Emmerdale boss confirms two new characters for ITV soap

The fresh arrivals are expected later this year to strengthen two of the show’s families – the Tates and the Sugdens.

Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw revealed plans to expand the families during an interview with Inside Soap, but fans don’t yet know who the characters will be or the connections they have with the existing characters.

Laura said: “At the heart of last year, I wanted to cement the families in our show.”

She continued: “Everyone always talks about the Dingles, but I felt like we needed to build up some of the other families – that’s probably what I’m most proud of.”

She revealed that the return of Joe Tate in 2024 was designed to bolster the Tate family, who are the Home Farm estate owners.

Joe came back to the estate with Kim Tate after stealing Caleb Milligan’s kidney.

Laura told Inside Soap: “What that story did was really cement Kim and Joe as surrogate mother and son, which was important to me, to try to build that family of Tates up at Home Farm.”

She added: “Similarly, we brought Dawn and the kids in to bolster it, and then we were missing the dad of the family, so we went mad and brought Graham back!”

Emmerdale also intends to restore the prominence of the Sugdens, one of the show’s original families.

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Currently, Robert and Sarah are the only Sugdens remaining in the village.

Ms Shaw said: “Well, as I said about building the clans, I’ve been trying to do the same with the Sugdens as well as the Tates.”

Although Victoria Sugden, played by Isabel Hodgins, is on maternity leave, Laura emphasised that Sarah remains part of the family’s legacy.

She said: “There’s going to be a couple of arrivals to strengthen both the Tate and Sugden clans.”

You can read the full interview in Inside Soap’s latest issue.

Who do you think could be the new arrivals? Tell us your predictions in the comments below.