1983: Beverley Callard In Emmerdale Farm!

Beverley Callard (then Beverley Sowden) made her soap debut in Emmerdale Farm in 1983. She played Angie Richards, a chip shop cashier, who was briefly Jackie Merrick's girlfriend. She had big hair. She wore pixie boots... and she was a little too modern for Beckindale.

The relationship was doomed to failure. The couple had nowhere to be alone together - Angie, who was older and more experienced than Jackie, ended up taking his virginity on the parlour sofa at Emmerdale Farm in the dead of night - although Jackie bluffed that it wasn't his first time.

Annie Sugden suspected what Jackie had been up to under her roof, and he was strongly reprimanded.

Soon, Angie was calling the whole thing off. This led to an altercation at the local disco: as True by Spandau Ballet played in the background, jealous Jackie almost came to blows with Angie's new boyfriend.

Jackie cooled it, and Angie disappeared from his life.

In 1989, Beverley Callard appeared in Coronation Street as Liz McDonald, wife of big Jim, and mother of Steve and Andy - and more permanent soap stardom was hers.

UPDATE: I've had several comments and e-mails pointing out that Beverley also appeared as June Dewhurst in Coronation Street in 1984. Many thanks to all those who have written.

Happy 2009 - And Welcome To 1984!

1984 always sounds ominous to me - also being the title of George Orwell's famous novel. Did you know that George Orwell took several years to write the book back in the 1940s, and that it was originally to be set in 1980, and then in 1982?

The real 1984 didn't see the arrival of Big Brother - it's more like that today with the various databases (established and planned) and security cameras logging our every move - but it did see the arrival of the Apple Mac - complete with affordable computer mouse. A revolution was beginning...

The UK edition of Trivial Pursuit arrived and we were trivia crazy. Sir Alec Jeffreys accidentally discovered DNA fingerprinting, at the University Of Leicester, England (More here). The miners fought a bitter, losing battle; Frankie Goes To Hollywood shocked the charts; the yuppie era was drawing in; V was on the telly and Do They Know It's Christmas? hit the No 1 spot. Agadoo was another chart favourite. Push pineapple, grind coffee? Hmm...

In the world of fashion, shoulder pads were getting bigger and bigger, people were streaking their hair blonde and using hair gel to very striking (or ugly, depending on your viewpoint) effect and moon boots were a must-have, as were Frankie Say T-shirts.

And so to Beckindale. What was 1984 like in the village? Well, a quick skim through some of the episodes reveals that Al Dixon as Walter (1980-1985) actually got to appear in the show's closing credits on at least one occasion...

Walter himself got a new hat at the village jumble sale, but Amos was not happy. "There's something rotten in the state of Beckindale!" he told Mr Wilks. What was Ernie Shuttleworth up to at the Malt Shovel?

Meanwhile, at Home Farm, Alan Turner was just having a row with Seth Armstrong when a woman appeared, telling him that she was the new "temp" secretary from the agency. Who was she? Can you guess?

One of the NY Estates bulls saw his chance and made a dash for freedom, causing problems for Jack Sugden...

And 1984 ended in tears. The death of actor Toke Townley meant the death of Sam Pearson. Annie, and in fact the whole of Beckindale, not to mention we viewers, mourned his passing in November...

To round things off, Jack began his affair with Karen Moore, which would spill over into 1985.

Our "Twenty Five Years Ago" series highlights 1984 in 2009. We'll also be giving 1981 a thorough looking at (Rubik's Cube, anybody?!) and presenting snippets from other years.

My thanks to Magnus, Will, Cerys, Squirrel K, Bryan, and others, for some very interesting e-mails/comments this year - and To Mrs Violet Howes for her Beckindale poem. Thanks also to Bill Sands for supplying some original YTV publicity stills, and to all those who took part in the competition.

See you in 2009! Or do I mean 1984?!

Happy New Year!

Amos' English Lesson...

Amos Brearly, seen here with Mr Wilks and Walter in 1983, was a man of words. As Beckindale correspondent of The Hotten Courier, he had to be.

