and they are pulling out of Beckindale. The whole village celebrates and they all spend the night drinking in The Woolpack. Amos is more worried about the fact that some customers bought their own beer instead of buying it on the pub premises but Henry says they can overlook it for a celebration. Jack and Henry visit the now quiet Pencross Fell.

Who lives where

to be added

Awards and Nominations

to be added