Diane Sugden
Encyclopedia
Diane Sugden is a fictional character
on the ITV
soap opera
Emmerdale
. She is portrayed by Elizabeth Estensen
.
and owns the Woolpack
pub. Until 2009, she and her younger sister, Val, co-owned the pub.
Diane was married to Rodney Blackstock
and they had Bernice. However, Rodney left, following two affairs, including one with her sister Val, which resulted Val giving birth to Paul
. She serves as a regular protagonist of the soap.
had been through tough times, following his discovery that his wife, Sarah, had cheated on him. Diane gave him a shoulder to cry on. They kissed but decided to be friends. That changed when in 2001, Jack clearly needed her in his life, at a time when Diane's past was rapidly catching up with her.
After being AWOL for 26 years, her ex-husband Rodney Blackstock
turned up, causing problems between Diane and Bernice. Although her daughter accepted Rodney, Diane was more hesitant; however, it was clear that a spark still existed between them. This was confirmed when they spent a night together, followed by Diane's decision that it would be the last time they would behave like a married couple.
After a brief relationship with builder Mack, and a failed romance with Alan Turner
in 2003, Diane and Jack got back together and started considering life together.
It was evident that Diane was missing Bernice, who had moved to Brighton. Diane decided to go and live with her, which took Jack by surprise and resulted in him proposing in a desperate attempt to make her stay. Diane accepted and Val arrived at their engagement party.
In 2004, Diane was horrified to discover she had colon cancer. She went to Scarborough with Rodney, trying to come to terms with the news. Rodney did not know about her illness and Val assumed they were having an affair. Upon finding out Diane was ill, Rodney ended things with Val, begging Diane to give their relationship another chance. She rejected him and, soon began planning her wedding to Jack.
Diane and Jack ran the gauntlet of emotions of their wedding day, held on 21 September 2004, when Victoria told the congregation about Diane's condition. After the ceremony, Val told Rodney that he had fathered her son Paul
. Horrified by Val's selfishness, Diane disowned her and the only ray of light was when she got the all clear in early 2005.
The new Sugden matriarch had trouble coping with the problems Jack's children had as they didn't help her recovery from cancer. When Andy and Daz fell out, Jack and Diane picked up the pieces. Unfortunately Diane didn’t have the strength to take on a troubled teenager and although trying to be supportive, Diane insisted Daz return to living with Andy. Although she felt guilty, she knew it was the right decision. Daz, however, decided to return to his mother.
More recently, Diane tried to cope with Victoria’s teenage rebellion whilst keeping the Woolpack
running smoothly. In 2006, she was a victim of the Kings' River Show Home explosion, but made a full recovery.
In 2007, Diane had feelings for Billy Hopwood. She and Jack tried to work through their problems but separated. However they grew closer following Andy's conviction and whilst Jack was in Spain, Diane received a text mentioning patching things up on his return.
With Jack in Spain, Diane tried to take over looking after the family. She has successfully rebuilt bridges with Victoria, Andy and Daz. However, things didn't last when it was revealed in late 2008 that Andy had been abusing wife Jo, Diane was originally very shocked and angry at him but has recently tried being his mother by allowing him to live at the Woolpack with her and Victoria.
In December 2008 she spent two weeks visiting Bernice, leaving the care of Victoria, Daz and Andy to Val. She returned on around the 10th and was forced to join the choir by Val.
Diane was devastated in February 2009 when her beloved husband Jack died. Jack had been ill for some time and hadn't wanted to tell her. Her only comfort was a letter he'd written before his death, letting her know how much he loved her.
Diane tried to move on with her life, but had more down days than up. Val, after receiving an offer for the pub from Maisie Wylde
, tried to convince Diane she was too depressed to stay on as owner and should sell up. When Diane learned of Val's scheme, she shocked her by pretending she was planning to sell to Rodney and Nicola. She then chased Val out of the pub with a water squirter.
Sandy Thomas
, who was constantly feuding with his son Ashley, asked if he could move into the Woolpack. Diane agreed. Douglas Potts
helped Sandy move in, and after a few drinks, Diane impulsively kissed him. She realised she needed to sort herself out, and left on an open-ended trip to see Bernice, then Louise and Paul.
She returned from her travels on Tuesday 9 June 2009 to sort out a lot; Daz left in her absence, Andy gave his daughter Sarah to Debbie Dingle
and is on the verge of a breakdown.
Following another fall out with her Val, Diane realises that they can no longer work together. Diane uses the inheritance left to her by Jack to buy Val out, making her the sole owner of The Woolpack Inn.
Diane's heart was won over by Rodney's old friend Charlie Haynes. Their relationship got off to a good start, and Charlie was whisking Diane away on romantic holidays, and away to France, even taking Victoria along so she could brush up on her French.On this trip Diane really opened up to Charlie and told him all about her cancer. However, their happiness came to a halt as Charlie revealed to Diane he was sufferting from a brain tumour and it was inoperable, meaning he was going to die and didn't have long left. Making the most of their time left, Charlie and Diane decided to move to France, with Diane deciding to sell the Woolpack. On the night of her leaving party, Charlie left to inform his daughter of his illness, that was the last time Diane was to ever see Charlie again. The next day, a worried Rodney phoned the hospital to find there was no records of Charlie or his doctor ever being at the hospital, and Rodney and Doug found Charlie's shop had never been used. Seeing as there was only one solution to find out exactly what was going on, Diane and Val went to France, only to find the chateau Charlie had said was his, was, in fact, someone else's and the owner had never heard of Charlie. It was too late for Diane to do anything, she had given her loan to Charlie (which she had taken out to pay for France, while the sale of the pub went through) and he was gone. Diane was left heartbroken and penniless, she now has nothing. Charlie was last seen on screen scamming another poor unsuspecting victim.
In 2010, Doug offers Diane his life savings, which she tearfully accepts, much to the annoyance of Doug's daughter, Laurel, who then goes on to warn Diane it is only a loan, and she must pay Doug back as soon as she can.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
. She is portrayed by Elizabeth Estensen
Elizabeth Estensen
Elizabeth Estensen is an English actress, mainly known for work in the popular television dramas The Liver Birds and Emmerdale.-Career:...
.
Backstory
Diane is the mother of Bernice BlackstockBernice Thomas
Bernice Marie Thomas is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Samantha Giles.-Storylines:...
and owns the Woolpack
The Woolpack
This article is about the soap opera. Click the link for the Cumulus cloud formation synonym.The Woolpack is a fictional public house on the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale. Its sign is a wool bale, a popular symbol in sheep-rearing country. It has played host to many of the soap's storylines and...
pub. Until 2009, she and her younger sister, Val, co-owned the pub.
Diane was married to Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Patrick Mower.-2000–:When Rodney Blackstock turned up in Emmerdale, no one was more surprised to see him than his ex-wife Diane...
and they had Bernice. However, Rodney left, following two affairs, including one with her sister Val, which resulted Val giving birth to Paul
Paul Lambert (Emmerdale)
Paul Lambert is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Mathew Bose. Paul appeared between 2004 and 2009. He arrives as the son of existing characters Val Lambert and Rodney Blackstock and in 2008 Paul, who is openly gay, enters into a civil partnership with Jonny...
. She serves as a regular protagonist of the soap.
1999—
Jack SugdenJack Sugden
John Jacob "Jack" Sugden is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Emmerdale. The character was originally played by Andrew Burt from 1972 to 1974 with a brief return in 1976, when he left for Italy to write a book. On his return in 1980 he was played by Clive Hornby...
had been through tough times, following his discovery that his wife, Sarah, had cheated on him. Diane gave him a shoulder to cry on. They kissed but decided to be friends. That changed when in 2001, Jack clearly needed her in his life, at a time when Diane's past was rapidly catching up with her.
After being AWOL for 26 years, her ex-husband Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock
Rodney Blackstock is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Patrick Mower.-2000–:When Rodney Blackstock turned up in Emmerdale, no one was more surprised to see him than his ex-wife Diane...
turned up, causing problems between Diane and Bernice. Although her daughter accepted Rodney, Diane was more hesitant; however, it was clear that a spark still existed between them. This was confirmed when they spent a night together, followed by Diane's decision that it would be the last time they would behave like a married couple.
After a brief relationship with builder Mack, and a failed romance with Alan Turner
Alan Turner (Emmerdale)
Alan Jonathan Turner is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Richard Thorp. He first appeared on 18 March 1982, and is the longest running character in the soap. Originally portrayed as an inept, boozing and bullying manager for NY Estates at Home Farm, he has...
in 2003, Diane and Jack got back together and started considering life together.
It was evident that Diane was missing Bernice, who had moved to Brighton. Diane decided to go and live with her, which took Jack by surprise and resulted in him proposing in a desperate attempt to make her stay. Diane accepted and Val arrived at their engagement party.
In 2004, Diane was horrified to discover she had colon cancer. She went to Scarborough with Rodney, trying to come to terms with the news. Rodney did not know about her illness and Val assumed they were having an affair. Upon finding out Diane was ill, Rodney ended things with Val, begging Diane to give their relationship another chance. She rejected him and, soon began planning her wedding to Jack.
Diane and Jack ran the gauntlet of emotions of their wedding day, held on 21 September 2004, when Victoria told the congregation about Diane's condition. After the ceremony, Val told Rodney that he had fathered her son Paul
Paul Lambert (Emmerdale)
Paul Lambert is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Mathew Bose. Paul appeared between 2004 and 2009. He arrives as the son of existing characters Val Lambert and Rodney Blackstock and in 2008 Paul, who is openly gay, enters into a civil partnership with Jonny...
. Horrified by Val's selfishness, Diane disowned her and the only ray of light was when she got the all clear in early 2005.
The new Sugden matriarch had trouble coping with the problems Jack's children had as they didn't help her recovery from cancer. When Andy and Daz fell out, Jack and Diane picked up the pieces. Unfortunately Diane didn’t have the strength to take on a troubled teenager and although trying to be supportive, Diane insisted Daz return to living with Andy. Although she felt guilty, she knew it was the right decision. Daz, however, decided to return to his mother.
More recently, Diane tried to cope with Victoria’s teenage rebellion whilst keeping the Woolpack
The Woolpack
This article is about the soap opera. Click the link for the Cumulus cloud formation synonym.The Woolpack is a fictional public house on the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale. Its sign is a wool bale, a popular symbol in sheep-rearing country. It has played host to many of the soap's storylines and...
running smoothly. In 2006, she was a victim of the Kings' River Show Home explosion, but made a full recovery.
In 2007, Diane had feelings for Billy Hopwood. She and Jack tried to work through their problems but separated. However they grew closer following Andy's conviction and whilst Jack was in Spain, Diane received a text mentioning patching things up on his return.
With Jack in Spain, Diane tried to take over looking after the family. She has successfully rebuilt bridges with Victoria, Andy and Daz. However, things didn't last when it was revealed in late 2008 that Andy had been abusing wife Jo, Diane was originally very shocked and angry at him but has recently tried being his mother by allowing him to live at the Woolpack with her and Victoria.
In December 2008 she spent two weeks visiting Bernice, leaving the care of Victoria, Daz and Andy to Val. She returned on around the 10th and was forced to join the choir by Val.
Diane was devastated in February 2009 when her beloved husband Jack died. Jack had been ill for some time and hadn't wanted to tell her. Her only comfort was a letter he'd written before his death, letting her know how much he loved her.
Diane tried to move on with her life, but had more down days than up. Val, after receiving an offer for the pub from Maisie Wylde
Maisie Wylde
Maisie Wylde is a fictional character in the British ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale, played by Alice Coulthard. The character was introduced by series producer Anita Turner and first appeared in 2009...
, tried to convince Diane she was too depressed to stay on as owner and should sell up. When Diane learned of Val's scheme, she shocked her by pretending she was planning to sell to Rodney and Nicola. She then chased Val out of the pub with a water squirter.
Sandy Thomas
Sandy Thomas
Sandy Thomas is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Freddie Jones and made his first appearance on the show 6 November 2005...
, who was constantly feuding with his son Ashley, asked if he could move into the Woolpack. Diane agreed. Douglas Potts
Douglas Potts
Douglas "Doug" Potts is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Duncan Preston. In July 2010, Duncan announced that he was taking a break from the show, initially temporarily for several months to allow him to do some theatre work...
helped Sandy move in, and after a few drinks, Diane impulsively kissed him. She realised she needed to sort herself out, and left on an open-ended trip to see Bernice, then Louise and Paul.
She returned from her travels on Tuesday 9 June 2009 to sort out a lot; Daz left in her absence, Andy gave his daughter Sarah to Debbie Dingle
Debbie Dingle
Deborah "Debbie" Dingle is a fictional character in the British ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale. She is portrayed by Charley Webb...
and is on the verge of a breakdown.
Following another fall out with her Val, Diane realises that they can no longer work together. Diane uses the inheritance left to her by Jack to buy Val out, making her the sole owner of The Woolpack Inn.
Diane's heart was won over by Rodney's old friend Charlie Haynes. Their relationship got off to a good start, and Charlie was whisking Diane away on romantic holidays, and away to France, even taking Victoria along so she could brush up on her French.On this trip Diane really opened up to Charlie and told him all about her cancer. However, their happiness came to a halt as Charlie revealed to Diane he was sufferting from a brain tumour and it was inoperable, meaning he was going to die and didn't have long left. Making the most of their time left, Charlie and Diane decided to move to France, with Diane deciding to sell the Woolpack. On the night of her leaving party, Charlie left to inform his daughter of his illness, that was the last time Diane was to ever see Charlie again. The next day, a worried Rodney phoned the hospital to find there was no records of Charlie or his doctor ever being at the hospital, and Rodney and Doug found Charlie's shop had never been used. Seeing as there was only one solution to find out exactly what was going on, Diane and Val went to France, only to find the chateau Charlie had said was his, was, in fact, someone else's and the owner had never heard of Charlie. It was too late for Diane to do anything, she had given her loan to Charlie (which she had taken out to pay for France, while the sale of the pub went through) and he was gone. Diane was left heartbroken and penniless, she now has nothing. Charlie was last seen on screen scamming another poor unsuspecting victim.
In 2010, Doug offers Diane his life savings, which she tearfully accepts, much to the annoyance of Doug's daughter, Laurel, who then goes on to warn Diane it is only a loan, and she must pay Doug back as soon as she can.