Ben Dingle

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' in 1994, by order of first appearance.

Dolores Sharp

Dolores Sharp was introduced as a school friend of Luke McAllister who first met when he defended her from some bullies. She then introduced Luke to her boyfriend, Biff Fowler and the three of them, along with Luke's sister Jessica. Whilst in the village, Dolores' storylines involved being in a motorcycle accident in October 1994, not causing herself so much harm, but leaving Luke unconscious, and being a bridesmaid at Luke's wedding to Tina Dingle in July 1995. However, she jilted him at the altar and revealed that she was getting revenge for his involvement in the death of her older brother Ben. Luke later died in a van explosion the next month. Dolores was last seen in November 1995.

Biff Fowler

Eileen Pollock

Eileen Pollock is the first wife of Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell). She arrives in Emmerdale after reading about the Emmerdale plane crash and the death of Eric's second wife Elizabeth Feldmann (Kate Dove). She threatens to expose Eric as a bigamist until he pays her off for a divorce. She then leaves the village and they divorce after 30 years of marriage, although they have only been together for a short amount of time during the marriage itself.

In November 2018, Eric reveals to Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) that he and Eileen parted ways after their son, Edward, was born stillborn in 1978. The grief of their loss led to them leading separate lives, and ultimately Eric abandoning Eileen, changing his name and not seeing her again until 1994. He advises Chas to not let her and her partner Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) drift apart like he and Eileen did after their newborn baby dies.

Victoria Sugden

Betty Eagleton

Reg Dawson

Reg Dawson is the first husband of Viv Windsor (Deena Payne) and father of Scott Windsor (Toby Cockerell). He first appeared on 5 May 1994.

Reg, who abandoned Scott and Viv early in Scott's life, arrives in Emmerdale to see Scott after serving time in prison. His stay causes friction with Vic ( Alun Lewis), Viv's current husband after Reg declares that he is going to get Viv and Scott back. Reg eventually leaves. Several days later, Reg and his gang commit an armed robbery on the post office and take Viv and Shirley Turner (Rachel Davies) hostage at Home Farm. The situation worsens when Reg shoots and kills one of his henchmen Simmy (Stuart St. Paul), mistaking him for a police officer. Later into the siege, Viv argues with Reg and he is about to shoot her when Shirley jumps in the way of the gun and takes the bullet and dies instantly. Viv then tries to get Reg to give himself up and tells him she will say Shirley's death is an accident. Reg, realising there is no way out, plans for him and Viv to die together in a suicide pact. Before this can happen, a police marksman shoots Reg dead. In his will, he leaves Viv several thousand pounds, but a stipulation said she had to leave her current husband, to receive the money. She declines and stays with Vic.

Roy Glover

Ned Glover

Ned Glover, played by Johnny Leeze, made his first appearance on 2 August 1994. The character and Leeze's casting was confirmed the previous month. Ned is introduced to the show along with his wife Jan Glover (Roberta Kerr) and their three children: Dave (Ian Kelsey), Linda (Tonicha Jeronimo), and Roy (Nicky Evans). New producer Mervyn Watson hoped the family would boost ratings, as the show experienced "an exodus" of cast members at the same time. Ned and Jan are tenant farmers, who are evicted from their home. Ned wins a caravan while bare knuckle fighting and receives permission from the Sugden family to live on their land. Ken Irwin of the ''Daily Mirror'' said Leeze was "thrilled" to join the cast and was "enthusiastic" about his character. Leeze stated "Ned Glover is a hard-working farmer who has lost his farm and is living with his family in a caravan. He'll be glad of a job on Jack Sugden's farm." He departed in 1999, before returning for a brief stint in 2000.

