Emmerdale Farm in 1988

1988 was Emmerdale Farm's 17th year. Storylines included Alan Turner going into partnership at Home Farm with Joe Sugden, Dolly Skilbeck's affair with Stephen Fuller, Kathy Bates' wedding to Jackie Merrick, the beginnings of Joe Sugden's relationship with Kate Hughes and Nick Bates foiling a post office raid. 102 episodes were broadcast this year.

Production

The cast of Emmerdale Farm in 1988.

The previous year, Stuart Doughty was announced as Michael Russell's successor as producer. Doughty began his run with Episode 1235 (30th March 1988). Having left Brookside to join Emmerdale Farm, Doughty was keen to bring the show up to date by increasing the amount of scenes per episode and perking up cliffhangers to encourage audiences to come back for the next episode. He also expressed an interest in taking the show out of its reliant studio set, wanting to take advantage of both the rural setting of the show and other locations. As a result, the show did its first ever filming abroad as Kathy and Jackie Merrick enjoyed their honeymoon in Tunisia.

Finally, on 6th January, the programme became fully networked for the first time - meaning that the same episode was shown at exactly the same time in all ITV regions - in the 7.00pm slot. A massive achievement for the programme, this enabled publicity for the serial to be far easier and an extra push was made in London, the hardest region for the programme to crack, with an extensive billboard campaign.

There were a number of cast additions this year. Madeleine Howard was cast as Sarah Connolly. The character only appeared this year in April but would return as a regular in 1989. Joe Sugden found romance with Kate Hughes, portrayed by Sally Knyvette, and Kate's two children, Rachel and Mark Hughes, also arrived in the village soon after, portrayed by real life brother and sister Glenda and Craig McKay. Elsewhere, Richard Franklin debuted as Denis Rigg in August and Debbi Blythe and Jack Carr returned as Marian Rosetti and Tom Merrick respectively. For both characters, this would be the last time they appeared in the serial. Clive Hornby also took a break from the programme in the summer, returning later the following year.

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures	Chart Position
1	1212	Wednesday 6th January	Helen Greaves	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
2	1213	Thursday 7th January	Helen Greaves	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
3	1214	Wednesday 13th January	David Lane	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
4	1215	Thursday 14th January	David Lane	Richard Holthouse	n/k	n/k
5	1215a	Wednesday 20th January	Andrew Holden	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
6	1216	Thursday 21st January	Jackie Newey	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
7	1217	Wednesday 27th January	Jackie Newey	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
8	1218	Thursday 28th January	Jackie Newey	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
9	1219	Wednesday 3rd February	Jackie Newey	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
10	1220	Thursday 4th February	Jackie Newey	Alister Hallum	n/k	n/k
11	1221	Wednesday 10th February	Tim Vaughan	Bill Bryce	n/k	n/k
12	1222	Thursday 11th February	Tim Vaughan	Bill Bryce	n/k	n/k
13	1223	Wednesday 17th February	Tim Vaughan	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
14	1224	Thursday 18th February	Ken Blakeson	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
15	1225	Wednesday 24th February	Ken Blakeson	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
16	1226	Thursday 25th February	Ken Blakeson	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
17	1227	Wednesday 2nd March	Ken Blakeson	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
18	1228	Thursday 3rd March	Ken Blakeson	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
19	1229	Wednesday 9th March	Steve Trafford	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
20	1230	Thursday 10th March	Steve Trafford	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
21	1231	Wednesday 16th March	Steve Trafford	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
22	1232	Thursday 17th March	Charles Hodges	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
23	1233	Wednesday 23rd March	Charles Hodges	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
24	1234	Thursday 24th March	Charles Hodges	Alan Marsden	n/k	n/k
25	1235	Wednesday 30th March	Charles Hodges	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
26	1236	Thursday 31st March	Dave Parker	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
27	1237	Wednesday 6th April	Dave Parker	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
28	1238	Thursday 7th April	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
29	1239	Wednesday 13th April	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
30	1240	Thursday 14th April	Andrew Holden	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
31	1241	Wednesday 20th April	Andrew Holden	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
32	1242	Thursday 21st April	John Chambers	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
33	1243	Wednesday 27th April	John Chambers	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
34	1244	Thursday 28th April	John Chambers	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
35	1245	Wednesday 4th May	John Chambers	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
36	1246	Thursday 5th May	John Chambers	Nicholas Prosser	n/k	n/k
37	1247	Wednesday 11th May	James Robson	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
38	1248	Thursday 12th May	James Robson	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
39	1249	Wednesday 18th May	James Robson	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
40	1250	Thursday 19th May	James Robson	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
41	1251	Wednesday 25th May	Jackie Newey	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
42	1252	Thursday 26th May	Jackie Newey	Terry Daw	n/k	n/k
43	1253	Wednesday 1st June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
44	1254	Thursday 2nd June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
45	1255	Wednesday 8th June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
46	1256	Thursday 9th June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
47	1257	Thursday 16th June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
48	1258	Thursday 23rd June	Michael Russell	William Slater	n/k	n/k
49	1259	Wednesday 29th June	Peter Dillon	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
50	1260	Thursday 30th June	Peter Dillon	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
51	1261	Wednesday 6th July	Peter J Hammond	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
52	1262	Thursday 7th July	Peter J Hammond	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
53	1263	Wednesday 13th July	John Canon	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
54	1264	Thursday 14th July	John Canon	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
55	1265	Wednesday 20th July	Dave Parker	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
56	1266	Thursday 21st July	Dave Parker	Sue Butterworth	n/k	n/k
57	1267	Wednesday 27th July	Gary Hopkins	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
58	1268	Thursday 28th July	Gary Hopkins	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
59	1269	Wednesday 3rd August	Charles Hodges	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
60	1270	Thursday 4th August	Charles Hodges	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
61	1271	Wednesday 10th August	Harry Duffin	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
62	1272	Thursday 11th August	Harry Duffin	Tom Kingdon	n/k	n/k
63	1273	Wednesday 17th August	James Robson	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
64	1274	Thursday 18th August	James Robson	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
65	1275	Wednesday 24th August	Patrea Smallacombe	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
66	1276	Thursday 25th August	Patrea Smallacombe	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
67	1277	Wednesday 31st August	Dave Parker	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
68	1278	Thursday 1st September	Dave Parker	Michael E. Briant	n/k	n/k
69	1279	Wednesday 7th September	Jackie Newey	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
70	1280	Thursday 8th September	Jackie Newey	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
71	1281	Wednesday 14th September	Barry Woodward	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
72	1282	Thursday 15th September	Barry Woodward	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
73	1283	Wednesday 21st September	Harry Duffin	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
74	1284	Thursday 22nd September	Harry Duffin	Mervyn Cumming	n/k	n/k
75	1285	Wednesday 28th September	Gary Hopkins	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
76	1286	Thursday 29th September	Gary Hopkins	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
77	1287	Wednesday 5th October	Peter Dillon	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
78	1288	Thursday 6th October	Peter Dillon	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
79	1289	Wednesday 12th October	Peter J Hammond	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
80	1290	Thursday 13th October	Peter J Hammond	Chris Lovett	n/k	n/k
81	1291	Wednesday 19th October	Dave Parker	John Darnell	n/k	n/k
82	1292	Thursday 20th October	Dave Parker	John Darnell	n/k	n/k
83	1293	Wednesday 26th October	Barry Woodward	John Darnell	n/k	n/k
84	1294	Thursday 27th October	Barry Woodward	John Darnell	n/k	n/k
85	1295	Wednesday 2nd November	Charles Hodges	John Darnell	n/k	n/k
86	1296	Thursday 3rd November	Charles Hodges	John Darnell	11,750,000	n/k
87	1297	Wednesday 9th November	James Robson	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
88	1298	Thursday 10th November	James Robson	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
89	1299	Wednesday 16th November	Barry Woodward	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
90	1300	Thursday 17th November	Barry Woodward	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
91	1301	Wednesday 23rd November	Gary Hopkins	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
92	1302	Thursday 24th November	Gary Hopkins	David Richardson	n/k	n/k
93	1303	Wednesday 30th November	Patrea Smallacombe	Michael Brayshaw	n/k	n/k
94	1304	Thursday 1st December	Patrea Smallacombe	Michael Brayshaw	n/k	n/k
95	1305	Wednesday 7th December	Jackie Newey	Michael Brayshaw	11,450,000	n/k
96	1306	Thursday 8th December	Jackie Newey	Michael Brayshaw	11,350,000	n/k
97	1307	Wednesday 14th December	James Robson	Michael Brayshaw	n/k	n/k
98	1308	Thursday 15th December	James Robson	Michael Brayshaw	n/k	n/k
99	1309	Wednesday 21st December	Harry Duffin	Henry Foster	n/k	n/k
100	1310	Thursday 22nd December	Harry Duffin	Henry Foster	n/k	n/k
101	1311	Wednesday 28th December	Peter J Hammond	Henry Foster	12,000,000	18
102	1312	Thursday 29th December	Peter J Hammond	Henry Foster	11,850,000	20

