Katherine plays Maria, a midwife, in Malpractice (Credit: ITV)
News Harriet Finch

Katherine Dow Blyton stars in fresh ITV drama years after ‘unjust’ Harriet Finch death

We’re delighted that she’s back on the small screen!

Kerry Barrett

ByKerry Barrett

8th May 2025, 11:19

Katherine Dow Blyton, who played Harried Finch in Emmerdale, has been on our screens again starring in gripping medical drama Malpractice.

Soap fans have been thrilled to see Katherine back on the telly after Harriet’s anti-climatic death in Emmerdale’s 50th anniversary episodes.

Viewers thought Harriet’s death was “unjust” and “overlooked” after the fan fave character didn’t even get an on-screen funeral.

And her Emmerdale family barely mentioned her again once she’d gone.

Poor Harriet!

Harriet in Emmerdale looks thoughtful
Harriet was a fan favourite (Credit: ITV)

Sad goodbye

Katherine Dow Blyton, who played the rebellious vicar, also hinted that she wasn’t impressed with Harriet’s death.

She told podcast Soap from the Box that she thought she’d done something wrong when she found out that Harriet was being axed.

“They say don’t take it personally, but it’s impossible not to,” Katherine admitted. “I was taken aback. I said: ‘No, that’s fine, that’s fine. Well you don’t know what to do with me anyway, do you?’ I kept trying to get out of the building. Then I sat in my car and burst into tears because it was a shock.”

Harriet Finch on a quad bike
Harriet died in a quad bike accident (Credit: ITV)

Done dirty

Katherine was already a familiar face to TV viewers when she landed the role of the policewoman turned vicar Harriet.

She’d starred in Hollyoaks as pushy mum Sally Hunter, as well as appearing in Doctors, The Syndicate, and Scott and Bailey among many others. Plus she starred in the critically-acclaimed series This is England.

But despite Katherine’s acting prowess, Emmerdale fans still felt Harriet had been done wrong by her death during the storm in October 2022.

Katherine Dow Blyton in Malpractice
Katherine plays Maria, a midwife, in Malpractice (Credit: ITV)

Back on our screens

Recently, Katherine appeared in Brassic alongside fellow ex-soapies Joe Gilgun (AKA Eli Dingle) and Michelle Keegan (who played Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street).

And now, Katherine’s back on our screens in ITV medical drama Malpractice.

Katherine stars as midwife Maria who appears at the end of episode 1. It soon becomes obvious that Maria has beef with Dr Sophia Hernandez.

But who is the real villain?

Katherine plays Maria, a midwife, in Malpractice
Maria confronted Dr Hernandez in episode 1 of Malpractice (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release at 7am on ITVX. 

Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.

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