Pearl Ladderbanks: Money worries, gambling habit and heartbreak!
She went through a lot in her time in the village!Pearl Ladderbanks was one of Emmerdale fans’ favourite characters. She was good-hearted and funny, but she somehow always found herself making bad choices and getting into trouble.
Pearl’s arrival in the village
Snooty Edna Birch declared Pearl was a ‘trollop’ almost as soon as she arrived in the village! But flamboyant and fun, Ms Ladderbanks was soon making friends. She hit it off with Len Reynolds when she first came to Emmerdale, and the pair quickly started a romance. He proposed and she accepted and they moved in together. But Pearl was hiding a big secret!
Pearl’s secret
It turned out that Pearl’s son Frank was not a financial adviser, as she’d told everyone in the village. In fact, he was serving time for rape. Len was horrified when he found out, but quickly realised Pearl had been through enough when it came to Frank and stood by her.
When he was released, Frank came to stay with Pearl and Len. But his arrival was written about in the Hotten Courier and the villagers all turned against poor Pearl. Only Ashley and Edna stood by her and Len. Scott Windsor and Syd Woolfe beat Frank up after a misunderstanding involving Scott’s sister Donna, and Frank decided to move away and start a new life elsewhere.
Pearl and Len were upset about how they’d been treated so they decided to move away too, but their friends in the village rallied round and convinced them to stay.
Money troubles
Pearl’s grandson Owen came to visit from Hong Kong. But Pearl was put in an awkward position when he asked to see where his dad was buried. It turned out his mum had lied and said his dad was dead, rather than admitting the truth about him being in prison.
Pearl told Owen the truth, and was surprised when he said he already knew! He just wanted someone to be honest with him.
The pair became close and Pearl began saving up to visit Owen in Hong Kong. But she soon made some bad decisions when she invested in a get-rich-quick scheme and persuaded some of her friends to invest, too.
But the scheme was a scam and Pearl lost all her cash and her friends’ money too. Desperate to make amends, she took a loan from Eric.
Len wasn’t impressed when he found out, but he repaid the loan, only for Pearl to be hit with an early-repayment penalty Eric had sneaked into her contract.
She was so guilt-ridden with the mess she’d made that she left the village, leaving her engagement ring and a note for Len.
Return to the village for Pearl Ladderbanks
Pearl was working in a pub, using a false name, when she bumped into Daz Eden, who’d fled from his mum and her boyfriend. They went back to Emmerdale together and to Pearl’s relief, she was welcomed back with open arms. She even reconciled with Len.
More blackmail
Pearl started working for the Kings, and she was a key witness when Tom was murdered. She knew Jimmy had lied about being with Kelly on the night, because she’d seen Kelly alone. Jimmy tried to blackmail Pearl into keeping quiet but she went to the police.
Len’s death
When Len died, Pearl was devastated. The whole village turned out to say goodbye. As Pearl tried to move on, she thought Eric was being an unlikely friend to her, but it turned out he was just trying to swindle her out of her home.
More money woes
By 2015 Pearl was working at the vet’s but she discovered she’d been underpaying her gas bill and was deep in debt. She turned to gambling to try to make more wonga and was soon in even worse trouble.
She started stealing from the vet’s and even pretended to be suffering from memory troubles in order to get away with it. But when Vanessa found a list of IOUs she’d been keeping, the game was up. She was sacked and she sold her house to Eric to pay off her debts.
Once more she planned to leave the village but once more, she was convinced to stay.
Pearl left the village in 2020, moving to a static caravan in Demdyke and then to Hong Long to be with Owen.
Who played Pearl Ladderbanks?
Pearl was played by actress Meg Johnson. She had a long and glittering career in showbiz from making her debut on the stage aged just six when she was evacuated to Bolton during the war.
Meg played Eunice Gee in Coronation Street in the 1980s and 90s, and worked regularly with Victoria Wood. She starred in productions of Chicago, Gypsy and Follies, and played Brigid McKenna in Broookside from 2000-2003.
In 2003 she landed the role of Pearl in Emmerdale and stayed in the village until 2020.
Love Shetland and The Dark? 10 best Scottish crime dramas you must watch including ‘dark and twisted’ series compared to Luther
So, if you're a fan of dramas like Shetland, we've conducted an investigation of the best series based in Scotland. And some of them might just be new to you. Here's a rundown of the best Scottish crime dramas on TV, and where you can watch them.
Here's our top 10 Scottish crime dramas if you love Shetland and The Dark.
[caption id="attachment_1009591" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
Episodes of Irvine Welsh's Crime can be viewed on ITVX (Credit: ITV)[/caption]
Best Scottish crime dramas: Irvine Welsh's Crime on ITV
Adapted from the bestselling novel by Irvine Welsh, Crime starred Dougray Scott in Emmy Award-winning form as Detective Ray Lennox.
The intense - if occasionally OTT - series also featured the likes of Angela Griffin, Gordon Kennedy, and Ken Stott within the cast.
