Emily Kirk

Infobox Emmerdale character 2


name=Emily Kirk
portrayer=Kate McGregor
years=1999–2007, 2008
born=Bda|1975|4|30|df=yes
death=
home=Manchester| occupation=Training to be a Priest
family=
father = John Wylie
spouse = Butch Dingle (2000)
Paddy Kirk (2002–2006)
first = 5 May 1999
last= 6 March 2008

Emily Kirk (née Wylie, previously Dingle) was a fictional character in ITV Soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Kate McGregor.

When she arrived in the village, Emily Wylie (as she was known then) had lived a sheltered life with only her strict father in her life. Having lost his wife when Emily was just two, John was fiercely protective of his little girl and brought her up to be afraid of the outside world. But when she took a job at Viv Windsor’s post office, Emily’s life was transformed.

Relationships

Butch Dingle

A total misfit, Emily was drawn to fellow village oddball Butch Dingle. But she had to cope with the strong disapproval of her father John. Despite the problems that faced them, Emily and Butch were deeply in love and it looked like they were going to get their happy ever after.

Sadly, fate got in the way. Butch was seriously injured in a bus crash that left him clinging onto life. As it became clear he wouldn’t make it, Emily and he decided to seize their moment and had an emotional wedding at his hospital bed before her new husband passed away.

Paddy Kirk

Alone again, Emily kept a low profile until she met a sweet-natured local lad called Ed. Everyone thought Ed and Emily were perfectly suited, but she didn’t feel a spark between them.

However, on a night she was supposed to be seeing Ed, Emily ended up sleeping with (and losing her virginity to) close pal Paddy Kirk and the second most important relationship of her life began.

Like Emily, Paddy has also been married to a Dingle - Butch’s cousin and, bizarrely, ex-wife Mandy - and their relationship went from strength to strength. Having got engaged, Paddy and Emily sprung a surprise marriage on the village when their close friends Marlon and Tricia called off their own nuptials at the last moment.

Longing for Children

Now married again, Emily was desperate for children and she and Paddy became foster parents. After a couple of false starts, the couple were delighted when they forged a close bond with Debbie Jones.

But when it was revealed that Debbie was the daughter of Charity and Cain Dingle, Emily was left bereft. However, she remained close to Debbie and provided her with lots of support through tough times.

Paddy's Affair

Although their marriage had seemed rock solid, Paddy and Emily were having big problems. Having lost the passion in their relationship, Paddy began to look for it elsewhere and started an affair with Emily’s boss, Viv.

When she discovered their deception, Emily was absolutely heartbroken and threw her husband out, then had a complete nervous breakdown and smashed up the Post Office in a rage. Having lost everything, Emily decided to leave the village unless she received a sign to stay.

Baby Sarah

That sign came when Daz Eden arrived at her door in the middle of the night to beg her to help Debbie who was giving birth alone in the middle of the woods. On arriving, Emily found the teen mum with a baby that was losing the fight for life. Her quick thinking saved baby Sarah’s life and Emily decided to stick around.

However, life at the Dingles wasn’t a barrel of laughs for Emily. Unable to cope as a mother, Debbie left pretty much all the childcare to Emily – who loved being so actively involved in Sarah’s life. But, her presence began to rile Debbie’s violent dad Cain. When he attacked Emily for interfering, she decided she’d had enough and made plans to move away.

However, for Debbie, the thought of losing Emily was too much to bear. She knew she didn’t want to be Sarah’s mum and that Emily did so she begged her friend to take the baby. After much soul-searching Emily did and left Emmerdale behind.

Cain rushed to find her after getting a lead that she’d gone to Ireland but by the time he’d got there, Emily was gone.

Return

Emily returned to the village on October 15, 2006. Local schoolgirl Victoria Sugden had spotted some strange movement in the abandoned house in which the had lived.

She was branded a child-snatcher and was neglected by the village, although throughout 2007, she had been drawn closer and closer to most of the village.

Emily tried to commit suicide on one occasion but was stopped in time by ex-brother-in-law Sam Dingle, who soon developed (unreciprocated) romantic feelings for her. After disastrously making a pass at the uninterested Ashley Thomas, his wife Laurel tried setting her up Bishop George Postlethwaite.

Departure for Priest Training

It was revealed on 30 October 2007 that Emily would be leaving in December after 8 years in the Dales, as Emily would soon begin training to become a priest. Thanks to Bishop George they both discussed possible training processes. Others in the village believed that the two were seeing each other.

On 7 December 2007, Emily said goodbye to the Dales and went to Manchester to be a priest.

Emily's second Return

Emily returned briefly on March 3, 2008, for the soap's Paul Lambert and Jonny Foster's commitment ceremony [ [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a87568/dales-emily-returns-for-gay-wedding.html Dale's Emily returns for gay wedding] Digital Spy, January 26, 2008] . She also offered her condolences to the Thomas's, who had recently lost their baby son Daniel. She also attended Daniel's Funeral and left shortly after the funeral.

References

External links

* [http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=3693 Emily Kirk] at itv.com
* [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a87568/dales-emily-returns-for-gay-wedding.html] at Digital Spy.