List of Emmerdale characters (2016)

Emmerdale is a British soap opera first broadcast on 16 October 1972. The following is a list of characters that will appear in 2016, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by series producer Kate Oates, or her successor Iain MacLeod. Pierce Harris, the husband of established character Tess Harris, was introduced in February, followed by Ryan and Aaron Livesy's half-sister, Liv Flaherty, Holly Barton's ex-boyfriend Dean appear in March and plumber Ronnie Hale was introduced in April.

Pierce Harris

Pierce Harris
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	Jonathan Wrather
Duration	2016-
First appearance	11 February 2016
Introduced by	Kate Oates
Classification	Present; recurring
Profile
Occupation	Lawyer
Family Wife Tess Harris (until 2016)

Pierce Harris, played by Jonathan Wrather, made his first screen appearance on 11 February 2016. The character and Wrather's casting was announced on 10 January 2016. Of his casting, Warner said "I am thrilled to be joining Emmerdale. It's a great opportunity to be offered the chance to create a new character in one of TV's most popular shows and I'm very excited to be working with such an outstanding cast and team." Pierce is the husband of established character, Tess Harris (Nicola Stephenson) and has been mentioned on several occasions since Tess' arrival. Tess has been having an affair with Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt), who was described as not expecting to meet Tess' husband.

Pierce turns up at the hospital to see his wife Tess, who was admitted after being struck by a car driven by a drunk Kirin Kotecha (Adam Fielding). Tess' friends, Paddy and his wife Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry), introduce themselves to Pierce, but he is led away by the doctors who want to discuss Tess' operation. Pierce is later told that Tess has died during surgery due to her injuries, and he rushes from the hospital.

The following month, Pierce was given personal items of Tess' that were in her car. He discovered Tess had been having an affair and had a secret phone. He also found a brochure for the Mill Cottage development and wanted to have a look. Before looking at the development he went into The Woolpack for a drink where he saw Paddy and Rhona. He revealed that he had Tess's affair phone, which made Paddy squirm. Paddy's best friend Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) came to his rescue, but Rhona, who knew about the affair, agreed to meet with Pierce the following day. Pierce showed Rhona some of the texts Tess had sent to her lover, and after learning they were texting on Christmas Day and planning to go to Paris, Rhona cracked and revealed to Pierce that Paddy was Tess' mystery man.

Pierce wrote numerous bad reviews for Paddy and Rhona's vet's surgery on a local business review site. Rhona realised he was behind them and confronted Pierce. Pierce tried to make Rhona she was kidding herself that she could patch up her marriage to Paddy. A few days later, Pierce handed out flyers on Hotten Road hoping to find a witness to Tess' death. Pierce handed Rhona and her friend Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) one, so Rhona invited him back to Smithy Cottage for a cup of tea. Pierce explained he had moved into a hotel since Tess died, so Rhona allowed him to temporarily stay with her and son Leo for a few days as she and Paddy had split up.

Pierce continued looking for answers on how Tess died, and questioned Rakesh Kotecha (Pasha Bocarie) about if he knew Tess, as Rakesh's was the owner of the flat development Tess had a brochure of. Rakesh denied knowing Tess but Rhona later admitted that Rakesh's son Kirin was the police's main suspect in Tess' death before he scarpered. Pierce confronted Rakesh and called the police to say Rakesh was covering for his son. PC Williams visited Pierce and told him as there was no evidence of Rakesh being in contact with Kirin, the police couldn't do anything, although she told him the investigation was still ongoing.

Ryan

Ryan
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	George Sampson
First appearance	22 February 2016
Introduced by	Kate Oates
Classification	Present; recurring

Ryan, played by George Sampson, made his first screen appearance on 22 February 2016. Sampson's casting was announced on 14 January 2016. He will appear in four episodes. It was later announced he will return following Gordon Livesy's trial. Of his casting, Sampson commented "I'm really excited to play a guest part in Emmerdale. The cast and crew have been really friendly, and the village is a spectacular place to be. It's such an iconic show and it's brilliant to be able to be a part of it."

Sampson's character and storyline were initially kept secret ahead of his first scenes. The actor later revealed that his character is called Ryan and would be sharing scenes with Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller) and Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). Sampson described Ryan as "a lads' lad. He's a local guy who just wants to intervene in people's business. Where he can get what he wants in a certain situation, he will do so."

Ryan first appears outside Gordon Livesy (Gary Mavers)'s house when his ex-wife, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) spray paints "paedo" on his car, following the recent revelation, that Gordon abused their son, Aaron Livesy when he was a child. Ryan is next seen four days later, after it is revealed that Robert Sugden is secretly paying him to be an invented sexual abuse victim so that Gordon can be charged after the abuse allegations made by Aaron are taken seriously. Robert's bribery is discovered by Chas after she is threatened by Gordon. She is determined to make her son aware of what Robert is up to, but he tries to convince her not to say anything. Eventually, Aaron learns the truth behind Robert's scheme and angrily confronts him. When Aaron visits Ryan and convinces him to retract his statement, Ryan agrees.