The "thrilling" crime series followsed DI Ray Lennox and his partner DS Amanda Drummond as they investigated the disappearance of Edinburgh schoolgirl Britney Hamil. All while Ray confronted his own past trauma and in-fighting within the police department.
Series 1 landed on ITV in 2021, followed by series 2 in 2022. At the time, The Guardian's Leila Latif called it "as dark and twisted as Luther". Meanwhile, The Independent's Sean O'Grady called it "as sharp, sardonic and grim as you’d expect".
It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83% which is not too shabby!
Watch series 1 and 2 of Irvine Welsh's Crime on ITVX here.
[caption id="attachment_4375" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka and Lauren Lyle as Karen Pirie in series 2 (Credit: ITV/World Productions/Mark Mainz)[/caption]
Karen Pirie on ITV
The first series of Karen Pirie in 2022 starred Lauren Lyle as a young DS looking into a cold case concerning the murder of a barmaid. Unsurprisingly, ITV commissioned it for a series two which landed in 2025.
Based on the novels by Val McDermid, the gritty series had the brilliant Lauren Lyle to partly thank for its success. And she had the same effect in the brilliantly tense thriller The Ridge recently, which was filmed between Glasgow and New Zealand.
When reviewing the series, The Guardian's Lucy Mangan said: "Humour, confidence and charm are perfectly blended in this suspenseful adaptation of Val McDermid's bestseller. As its young female detective tackles a cold case it really belts along."
The I Paper said: "Karen Pirie is one of the best TV detectives in years." Meanwhile, Rotten Tomatoes gives it a whopping 95%.
Series 1 and 2 of Karen Pirie are available to watch on ITVX here.
[caption id="attachment_1009593" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
Mark Macmanus was unforgettable as DCI Jim Taggart (Credit: YouTube)[/caption]
Taggart on ITV
Now we're talking about a classic Scottish crime drama, which ran from 1983 to 2010.
Even with necessary cast changes due to the tragic death of lead actor Mark McManus in 1994, Taggart found high audiences on ITV for nearly three decades.
Grittier than a sandbag, the enduring phrase most associated with the series - "There's been a murder!" - was never actually uttered by the show's DCI Jim Taggart.
Taggart was The OG Scottish crime drama, and still holds up to this day. Watch out for a stream of young actors, making their debuts, too.
The world's longest-running cop show was decades ahead of its time, with the brilliant Mark McManus playing one of the most distinctive TV roles. A fan on Reddit called Mark "one of the finest TV actors".
Although Taggart originally went out on ITV, episodes are now available to watch on Channel5.com.
[caption id="attachment_1009594" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
Robert Carlyle was the titular hero of Hamish Macbeth (Credit: BBC iPlayer)[/caption]
Scottish crime dramas: Hamish Macbeth on BBC
Robert Carlyle - fresh from the success of Trainspotting - came in for plenty of plaudits as his role as PC Hamish Macbeth.
Accompanied by his West Highland Terrier Wee Jock, Hamish kept the peace and investigated crimes in the fictional west coast of Scotland town of Lochdubh from 1995 to 1997.
A synopsis said: "PC Hamish Macbeth would love a quiet life - but goings-on in the deceptively sleepy Highland village of Lochdubh means it's the last thing he’ll get."
As well as Robert's likeable allure, the three seasons of the police drama featured stunning locations, much like Shetland. A fan described the series as "wonderful", adding: "Some of the best acting I've seen in my lifetime. [...] In spite of yourself, you start to cheer for the characters, think about them, wrap your heart around them, and when the series ends, you sit there fully satisfied."
Watch Hamish Macbeth on BBC iPlayer here.
[caption id="attachment_1009597" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
William Ash and Laura Fraser starred in The Loch (Credit: YouTube)[/caption]
The Loch on ITV
The Loch ran for one series in 2017, and starred Laura Fraser, Siobhan Finneran and Don Gilet. Now THAT is a cast.
In the series, the Scottish Highland Police investigated the murder of a piano teacher. However, it was soon established that part of the victim's brain had been removed... When a human heart belonging to another dead person was found close by, too, DS Annie Redford realised she was hunting a serial killer.
The synopsis told is: "The search for a serial killer becomes a matter of life and death for detective Annie Redford, who is trying to cope with her first murder case."
Although some critics called it "baffling" and "confusing", this is a thoroughly entertaining watch if you suspend disbelief. I mean it works for Channel 5 thrillers!
Watch The Loch on ITVX by clicking here
[caption id="attachment_653775" align="alignnone" width="8256"]
Nicola Walker plays DI Annika Strandhed in the Scottish crime drama of the same name (Credit: UKTV)[/caption]
Scottish crime dramas: Annika on BBC/Alibi
Any show starring Nicola Walker is always worth our time... And this black comedy crime drama is no exception, with DI Annika Strandhed heading up the newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit based in Glasgow.
Word of warning, though - the character sometimes talks directly to the camera which may need a bit of getting used to. If you don't mind the main character breaking the fourth wall Fleabag-style, than there's much to be enjoyed here.