Ned had known the Sugden family for years and helps them out on their farm, indicating that he had lived in the village before. Ned is challenged by his old adversary Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) to a bare-knuckle fist fight and wins. Dave dies in a fire at Home Farm and Linda in a car crash the following year. This causes his marriage to break down and Jan leaves the village after she and Ned break up. Ned follows a year later to run a bar in Ibiza with an old girlfriend, Dawn Wilkins (Rosy Clayton). Ned comes back to the village to offer Roy and his wife Kelly Windsor (Adele Silva) the chance to live with him. Roy agrees to think about it and Ned returns to Ibiza. Roy joins him a few weeks later after ending his marriage to Kelly at the airport.

Jan Glover

Jan Glover (also Worrel) first appeared in August 1994 with her husband Ned and their children. Jan had married Ned in 1971 and the couple had three children: Dave, in 1973, Linda, in 1978 and Roy, in 1980. Jan worked as a barmaid at the Woolpack pub. She was devastated by the deaths of two of her children: Dave in a fire at Home Farm during Christmas 1996 and Linda in a car crash in October 1997. Jan suffered a nervous breakdown after this and abducted James Tate, blaming James' mother Kim for her children's deaths. Jan is sectioned but later discharged and returns home. However her actions put strain on her marriage and when Jan realises that Ned no longer trusts her, the couple separate. Jan leaves the village to live with her sister, June Worrel, for a fresh start.

Linda Fowler

Dave Glover

Ben Dingle

Benedict Alan "Ben" Dingle, played by Steve Fury, appeared on 9 August 1994. Ben was the first member of the Dingle family to be introduced. He is the son of Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) and Nellie Dingle (Sandra Gough). Ben comes to the village to attend a rave. He almost hits Dave Glover (Ian Kelsey) with his car and then gets into a fight with Luke McAllister (Noah Huntley) and Biff Fowler (Stuart Wade). The fight becomes physical and Luke punches Ben, who then collapses and later dies. His cause of death is inhalation of blood, but it is later determined that he died of a heart defect. His family refuses to accept this and they continuously blame Luke.

Butch Dingle

Francis "Butch" Dingle , played by Paul Loughran, arrived in the village in August 1994 to confront Luke McAllister (Noah Huntley), who Butch believed was responsible for the death of his brother Ben (Steve Fury). Butch caused trouble for Luke for the remainder of the year in revenge.

Butch got his nickname because at six years old he had come home from school with some flowers which he wanted to dry and press in a book. His father Zak (Steve Halliwell) was concerned that his son was too sensitive so he started calling him "Butch" in an attempt to get him to behave more like a man. As a result of this, Butch felt he was unable to develop as a person properly and unable to express his true feelings and he became a bully and troublemaker during his early years on the show.

However, he mellowed as the years went by around in late 1995 or early 1996 and lost his virginity to nanny Sophie Wright (Jane Cameron) when they were drunk at New Year 1996/1997. Butch later began stalking Sophie as he couldn't handle her rejection. Butch also had an obsession with his cousin Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley). In November 1998, he married Mandy but she only went through with it for financial gain and not because she loved him. Butch felt himself in love with her and was sad that his feelings were not reciprocated. Butch later divorced Mandy and fell in love with Emily Wylie (Kate McGregor). Emily and Butch had a lot in common and both considered themselves to be misfits. Emily decided to stay in Emmerdale with Butch rather than leave the village with her father.

Butch died in hospital of injuries sustained in the bus crash on 24 March 2000. Butch had been a passenger in the community bus when it was hit by an out-of-control lorry driven by Pete Collins (Kirk Smith). Before dying, Butch married Emily on his death bed. Butch was buried next to his brother, Ben, who died nearly six years earlier. The epitaph on their tombstone is 'Dead but still Dingles'.

NB: In a continuity error, whilst reminiscing after Zak's funeral in 2024, Sam Dingle stated that Butch's real name was Seth.

Zak Dingle

Harry Barker

Harry Barker is the uncle of Kim Tate who arrives in the village on her wedding day to Frank Tate to give her away.

