Steph Forsythe
Encyclopedia
Mary Stephanie "Steph" Forsythe (née Turner; previously Stokes) was a fictional character
on the ITV
soap opera
Emmerdale
. She was played by Lorraine Chase
.
, and then kissed him the night before the wedding. Marlon wasn’t the first of Tricia’s boyfriends that Steph had been attracted to.
After stealing an earlier boyfriend, she'd not spoken to her daughter in years. Tricia wanted to try again with Steph – especially when she decided to stay in Emmerdale.
Now that she had decided to put down some roots, Steph began working for Rodney Blackstock
at the Antiques Barn. Her fantastic selling skills and keen eye for a bargain made Steph indispensable to the business. But when she spotted some priceless porcelain and tried to do a runner to France with it, Rodney caught her and she was forced to abandon her dreams.
Despite double-crossing him, Steph and Rodney got close again and even got engaged. But Steph wasn’t after Rodney’s love and companionship, her one true love is money! When she discovered Rodney was not as flush as she thought, Steph jilted him and moved in with her father Alan
at the B&B.
A few weeks later, Steph was delighted when her best friend “Fat” Shelly Williams arrived. The two women immediately started making plans to open a salon in the village and got Alan to finance their business. By this time, Steph was the co-owner of the local factory with Eric Pollard
. However, the factory closed and Steph found herself in trouble with the law, following her making counterfeit clothes in the factory.
However, relations between Steph and her father hit an all time low over the next few months. In 2004, things got even worse when Tricia was killed during the storm at New Year and she plunged into a deep depression
. Shelly was a great source of comfort to Steph and Alan as they came to terms with losing Tricia and soon she had begun a relationship with Steph’s father.
When she discovered what was going on, Steph was absolutely horrified and made it clear she would not accept them as a couple. Alan and Shelly continued to see each other and planned to emigrate to Spain and start a new life together. Faced with being deserted by the two people closest to her and losing her inheritance, Steph planned to split them up by spreading a vicious rumour that Shelly was a gold digger. Her plot worked and Shelly left Alan behind.
Soon after, during a fight on the stairs, Alan declared that he wished Steph had died, not Tricia, and in a moment of anger, Steph pushed Alan down the stairs. He ended up an invalid and lost his memory of how he had fallen down the stairs, due to the knock on the head. In control of everything, Steph started medicating Alan to keep him manageable and when Shelly came back to visit, Steph locked her in the cellar before disposing of her at night. However, Alan was aware that Steph was up to no good and knew that Shelley had come to the house. When her treachery was revealed, Steph made an attempt to make a quick sale on the b+b and do a runner. When this failed, she almost drove off the local quarry with her father but had a change of heart at the last moment. The villagers were deeply shocked and so was Steph when she was arrested for Shelly’s murder. Steph found herself alienated by the villagers and braded 'psycho Steph'. However she always found friendship and support in vicar Ashley Thomas
and curat Ethan Blake.
However, it emerged that Steph didn’t kill her when she came back in Emmerdale to attend her own memorial service. Steph thought she had killed her, due to her mental illness! Alan and Shelly tried to rekindle their relationship but Alan was unable to grant his partner’s wish that he cut all ties with Steph.
Life seemed to settle for Steph when she returned from the disastrous ferry journey, keeping quiet about Shelly's death. When new doctor Adam Forsythe
arrived to live at the B&B, romance began to blossom. Having fallen in love for the first time, Steph started to open up about her troubled childhood and confessed that her older brother Terence
had sexually abused her as a child. She also confessed about her part in Shelly's disappearance but to her surprise, Adam remained calm and silent.
Adam convinced Steph that she needed to let her father Alan know about this – especially as he’d since decided to track down his lost son. Refusing to believe her, Alan devastated Steph and when Terence arrived in Emmerdale, things got even worse.
The violent alcoholic started to terrorize his sister and she began to fall apart – much to Adam’s horror. But Terence’s reign as Alan’s favourite child was about to come to an end when he got drunk and confessed Steph was telling the truth.
He left Emmerdale but continued to haunt Steph and Adam. When the doctor came home to find Terence in the B&B, a violent struggle ensued and Adam ended up killing the twisted man and buried the body in the local woods. Steph was absolutely traumatized and, in a bid to keep her quiet, Adam took her away to Barbados
.
When they got back, Alan was stunned to hear Steph and Adam had got married abroad. However, there was no domestic bliss in this household. Steph discovered Adam was drugging her to keep her under control and decided enough was enough. She decided to confess to Alan that she’d murdered Terence and even took him to the place they’d buried him.
However, when they got there, Steph was horrified to realize that Adam had moved the body and was now claiming she was mentally ill. The relationship fell apart as Steph realized she’d married a cold, calculating man who was determined to keep her in line.
Her outrage at him saw her sectioned and it seems like Steph’s got a long road to travel before she can persuade everyone she’s telling the truth this time. However, with Alan on her side, and sceptical about Adam, it looked as if Steph had at least one ally. It was further revealed that prior to Terence's death he was blackmailing Adam as adam was struck of the registar yet still practicising as a doctor illegally.
When Terence's body was discovered under the rubble of the Kings Show Home, Steph was arrested for his murder. The whole way through the trial Steph had contested her innonce but in a shock twist Shelly's suitcase was found on the day before the verdict. Steph knew that there was no way they would start a new trial against her for this, following the last time she was wrongly accused of her murder but in a bid of loyalty to her dad she instead confessed to Terence's murder in a bid to see some sort of justice done.
On Friday 10 November 2006, Steph was sentenced to life imprisonment when she confessed that she and Adam murdered her brother, Terence, even though it was just Adam who killed him. Adam would face further investigation about the case, but two days later he hanged himself and subsequently died in his cell.
At the end of it all, Alan was proud of Steph and therefore she was finally happy in her departure.
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 was played by Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase is an English actress and model. She became well known for her strong cockney accent and frequent use of cockney slang, and found fame through a series of television commercials for Campari before embarking on an acting career.-Television:After initially working as a model, Chase...
.
2002–04
Steph was established as the village bully for her violent and threatening behaviour.An ex-convict, she first appeared at her daughter Tricia’s engagement party in 2002 and hit her fiancé Marlon DingleMarlon Dingle
Marlon Sebastian Dingle is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Mark Charnock. -1996–:...
, and then kissed him the night before the wedding. Marlon wasn’t the first of Tricia’s boyfriends that Steph had been attracted to.
After stealing an earlier boyfriend, she'd not spoken to her daughter in years. Tricia wanted to try again with Steph – especially when she decided to stay in Emmerdale.
Now that she had decided to put down some roots, Steph began working for 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...
at the Antiques Barn. Her fantastic selling skills and keen eye for a bargain made Steph indispensable to the business. But when she spotted some priceless porcelain and tried to do a runner to France with it, Rodney caught her and she was forced to abandon her dreams.
Despite double-crossing him, Steph and Rodney got close again and even got engaged. But Steph wasn’t after Rodney’s love and companionship, her one true love is money! When she discovered Rodney was not as flush as she thought, Steph jilted him and moved in with her father Alan
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...
at the B&B.
A few weeks later, Steph was delighted when her best friend “Fat” Shelly Williams arrived. The two women immediately started making plans to open a salon in the village and got Alan to finance their business. By this time, Steph was the co-owner of the local factory with Eric Pollard
Eric Pollard
Eric Charles Pollard is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Chris Chittell.Pollard has appeared on the show since 1986, making him the second longest running current character after Alan Turner who has appeared since 1982. He has lied to, cheated and swindled...
. However, the factory closed and Steph found herself in trouble with the law, following her making counterfeit clothes in the factory.
However, relations between Steph and her father hit an all time low over the next few months. In 2004, things got even worse when Tricia was killed during the storm at New Year and she plunged into a deep depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. Shelly was a great source of comfort to Steph and Alan as they came to terms with losing Tricia and soon she had begun a relationship with Steph’s father.
When she discovered what was going on, Steph was absolutely horrified and made it clear she would not accept them as a couple. Alan and Shelly continued to see each other and planned to emigrate to Spain and start a new life together. Faced with being deserted by the two people closest to her and losing her inheritance, Steph planned to split them up by spreading a vicious rumour that Shelly was a gold digger. Her plot worked and Shelly left Alan behind.
Soon after, during a fight on the stairs, Alan declared that he wished Steph had died, not Tricia, and in a moment of anger, Steph pushed Alan down the stairs. He ended up an invalid and lost his memory of how he had fallen down the stairs, due to the knock on the head. In control of everything, Steph started medicating Alan to keep him manageable and when Shelly came back to visit, Steph locked her in the cellar before disposing of her at night. However, Alan was aware that Steph was up to no good and knew that Shelley had come to the house. When her treachery was revealed, Steph made an attempt to make a quick sale on the b+b and do a runner. When this failed, she almost drove off the local quarry with her father but had a change of heart at the last moment. The villagers were deeply shocked and so was Steph when she was arrested for Shelly’s murder. Steph found herself alienated by the villagers and braded 'psycho Steph'. However she always found friendship and support in vicar Ashley Thomas
Ashley Thomas
Ashley Michael Thomas is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by John Middleton.-1996–99:Ashley soon began developing feelings for the landlady of the Woolpack pub, Bernice Blackstock. He tried putting them aside as Bernice was engaged to Gavin, despite suspecting that...
and curat Ethan Blake.
However, it emerged that Steph didn’t kill her when she came back in Emmerdale to attend her own memorial service. Steph thought she had killed her, due to her mental illness! Alan and Shelly tried to rekindle their relationship but Alan was unable to grant his partner’s wish that he cut all ties with Steph.
2005–06
When Shelly left, Steph followed her and tried to convince her to return to Alan. The two women had a confrontation on a ferry in March 2005 - Steph told Shelly that she was going back to Emmerdale with her and tried to tug her towards her, but in pulling away from Steph, Shelly fell overboard. Making a split second decision, Steph decided not to raise the alarm to rescue Shelly and threw her suitcase overboard.Life seemed to settle for Steph when she returned from the disastrous ferry journey, keeping quiet about Shelly's death. When new doctor Adam Forsythe
Adam Forsythe
Dr. Adam Forsythe was a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Richard Shelton.-Background:Adam arrived looking for a quiet life in the Dales following his divorce...
arrived to live at the B&B, romance began to blossom. Having fallen in love for the first time, Steph started to open up about her troubled childhood and confessed that her older brother Terence
Terence Turner
Terence Turner is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by first by Stephen Marchant and then by Nick Brimble until the character's demise....
had sexually abused her as a child. She also confessed about her part in Shelly's disappearance but to her surprise, Adam remained calm and silent.
Adam convinced Steph that she needed to let her father Alan know about this – especially as he’d since decided to track down his lost son. Refusing to believe her, Alan devastated Steph and when Terence arrived in Emmerdale, things got even worse.
The violent alcoholic started to terrorize his sister and she began to fall apart – much to Adam’s horror. But Terence’s reign as Alan’s favourite child was about to come to an end when he got drunk and confessed Steph was telling the truth.
He left Emmerdale but continued to haunt Steph and Adam. When the doctor came home to find Terence in the B&B, a violent struggle ensued and Adam ended up killing the twisted man and buried the body in the local woods. Steph was absolutely traumatized and, in a bid to keep her quiet, Adam took her away to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
.
When they got back, Alan was stunned to hear Steph and Adam had got married abroad. However, there was no domestic bliss in this household. Steph discovered Adam was drugging her to keep her under control and decided enough was enough. She decided to confess to Alan that she’d murdered Terence and even took him to the place they’d buried him.
However, when they got there, Steph was horrified to realize that Adam had moved the body and was now claiming she was mentally ill. The relationship fell apart as Steph realized she’d married a cold, calculating man who was determined to keep her in line.
Her outrage at him saw her sectioned and it seems like Steph’s got a long road to travel before she can persuade everyone she’s telling the truth this time. However, with Alan on her side, and sceptical about Adam, it looked as if Steph had at least one ally. It was further revealed that prior to Terence's death he was blackmailing Adam as adam was struck of the registar yet still practicising as a doctor illegally.
When Terence's body was discovered under the rubble of the Kings Show Home, Steph was arrested for his murder. The whole way through the trial Steph had contested her innonce but in a shock twist Shelly's suitcase was found on the day before the verdict. Steph knew that there was no way they would start a new trial against her for this, following the last time she was wrongly accused of her murder but in a bid of loyalty to her dad she instead confessed to Terence's murder in a bid to see some sort of justice done.
On Friday 10 November 2006, Steph was sentenced to life imprisonment when she confessed that she and Adam murdered her brother, Terence, even though it was just Adam who killed him. Adam would face further investigation about the case, but two days later he hanged himself and subsequently died in his cell.
At the end of it all, Alan was proud of Steph and therefore she was finally happy in her departure.