"I'm a weaver of words. Aye, that's the name for it, if I do say so myself, Mr Wilks..."

So what would Amos make of some of our modern day written nonsenses? One of the things that puzzles me is the tendency for people to write that something happened "between" certain years - as in: "the show ran between 1986 and 1988" for a TV programme which began in 1986 and ended in 1988, for example.

But surely, "between" is not the correct word? In our photograph above, Mr Wilks is between Amos and Walter but not part of either. To write that something "ran beween 1986 and 1988" is saying it ran in 1987 and actually had nothing do with 1986 and 1988.

Surely, if something began in a certain year and ended in a certain year, the correct way to indicate it is to say that it "ran from 1986 to 1988" (for example), thus making the quoted years inclusive?

No Return For The Skilbecks?

Signed YTV publicity picture of Jean Rogers as Dolly in April 1980.

An e-mail this evening expressing disappointment that Dolly and Matt Skilbeck will not be returning to Emmerdale for Jack's funeral.

Chloe writes:

It was lovely to see Frederick Pyne and Jean Rogers with Frazer Hines and Sheila Mercier in the 5000th episode celebration programme. I loved watching them doing the scene from the 80s episode, with Matt, Dolly, Annie and Joe all sat round the farm table!

I know Joe can't return, but I thought it would have been very natural for Matt and Dolly to have been there. I'm really disappointed. Is there any chance that they may still appear?

It doesn't seem likely, Chloe. If I hear anything different, I'll let you know.

The blurb from the 1980 publicity photograph.

Clive Hornby Tribute

Clive Hornby as Jack Sugden, 1980.

February 2009 will see a special Clive Hornby tribute episode of Emmerdale. Mr Hornby debuted in the show on 19 February 1980 as Jack Sugden.

From ITV.com

A special episode, dedicated to the late Emmerdale actor Clive Hornby, will be screened in February 2009, the anniversary of his last appearance in the soap.

The special tribute will mirror the first ever episode of Emmerdale, which featured the funeral of character Jacob Sugden in 1972.

Actress Sheila Mercier will return to Emmerdale as Jack’s mother Annie Sugden and Karl Davies will reprise his much-loved role as Jack’s son Robert Sugden for the episode, in order to bid an emotional farewell.

Karl Davies says “I was lucky enough to work with Clive over a number of years and he was the kindest, funniest man you could've wished to meet. I'm sure the show he loved will pay a fitting tribute to a genuinely wonderful person.

Sheila Mercier says: “It will be a pleasure to return for this special tribute episode to Clive. I’m sure it will be a fitting way to celebrate the life and memory of one of Emmerdale’s dearest characters.”

Series producer Anita Turner says: “It was hugely important to everyone at Emmerdale that we waited until an appropriate time to pay tribute to Clive on-screen.

"We have been in discussion with Clive’s son throughout this process and hope this episode will honour the memories that viewers, friends and colleagues hold of him.”

Clive passed away in July, aged 63.

"Bingle Boy" has written in puzzlement:

I've just read that the Clive Hornby "tribute episode" will "mirror" the first episode of Emmerdale Farm from 1972. But as Clive Hornby wasn't in Emmerdale Farm until 1980, how is that a tribute to him? Surely it's more of a tribute to the ORIGINAL cast and writer? And I'm terribly disappointed that Matt and Dolly won't appear.

The episodes have been written in consultation with Mr Hornby's son, and Karl Davies played his scenes as Robert with Clive Hornby so it will bring back many memories of Clive's later years in the show. It will be nice if the tribute episodes also feature memories of the Clive Hornby version of Jack making his debut and his early years on the show in the 1980s.

It's nice that it will echo Andrew Burt's era in Emmerdale Farm, too. Clive Hornby became Jack from 1980-2008, very much stamping his mark on the character and creating an Emmerdale legend. The programmes will undoubtedly be a fitting tribute to him. But we are also saying farewell to the character of Jack, first played by Andrew Burt, and this is a good, full-circle way of doing that.

