Explore Emmerdale’s characters, from iconic legends to new arrivals, with the latest stories and drama unfolding in the village.
Explore Emmerdale’s casts, from iconic legends to new arrivals, with the latest stories and drama unfolding in the village.
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The first episode of Emmerdale hit our screens at 1.30pm on Monday October 16, 1972. Created by British screenwriter Kevin Laffan, the British soap opera was originally known as Emmerdale Farm.
Produced by Yorkshire Television, it was launched as a new lunchtime farming serial for ITV. It was based on the lives of locals living in a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales.
The exterior shots for Emmerdale Farm were filmed in Arncliffe in Littondale, and the interior scenes at the ITV Studios in Leeds.
Emmerdale Farm’s pilot featured appearances from nine regular characters and also one guest character.
It was watched by an audience of 2.2 million.
The episode was conceived and written by Kevin Laffan and Script Editor David Crane. It was produced by Producer David Goddard and Executive Producer Peter Holmans, and directed by Tristan de Vere Cole.
The synopsis of the episode as published in TV Times at the time read: “In the beginning is the end . . . Old Jacob Sugden, owner of Emmerdale Farm in Yorkshire has died leaving his wife Annie, his old father Sam, her daughter Peggy and younger son Joe. Jack, the elder son, left home eight years ago and little has been heard of him since.”
The first character to be seen on screen after the opening credits is Marian Wilks. She is riding her horse past members of the Sugden and Skilbeck families, who have gathered for the funeral of Jacob Sugden.
The decision to focus on a funeral in the first episode was creator Kevin Laffan’s. He felt the dramatic event would draw viewers in. Emmerdale’s first line of dialogue is then spoken by Peggy Skilbeck. She clocks Marian on horseback and asks her husband, Matt Skilbeck, who she is.
Next to be seen are Jacob’s widow and Peggy’s mother, Annie Sugden. Also in the scene are Peggy’s brother, Joe Sugden and Jacob’s elderly father, Sam Pearson.
Meanwhile, Jacob’s eldest son Jack Sugden makes his return to the village for the first time in eight years. He is seen in The Woolpack with the pub landlord Amos Brearly as he quietly watches his father’s funeral procession go by.
It is soon revealed that Jacob has left Emmerdale Farm to Jack. This decision causes outrage and distress to his estranged siblings Peggy and Joe.
By his own admission, Jack is viewed as the ‘prodigal son’. Neither Joe nor Peggy want him running Emmerdale Farm.
As the family attend Jacob’s funeral service held in St Mary’s Church, Jack returns to the farm for a look around. While there he encounters Marian, the same lady who was riding in the beginning of the episode.
Marian is revealed to be the daughter of local businessman Henry Wilks. He has just purchased the adjoining land to Emmerdale Farm – Inglebrook.
Jack approaches his family following Jacob’s send-off to make them aware of him being back in the village.
He receives a frosty reception from Peggy, but Joe and their mother Annie are more welcoming. Annie is undoubtedly keen for Jack to stick about. She tells him he’s welcome to stay as long as he helps around the family farm.
There’s an altercation between Joe and Marian when he discovers her dad Henry was involved in a company that was responsible for killing fish. She takes offence to Joe’s accusations and storms off.
Later, Henry pays Annie a visit at the farm to discuss his right of way over the adjoining land to Emmerdale Farm.
With the main entrance to Inglebrook situated on a dangerous corner, Henry proposes to use the bottom of a lower meadow which goes over Emmerdale Farm land, which is currently blocked by farming machinery.
Annie furiously objects to his proposal and sends Henry away, but he warns the law is on his side.
This exchange marked the beginning of a long-standing rivalry between Henry and the Sugden family.
The episode closes with Jack subsequently returning to The Woolpack. Here he finds Marian talking to her long-term friend Alec Saunders.
Jack decides to join them, but causes offence to Alec when he quizzes him on his ‘pedigree’.
Alec and Marian leave their drinks and leave the pub, with Alec then declaring he’s “particular about who he drinks with.”
Annie Sugden is played by Sheila Mercier.
Jack Sugden is played by Andrew Burt.
Peggy Skilbeck is played by Jo Kendall.
Joe Sugden is played by Frazer Hines.
Matt Skilbeck is played by Frederick Pyne.
Sam Pearson is played by Toke Townley.
Marian Wilks is played by Gail Harrison.
Henry Wilks is played by Arthur Pentelow.
Amos Brearly is played by Ronald Magill.
Alec Saunders is played by Alan Tucker.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.30pm and 2.05pm.