Main Cast

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Dolly Skilbeck	Jean Rogers	Full year	102	898	1
2	Matt Skilbeck	Frederick Pyne	Full year	100	1268	3
2	Annie Sugden	Sheila Mercier	Full year	100	1226	12
2	Joe Sugden	Frazer Hines	Full year	100	1036	4
5	Amos Brearly	Ronald Magill	Full year	99	1258	6
6	Henry Wilks	Arthur Pentelow	Full year	96	1248	6
7	Kathy Bates/Merrick	Malandra Burrows	Full year	95	283	11
8	Alan Turner	Richard Thorp	Full year	93	572	4
8	Caroline Bates	Diana Davies	Full year	93	438	4
11	Nick Bates	Cy Chadwick	Full year	91	191	15
11	Jackie Merrick	Ian Sharrock	Full year	91	668	6
11	Sandie Merrick	Jane Hutcheson	Full year	91	557	10
11	Seth Armstrong	Stan Richards	Full year	91	711	10
14	Phil Pearce	Peter Alexander	Full year	83	204	14
15	Archie Brooks	Tony Pitts	Full year	79	265	12
16	Jack Sugden	Clive Hornby	Until September	64	812	2
17	Eric Pollard	Christopher Chittell	January to February, April to July, September onwards	54	119	20
18	Jock MacDonald	Drew Dawson	Until May and from September	43	210	18
19	Robert Sugden	Richard Smith	Until May and July to September	42	127	17
20	Ruth Pennington	Julia Chambers	Until July	42	90	19
21	Kate Hughes	Sally Knyvette	From August	36	36	-
22	Donald Hinton	Hugh Manning	January to February, July to September, November and December	35	569	21
23	Rachel Hughes	Glenda McKay	From September	26	26	-
24	Mark Hughes	Craig McKay	From September	25	25	-
25	Bill Middleton	Johnny Caesar	Until April and from October	23	150	22
26	Denis Rigg	Richard Franklin	August to November	20	20	-
27	Samuel Skilbeck	Benjamin Whitehead	January, March to April, June, November and December	15	296	16
28	Marian Rosetti	Debbi Blythe	July to September	10	61	23
29	Sarah Connolly	Madeleine Howard	April only	7	7	-
30	Tom Merrick	Jack Carr	January to February only	5	70	-

Storylines

to be added

Who lives where

to be added

Awards and Nominations

to be added