I share your disappointment about Matt and Dolly - especially as Jean Rogers made her screen debut just after Clive back in 1980. The characters were very much a part of Clive's early years on the show. I feel that their inclusion alongside Sheila Mercier would have added a great deal to the episodes.

Worst Story Line And Who Are They?

Thanks to Cerys for this e-mail:

I agree that the 1980s were a great time for Emmerdale Farm but every decade contains a few dud moments. I think my worst story line of the '80s was Joe's affair with Karen Moore - a desperate attempt to stir up more trouble between Jack and Joe. What was your worst Farm storyline of the '80s?

I have to say Dolly's affair with Stephen Fuller. Matt and Dolly and their very ordinary marriage were favourite Emmerdale Farm ingredients for me.

I always thought that the Skilbeck scenes, with young Sam often in attendance, seemed very warm, natural and low key, and I hated to see Matt and Dolly's relationship end.

I'll leave you for now with a little mystery: pictured above are members of a Beckindale family in the early 1980s. Who are they? More soon.

Poem: Beckindale In The '80s

Amos Brearly and the newly arrived Walter in 1980.

The Beckindale Bugle is getting verse! Many thanks to Mrs Violet Howes for e-mailing her poetic tribute to Emmerdale Farm in the 1980s! I'll drop you a line to answer the '80s cast queries you raised later today, Mrs H!

1980 was a year of change,
Our Jack returned to a home on the range
He had a new face, Dolly did too,
Whilst from Malt Shovel to Woolpack
Seth Armstrong flew

A busy year for Amos
With new allotment and Courier reports so true
And sitting at the bar was
Walter Mark Two

1981 - Pat was Jack's only one
A love so strong, so pure, and good
Did Pat's kids approve?
If only they would!

1982 - a child was born
Dolly and Matt had good news
As did Pat and Jack -
A wedding day
Free of blues

At Home Farm, Alan Turner arrived
Which worried Seth not
At work he still skived

'83 and Joe was in a trance
In love with Barbara
And then off to France

Archie appeared -
Socialist slob
And redundancies loomed
Was John out of a job?

1984 - Sam Pearson died
How we missed him
I cried and cried.

Jack bedded another
Marriage vows he did flout
But Pat found out
They were reconciled
Have no doubt

At Home Farm,
Mrs Bates was on draught
Sensible woman - she found Alan daft
Whilst he blustered and ranted
She just laughed and laughed

1985 - midway through
And lots and lots of news for you
Seth's donkey ran amok
Whilst Amos kept bees
And Mrs Bates' marriage break-up
Almost brought her to her knees

1986 - terror for Matt
Harry Mowlam murdered
Now WHO did that?

Eric Pollard at the market
And Pat Sugden in horror crash
The year was thunder and lightning
But not over in a flash

1987 - nuclear fears were rife
No Nukes In Beckindale!
A threat to land and life
The cry seemed to be ignored
But won through in the end
A happy ending and a safe future
For many a Beckindale friend

1988 - Kathy and Jackie did marry
Their happiness was untapped
But Dolly was untrue to Matt
And so the Skilbecks' marriage
Began to come unwrapped

At Crossgill disaster came with fire
For Annie Sugden the house
Almost became her funeral pyre

1989 - the decade was on the fizzle
But the affair of Rachel and Pete
Gave its dying months some sizzle

Home Farm was sold
The Tates moved in
Mrs Bates departed
Alan's future looked grim

Goodbye to Matt, the Reverend Hinton too
The 90's would see stories
Which seemed silly and untrue

Some 1980s Beckindale Arrivals...

Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden) Set For Brief Return To Emmerdale...

1980s memories - left: Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne), Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) and Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers) discuss farming matters. Right: Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) and Dolly Skilbeck take time out for a cuppa. Sheila Mercier and Frederick Pyne had been with Emmerdale Farm since the beginning. Jean Rogers and Clive Hornby debuted as Dolly and Jack in 1980.