Liv Flaherty

Liv Flaherty
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	Isobel Steele
Duration	2016–
First appearance	25 February 2016
Introduced by	Kate Oates
Classification	Present; recurring
Family Father Gordon Livesy Mother Sandra Flaherty Half brothers Aaron Dingle Aunts Bridget

Olivia "Liv" Flaherty, played by Isobel Steele, made her first screen appearance on 25 February 2016. The character and casting was announced on 16 February. Liv is the daughter of Sandra Flaherty (Joanne Mitchell) and Gordon Livesy (Gary Mavers) and the half-sister of Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller). She is being introduced as part of Aaron's child sex abuse storyline.

In the park, Liv asks Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) and Aaron for money to get the bus home. Aaron gives her some change, but he encounters her a second time later that day. Liv tries to guilt trip Aaron into giving her more money and when she takes his wallet, Robert stops her and she knees him in the groin. When Aaron visits his stepmother, Sandra, he is confused when the same girl who mugged him answers the door. Sandra comes face-to-face with Aaron for the first time since he was a teenager and she introduces him to Liv as her half-brother. Liv takes a liking to Aaron, up until she witnesses him harming her mother after he finds out she knew about his past of being sexually abused by his and Liv's father, Gordon. Liv visits Aaron and he finds out she was the one who scratched his car. Aaron takes Liv to his mother, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and demands answers from them as Sandra is not telling her anything. When Aaron tries to explain to Liv, she is convinced he is lying and Chas contacts Sandra to collect her. Liv goes through Chas' mobile phone and finds her father's address, but Aaron and Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) later go after Liv. At Gordon's, he gives Liv his mother's necklace and when Aaron and Zak turn up, Liv apologises to Aaron. Liv helps Aaron at the scrapyard whilst Sandra makes her statement. Later, Liv meets up with Gordon and it transpires that Liv believes him over Aaron and she promises to help prove his innocence.

Liv turns up unexpectedly to stay for a while, which Chas and Aaron agree to. Liv buys chocolate from the local shop and she hides £10 up her sleeve and tries to con a further £10 out of Jacob Gallagher (Joe Warren-Plant). David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) witnesses Liv doing this and orders her to put it back or he will get it himself, but she refuses and threatens to report David for assault. She throws fruit at David and Jacob but is caught by Aaron, who gives the money back. Chas is informed of Liv's actions by Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) and Chas confronts Liv and Aaron and she apologises. Chas feels it is too soon for Liv to stay with her and Aaron. Liv packs her bags, but Aaron tells Chas and Liv that he wants Liv to stay, which Chas agrees to, knowing how happy Liv has made Aaron. Liv meets up with Gordon and wants her to find out about Ryan (George Sampson). Liv questions Robert over Ryan and when Robert tells Aaron about her questioning over Ryan, Aaron puts it down to curiosity and he brings up that Robert paid him. Unknown to Aaron and Robert, Liv records their conversation. Liv overhears Aaron telling Chas that he wants to be a proper brother to Liv and when Liv is given a tablet computer by Gordon, she tells him that she believes Aaron isn't lying. A tearful Liv apologises to Aaron and she believes him. Chas and Aaron find out she has been in contact with Gordon and he sent her to spy on them. An angry Aaron tells her to leave and she goes home. Liv arrives at court with Sandra to testify for Gordon. The case stops for the day when Liv becomes distressed answering questions for Gordon's defence barrister. Liv later tells Aaron that she doesn't want to lie for Gordon and when Aaron is unsure about her moving in when she asks, Liv threatens to play the recorded conversation. Liv takes the stand again the following day and is positive about Gordon, but she tells everyone that Aaron isn't lying. Aaron later thanks Liv for what she did.

Liv is brought to The Woolpack after being caught shoplifting and Liv tells Aaron what things are like when her mother is stressed. Sandra comes to collect Liv, but Liv, Aaron and Chas persuade Sandra to let Liv stay for a couple of weeks. Sandra tells Liv that they are moving to Dublin for good, but after hesitation, Sandra allows Liv to live with Aaron and Chas. Liv goes shopping for schoolwear with Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham). Liv falls out with Gabby when Aaron believes Liv has a crush on Jacob and lets it slip to Gabby. Gabby insults Liv and her parents. Liv is brought home by DS Wise (Neil Roberts) after being accused of shoplifting and Liv is furious with Aaron when she finds out he kept Gordon's sentencing from her. Liv skips school and Aaron thinks she is faking being ill, but Chas realises that Liv has started her periods and later tells Liv she has bought her sanitary products. Liv tells Aaron she has decided not to go to Gordon's sentencing. Liv and Gabby make friends and Liv skips school to go to Gordon's sentencing. Robert turns up and contacts Aaron for Liv and Aaron decides to stay. Gordon is sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. Liv and Aaron are told the following day that Gordon has died. Liv is distraught and Chas comforts her and Liv later overhears Aaron, Chas and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) discuss the possibility of Robert causing Gordon's death. Liv contacts DS Wise and when he arrives, Liv blames Robert for Gordon's death, however, DS Wise tells Liv and Aaron that Gordon committed suicide. Liv and Aaron are left £250,000 each from Gordon in his will, but they decide not to take the money. Aaron persuades Liv to take her inheritance. Liv finds out about when Gordon's funeral is and she later confides in Gabby about the horrible messages she is receiving online. Liv and Gabby decide to arrange a party at Gordon's house, which he left to Liv and they are collected by Chas and Bernice Thomas (Samantha Giles). Liv accuses Robert of sending the messages in front of her family, but it turns out Liv is being bullied at school and Aaron agrees to go to Gordon's funeral. Liv meets Ryan and offers him £50,000 to get rid of Robert, which he agrees to. Liv runs out of Gordon's funeral and Robert goes after her. After he talks to her, Liv leaves Ryan messages calling off the deal, but he doesn't get it and Robert is arrested. Liv confesses to Aaron what she did and apologises.

Dean

Dean
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	Craig Vye
First appearance	25 March 2016
Last appearance	31 March 2016
Introduced by	Kate Oates
Classification	Former; guest
Profile
Occupation	Drug Dealer
Home	London

Dean, played by Craig Vye, made his first screen appearance on 25 March 2016. The character and casting was announced on 22 March 2016. Vye was initially contracted for a short guest stint. Dean is the antagonizing ex-boyfriend of Holly Barton (Sophie Powles). Powles, who portrays Holly, stated "Holly was doing very well in London. She was having a great time and working hard, but then people she was working with on a weekend were doing the party lifestyle and dabbling in cocaine. Holly, being Holly, thought: 'I'll be fine now, I'm clean, I'll be fine with a bit of coke'. But then it turned from cocaine to harder substances and she got herself into a bit of a mess. Dean didn't want to go out with her anymore as she was a mess, but she still owes him money for the drugs she had. When Dean comes back, to everybody else it seems like he's just her boyfriend, but later on when everyone is gone we're left with a very intimidated Holly and a boyfriend demanding money." Dean will be dealt with by Holly's mother Moira Barton (Natalie J. Robb) and stepfather Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley).

Holly arrives home to find Dean at the house and he has introduced himself as Holly's boyfriend. When Holly and Dean are left alone, Dean demands £2,000, a drug debt. Moira pays off the money, but Dean demands more. A plan is formed by Moira and Cain, using Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and Ross Barton (Michael Parr). Cain forcefully drags Holly into one of Charity's vans and drives off and Charity reports it stolen. Cain meets with Dean and bribes him into taking the van loaded with goods, but Holly tells Dean that Cain is most likely scamming him. When Dean persuades Holly to leave with him, he turns violent on Holly and Cain fights Dean and another man off Holly. Later, Charity and Ross spot Dean with the van and Ross phones the police, reporting Dean and causing his arrest later on.

Ronnie Hale

Ronnie Hale
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	John McArdle
Duration	2016–
First appearance	14 April 2016
Introduced by	Iain MacLeod
Classification	Present; regular
Profile
Occupation	Plumber

Ronnie Hale, played by John McArdle, made his first screen appearance on 14 April 2016. Of his casting, McArdle stated "I am really pleased to be joining the cast of Emmerdale. The standard of the show is equal to anything I have worked on before and I am really happy to become part of that." The character was introduced as the potential biological father of established character Chrissie White (Louise Marwood). He will also be the centre of a big storyline at Home Farm. New show series producer, Iain MacLeod, stated "I am thrilled to welcome an actor of John's pedigree to the show. And in Ronnie, we have a character that will unearth every painful fragment of love and loss buried in the White family's past - with the odd unexploded bomb thrown in for good measure!"

