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List of Emmerdale Farm characters introduced in 1972–1973

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List of Emmerdale Farm characters introduced in 1972–1973

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale Farm in 1972 and 1973, by order of first appearance. The first episode of Emmerdale Farm was broadcast on 16 October 1972. Marian Wilks is the first character to be seen on screen, riding her horse past Peggy Skilbeck who speaks the serial's first lines of dialogue asking her husband, Matt Skilbeck who Marian is. Peggy's widowed mother, Annie Sugden, brother, Joe Sugden and grandfather Sam Pearson are the next to be seen, preparing for Jacob's Sugden's funeral. Jack Sugden is seen in The Woolpack along with landlord Amos Brearly, watching his father's funeral procession go by. Following the funeral, Marian's father, Henry Wilks visits Annie to discuss right of way over adjoining land to Emmerdale Farm.

Janie Harker makes her first appearance on October 23. In November, Janie's sister, Ruth Merrick (later known as Pat), arrives along with her husband, Tom and their children Jackie and Sandie. George Verney first appears in January 1973. Louise Jameson appears as Sharon Crossthwaite, as does Jim Latimer. The following month, Reverend Edward Ruskin and his wife Liz makes his first appearance, followed by Alison Gibbons. In April, The serial's first birth occurs when Matt and Peggy's twins Sam and Sally are born. The serial's original doctor Clare Scott debuts in May and shopkeeper Lena Dawkins is introduced in December.

Marian Rosetti (also Wilks) was first played by Gail Harrison from 1972 to 1978, then by Debbie Blythe for two stints in 1987 and 1988. She first appeared on the show's first ever episode and was the first character to be seen on screen, riding on horseback. She was the daughter of wealthy retired factory owner Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) who later ran the Woolpack with long standing landlord Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill). Marian embarked on a brief affair with Jack Sugden (Andrew Burt) in the first few months of the show.

Peggy Skilbeck (née Sugden) was one of Emmerdale's original characters, the second eldest child and only daughter of Jacob and Annie Sugden, born on 28 August 1948. She was the first character to speak in the show; her line being "Matt, who's she?" Peggy married Matt Skilbeck in 1968 and had two children, twins Sam and Sally Skilbeck, in April 1973. Peggy died on 16 July 1973 of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 24.

Janie Harker (also Blakey), played by Diane Grayson made her first appearance in the episode airing on 23 October 1972. When the character returned in 1986, she was played by Lesley Duff. Janie is the younger sister of Pat Sugden. Janie visits Joe Sugden in hospital, following his car crash and suggests he takes her out when he recovers but he declines. Later, Janie dates Frank Blakey a few times and the pair quickly become engaged and marry in March 1973. The following year, Janie discovers she is pregnant and neglects to tell Frank. However, Frank finds this out when Joe congratulates him on his child. Frank remains silent, allowing Janie to tell him about the baby in her own time. Ruth also returned to the village, having divorced her husband Tom and left the kids with him. She attempts suicide but is rescued, and Janie, Frank and Pat leave the village soon after. When Ruth, now known as Pat dies in a car accident in 1986, Janie returns to the village for the funeral.

Tom Merrick is the first husband of Ruth Harker (later known as Pat). He appeared in 1972, 1980–1982 and 1984–1986, followed by a brief reappearance in 1988 at Jackie Merrick's wedding.

Jackie Merrick was born just under seven months after the wedding in early November that year, although Tom believed he was the father and spent years bringing up Jackie. Pat even told Tom Jackie was born two months premature so Tom believed he was the father. Very little is known about his early background before his marriage to Pat but he had a sister and his mother was a friend of Annie Sugden.

Tom returns to the village in 1972 and picks a fight with Joe Sugden after seeing Joe and Pat together in "The Woolpack". Tom is suspicious of how Jackie bears a strong resemblance to Jack, as well as sharing his name, and Jack is later revealed as Jackie's father. Tom blackmails Jack when he finds out that he had been sleeping at Inglebrook while Henry Wilks was laid up, and Jack later fires Tom. The Merricks then move to Leeds to live near Tom's sister.

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