He strikes up a friendship with Seth Armstrong and Zoe Tate. He gets drunk in the build-up to the ceremony, and the wedding party soon realize that he is withholding something. After nearly collapsing, he tells Kim that he is nervous about giving her away and admits that he is too drunk to do it. Seth then decides to give her away instead, and Harry watches on at the church as Frank and Kim remarry, although Frank is confused as to why Harry was not walking Kim down the aisle.

He leaves Emmerdale shortly afterwards, and does not attend Kim's 'funeral' in 1997.

Tina Dingle

Tina Marie Dingle is the youngest child of Zak (Steve Halliwell) and Nellie Dingle (Sandra Gough/Maggie Tagney). She arrived in the village a few months after her family. Her most famous storyline was in July 1995 when she was going to marry Luke McAllister (Noah Huntley), claiming to be pregnant with his child. However, this proved to be fake, to get revenge for the death of her brother, Ben (Steve Fury), the year before. A few days later, Luke kidnapped her and took her on a mad van drive through the village. She dived out of the van and Luke was killed moments later in an explosion when the van crashed into a wall. 1996 saw Tina caught in a love triangle with Frank Tate (Norman Bowler) and Steve Marchant (Paul Opacic). She left on Christmas Eve that year as she was sick of being caught in the middle and potentially ending up like Frank's wife Kim (Claire King), as well as her family life not going anywhere. Her last line was to her cousin and best friend Mandy Dingle, "No, I'm finished here now. I'll see you Mand." Tina then gets in her car and drives out of the village, as the song " Moving On Up" by M People plays on the car radio.

In 1998, writers from ''Inside Soap'' published an article about the top ten characters they wanted to return to soap. Tina was featured and they described her as "the bitchy daughter of Zak and Nellie, whose combination of guile and Dingle cunning made her the perfect match for Kim Tate." They added that over time Tina reinvented herself as a "high-flying businesswoman."

Return

On 17 October 2024, Tina made an unannounced return to ''Emmerdale'' for her father's funeral with the role was recast to ''Brassic'' star Samantha Power. This was part of the Dingles' 30th year in the soap. Power spoke on the role of Tina: "I absolutely do remember Jacqueline who played Tina. She was absolutely fantastic, I remember her character vividly! So I am very lucky to get the chance to pick up where she left off!" Revealing more on the Tina of 2024, the actress added: "She is feisty, bolshy, selfish and she always seems to have an agenda and won’t stop at anything to get what she wants! Well, she has no filters and she will literally do anything to make sure she gets her way including her claim to the house. She is not one to be trusted! I loved it!" In an interview with ''Radio Times'', Power discussed stepping into Tina's shoes: "I was so nervous. It’s an iconic role to fill so I wanted to do it justice. My husband said he had never known me to be this nervous! My first scene on my first day was at the graveside with ALL the Dingles! That’s a lot right! Luckily everyone was so nice and welcoming. I have to say a special shout out to Lisa Riley, the nicest human being! When I met her at the screen test I felt so safe, she couldn’t have been more giving and supportive and encouraging and that continued daily on set. I loved working with her!" Tina's return is only a guest appearance, but Power added that "Tina is just fantastic to play so I would love the opportunity to come back and cause more mischief".

On 16 October 2024, the day before Tina returned to the village, Jeff Hordley, who plays her half-brother Cain Dingle, appeared on ITV's ''Lorraine''. He teased Power's arrival in the soap: "I can tell you that she's a good friend of some of us in the cast. Zoë Henry's worked with her on stage. William Ash and I have done a play with her. So it was really great to welcome this character to the show and she's very, very good indeed." On 19 October 2024, Pirie – now Chadwick, who previously played Tina – spoke out about Tina's recast, taking to X: "So many questions regarding Tina Dingle's return," she began. "Great character, great show. I wish @sampower_sam all the best, I loved playing her, I'm sure she will too, great cast to be a part of. and, no… they didn't ask me." Power responded: "Thanks so much Jacqueline! Very kind xxx," with Chadwick replying: "My pleasure. Have bags of fun!!!!"

Others

References

{{Emmerdale characters, year

1994
*, Emmerdale