Annika is the "witty and enigmatic" DI Annika Strandhed who is tasked with solving murders in and around the Scottish waters. Although Rotten Tomatoes only gives it 64%, we think The Split's Nicola is worth tuning into.
There are two series, the first went out in 2021, followed by series 2 in 2023. Sadly there won't be a third series.
Watch series 1 and 2 of Annika on BBC iPlayer by clicking here.
[caption id="attachment_831371" align="alignnone" width="2560"]
The Control Room starred Joanna Vanderham as Sam, and Iain De Caestecker as Gabe (Credit: BBC One)[/caption]
The Control Room on BBC One
One call can change everything, particularly in The Control Room. Gabe dealt with life and death situations every day as an emergency call handler for the Scottish Ambulance Service in Glasgow. But one day, he received a desperate call from a woman who seemed to know him.
This gripping 2022 BBC thriller had viewers enraptured, not least because of the lead actors Iain De Caestecker and Joanna Vanderham.
The Guardian loved it, saying: "Terrific performances and a tremendous, hooky set-up about an emergency service worker dragged back into a murky past make this a cut above this season’s usual dramatic offerings."
Radio Times said: "Iain De Caestecker excels in this anxiety-inducing thriller." Its Rotten rating stands at 64%, but it's well worth a watch.
Watch The Control Room on iPlayer here.
[caption id="attachment_17749" align="alignnone" width="1720"]
Richard Rankin as Rebus in the Scottish crime drama of the same name (Credit: BBC)[/caption]
Rebus on BBC One
Scottish actor Richard Rankin starred in the titular role of DS John Rebus, a role previously bought to life by both Ken Stott and John Hannah.
Ian Rankin, creator of the famous Rebus novels, promised "a great cast and a compelling story" and it was certainly delivered in 2024's series 1.
This latest BBC One adaptation reimagined John Rebus as a younger Detective Sergeant. The rookie DS found himself drawn into a violent criminal conflict that turned personal when his brother Michael, a former soldier, crossed the line into criminality.
Rebus will be back for a much-anticipated series 2 in 2026, too. The New Statesmen said about series 1: "Part of what makes this Rebus so alluring is down to the beautifully concise manner in which the actor who plays him conveys his haphazard competence, his stoicism and feral endurance. He is so believable."
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a rather perfect 100%.
Watch Rebus series one on BBC iPlayer here.
[caption id="attachment_17756" align="alignnone" width="1720"]
Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives as Max and Jake in Guilt (Credit: BBC/Expectation/Happy Tramp North/ Anne Binckebanck)[/caption]
Scottish crime dramas: Guilt on BBC Two
Guilt on BBC One followed two brothers who accidentally killed an old man by running him over. They cover their tracks, but their lives start to fall apart when neighbours and relatives of the dead doubt the way he died...
After becoming a ratings hit, the show was recommissioned for a second season, which picked up two years after the events of the first. It also dealt with the titular theme of guilt.
BBC Arts Editor Neil Forsyth's scripts are precise and darkly witty, his characters believable and entertaining. Robert McKillop's directing is crisp and evocative."
The anarchic Edinburgh crime series was described as a "wild ride" when it returned for its third and final series in 2023. Critics likened its darkly comic plot to Fargo. Jack Seale of The Guardian said: "Guilt was still rich, gamey drama, written with a pitiless eye for human weakness and a savvy appreciation of the shame driving so many of its characters, torn between Edinburgh - where the crooks wear expensive suits - and its rougher port, Leith.
The 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating speaks for itself.
Watch series 1 to 3 of Guilt on BBC iPlayer here.
[caption id="attachment_14402" align="alignnone" width="1720"]
Matthew Goode led the cast of Dept Q [Credit: Netflix][/caption]
Dept Q on Netflix
Detective drama Dept. Q landed on our screens this year, and was better than most - with an intriguing plot, great cast, and brilliant writing.
Like Unforgotten, and Black Snow, Dept. Q focused on a cold case unit. But that's where the similarities stop. Dept. Q introduced DCI Carl Morck, "a brilliant cop but a terrible colleague, whose razor-sharp sarcasm had made him no friends in Edinburgh police".
A synopsis says: "After a shooting that leaves a young PC dead, and his partner paralysed, DCI Carl Morck finds himself exiled to the basement and the sole member of Department Q; a newly formed cold case unit."
They investigated the case of a prominent civil servant who disappeared several years ago. And Carl was back doing what he did best - "rattling cages and refusing to take no for an answer".
The series was written by Scott Frank, the writer and director of acclaimed Netflix series The Queen's Gambit. It has an 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The Independent said at the time: "Dept Q is a gut-clenchingly tense ride that will have you gripped."
Watch Dept Q on Netflix here.
Read more: Mint on BBC One: Filming locations include Scottish town never used in a TV drama before
The Dark starts on ITV at 9pm on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page @emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter
