Funerals are generally quite a sad time and centred around a loss of a loved one, but for one Emmerdale local, they manage to walk away from a funeral with a new family member instead.
Pollard (Chris Chittell) is devastated to lose a friend and prepares himself for a final sad goodbye as he makes his way to her funeral. The deceased is Barbara Sugden, from way back in Emmerdale’s 80s past.
As he goes to leave for the farewell, he finds himself with car trouble and has no means to get himself to the church. He turns to the only person able to help – Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins).
A bold move, given that she’s just learned he was the reason she was sacked from the Hide. But goodwilled Vic agrees to be his chauffeur.
Almost as soon as they arrive at the funeral, Victoria manages to put her foot in it with the son of the woman who has died. As she tries to dig herself out of the hole she’s found herself in, she learns his name and her embarrassment evaporates into utter disbelief – his name is John Sugden.
As Victoria tries to process what this means, Pollard reveals the truth – John might actually be her half-brother. Turns out her dad Jack Sugden had a bit of a dalliance over 30 years ago and John was the result. Little else is said while there as John is a man of few words, so Victoria leaves the funeral in a state of shock.
She and Pollard arrive back in the village and are surprised to find John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) there too. His unexpected appearance is due to the fact his van also broke down and he called Cain Dingle’s (Jeff Hordley) garage to get someone to fix it.
Victoria is elated that she might get the chance to get to know her half-brother, but he is not happy to be there, and makes it well known. He can’t leave without his van so he’s forced to stick around, a move that will come to upset quite a few of the locals.
‘He won’t think twice about telling someone what he thinks. He’s not trying to make friends. He’s not out to win people over,’ Oliver tells Metro.co.uk.
Vic is set to have a tough time as she tries desperately to forge a relationship with John, as Oliver reveals that John is not the family guy she hopes he is.
‘He doesn’t like people getting close to him, we find out that he’s very self-sufficient,’ he says. ‘He lives off grid in his van. Doesn’t need anyone, doesn’t need family.’
Not a great start. But perhaps if Victoria bides her time, there might be a thaw in John’s façade.
Oliver reveals: ‘There’s hints, even in the early episodes, that he’s letting Victoria in a bit and revealing things, but then when he realizes that, he kind of catches himself, and he goes, “No, no, I’m here. Thank you for everything, but I am leaving.”’ It’s an emotional rollercoaster ahead for the pair, can Vic break down his walls?