Chrissie finds a love letter from Ronnie Hale in her Mother's belongings, believing him to be her biological father after discovering that Lawrence is not. Chrissie calls Ronnie to Home Farm to fix a leak. Before he leaves, Chrissie shows him a picture of her Mother asking if he knows her, but Ronnie says he does not. Ronnie turns up at Home Farm looking for Lawrence. Lawrence tries to blackmail Ronnie into staying away leading to an argument between the pair. Lawrence's wife Bernice interrupts the argument. Ronnie says goodbye to Lawrence before leaving. It is then discovered that the love letter that Ronnie wrote wasn't to Ellen, but it was to Lawrence. Ronnie and Lawrence were having an affair while Lawrence was married to Ellen.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Circumstances
18 January	Davenport	Simon Ludders	Davenport comes to an open day at The Woolpack, following Diane Sugden's decision to sell her half of the pub. Diane shows Davenport around, but when he asks to see the cellar where Cameron Murray died, Diane gets him to leave.
19 January–4 February	Duncan	Richard Southgate	Duncan is a wine rep, who delivers too many boxes of wine to David Metcalfe's shop. He later finds them being sold at a wine tasting night. Duncan agrees not to report the incident in exchange for a date with Tracy Shankley. Duncan and Tracy have lunch at The Grange, but when she refuses to have sex with him, he goes to The Woolpack and asks Carly Hope on a date. Finn Barton realises Duncan is married and tells Carly and Tracy, who get their revenge by stealing some cases of wine from his van.
8 February–	DS Jason Wise	Neil Roberts	DS Wise is the detective who investigated historic sex abuse allegations against Gordon Livesy after his son Aaron Livesy accused Gordon of repeatedly raping him as a child. A few weeks later DS Wise visited Chas Dingle in The Woolpack after she vandalized Gordon's car and told the neighbours that Gordon abuses children. DS Wise left Chas off with a warning. A few days later, Robert Sugden gave DS Wise, Gordon's ex-wife Sandra Flaherty's address. Sandra denied knowing anything and wouldn't be a prosecution witness, but she also said she wouldn't be a witness for Gordon either. Later that day Aaron called DS Wise telling him he wanted to drop the case. DS Wise revealed another person came forward claiming they were abused. Although he couldn't reveal the persons identity, he reassured Aaron it wasn't his sister. Nearly an week, DS Wise visits Chas and Aaron and reveals that with the new witness they have enough to charge Gordon. He later appears informing Chas and Robert that the witness has retracted his statement, but there was still enough information to charge Gordon. Later that month, DS Wise attended Gordon's plea hearing. Afterwards he informed Chas that Gordon couldn't have been the one that scratched 'Liar' into the side of Aaron's car. She demanded to know why DS Wise didn't say something about Gordon faking the side effects of his cancer treatment during the hearing. In April, Gordon reported to DS Wise that a witness has been paid to give evidence against him, and sent him in the direction of his daughter Liv. As Liv and her mother Sandra were untraceable, DS Wise visited The Woolpack to talk to Aaron, but he was not there. DS Wise told Robert and Chas about Gordon's complaint and Chas stopped Robert from confessing to paying the witness. Gordon was found guilty on all four of the charges he faced. The week before Gordon's sentencing hearing, DS Wise took Liv home after she was caught shoplifting and he let slip to Liv about the sentencing. The day after Gordon was sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment for his crimes, DS Wise visited The Woolpack and broke the news to Aaron and Liv that Gordon had died. The following day Liv text DS Wise from Chas' phone asking to come round urgently. DS Wise arrived and Liv told him Robert was responsible for Gordon's death, but DS Wise explained Gordon has committed suicide by hanging.
3 March–	Eliza Macey	Uncredited	Eliza Macey is Jai Sharma and Megan Macey's daughter. During her birth, Eliza suffers shoulder dystocia and her brain is deprived of oxygen for some time. She is taken to the neonatal unit and the doctor informs Megan and Jai that it is too early to tell if she will suffer permanent brain damage.
16 March–11 May	Defence Barrister	Andrew Readman	Defence Barrister and Prosecution Barrister was present during Gordon Livesy's plea hearing in March 2016. Gordon pleaded not guilty to the historic charges of sexually abusing his son Aaron Livesy whilst he was growing up. They was both the prosecution for the trial.
	Prosecution Barrister	Mandana Jones
	Judge	Rosalind March	The judge presided over Gordon Livesy's plea hearing in March 2016, after Gordon's son Aaron Livesy accused him of historic sexual abuse. Gordon pleaded 'Not Guilty', so the judge released him on bail until his trial. During the hearing, the judge had to warn Aaron's mother, Chas Dingle numerous times about shouting from the gallery and she eventually asked security to clear the courtroom. A month later the same judge presided over Gordon's trial.
12 April–15 April	Jury Foreman	Humphrey Casely-Hayford	Jury Foreman read out the jury's verdict at Gordon Livesy's trial for raping his son Aaron during his childhood. The foreman told the court that the jury had found Gordon guilty on all four counts.
28 April–	Angie Bailey	Nina Toussaint-White	Angie is Jermaine Bailey's wife and trustee of the charity 'Cerbal Palsy Yorkshire'. Angie is a doctor like her husband.

External links

• Characters and cast at itv.com
• Characters and cast at the Internet Movie Database