A good friend of The Beckindale Bugle has been in touch to tell us that Sheila Mercier, who played matriarch Annie Sugden in the show from 1972-1996, is to return to the series for three episodes. She will be filming just before Christmas and the episodes will be screened around February 2009. This is tremendous news. Will any of our other favourites, like Matt and Dolly Skilbeck, be joining her, we wonder?

November 1989 - filming at Lindley Farm, the real life location for Emmerdale Farm from 1972-1993: in this scene, Annie greets Jack on his return from Italy. Mr Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) looks on. This screen capture is from the final episode of Emmerdale Farm. The next episode saw the show becoming simply Emmerdale.

The Emmerdale Farm Who's Who Of The 1980s - Part 2: Always There - Cast And Characters Who Spanned The Entire Decade...

If you switched on Emmerdale Farm in the 1980s, who would you be assured of seeing throughout the entire decade? First and foremost would have to be Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden), seeing out a decade of tremendous change in Beckindale. She remained a central character, although her scenes were somewhat reduced after the death of Toke Townley (Sam Pearson) in 1984. Annie was still very much the head of the Sugden family and could always be relied upon to provide support and advice. In 1989, her strength appeared to be crumbling, and she became briefly addicted to tranquillisers. But, Annie being Annie, she was soon back to her old self. And we were very glad.

Ronald Magill - the wonderful Amos Brearly of The Woolpack Inn - was another splendid Emmerdale Farm actor who spanned the entire 1980s. This was a tremendous decade for Amos, as Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) became a regular at The Woolpack in 1980, and the very odd silent Walter (Al Dixon) also joined the regulars that year. Amos chuntered at Walter and was wound up to the hilt by Seth. Amos' 1980s were days of fads, strange relatives, allotment rivalries, strippers, leaking cisterns and general mayhem at The Woolpack. Simply terrific.

Arthur Pentelow - "Mr Wilks" to Amos, "Henry" to others, was the calming voice of reason at The Woolpack and a great friend and business partner to the family up at Emmerdale Farm. He also became a parish councillor during the 1980s. Henry survived all Amos' absurdities, and his daughter Marian's marriage problems, and was the man Tom Merrick advised Jackie to turn to if ever he ran into problems. Henry was never a saint but he was a warm and caring character who hid his warm heart under a gruff exterior. We loved Mr Wilks. We loved Amos. We loved The '80s Woolpack!

Stan Richards - Seth Armstrong - began his career in Emmerdale Farm as a temporary character in 1978, made several appearances afterwards, and became a full-timer in 1980.

In the summer of 1980, Seth switched loyalties from The Malt Shovel to The Woolpack and was soon appearing in the Emmerdale Farm story lines as much as the longer-established characters. Seth's glory days became even more glorious when Alan Turner arrived at Home Farm in 1982.

Almost making it on to this list were Frederick Pyne - Matt Skilbeck - who left the cast in November 1989 (Matt last appeared on-screen in December), Hugh Manning - the Rev Donald Hinton, who left the cast in the summer of 1989 and Clive Hornby (Jack Sugden) - who made his debut in February 1980. Frazer Hines (Joe Sugden) was present at the start and at the end of the 1980s, but took three years out (1983-1986) in-between!

Lindley Farm For Sale...

Here's little old me up at Emmerdale Farm in the 1980s. Excuse the editing. My face is neither rustic nor idyllic. The real life location for Emmerdale Farm, from 1972-1993, was Lindley Farm near Harrogate. Interior scenes were filmed in the studios at Yorkshire Television, but for millions of viewers the exterior of Lindley Farm was Emmerdale.

And now the farmhouse - renamed "Lindley House" is up for sale.

And its interior is very far removed from Emmerdale Farm.

Here's the kitchen - no Annie and no Aga. In reality, the part of the house where Annie's kitchen was supposed to be is now a study!

Lindley Farmhouse was rather larger than Emmerdale Farmhouse was supposed to be. In 1982, the area at the back of the house was explained away as being a barn, which was then converted into a home for Matt and Dolly Skilbeck. See the details for the Lindley House sale here.