Emmerdale characters to return for 50th anniversary

Emmerdale is bringing back a trio of popular characters for its 50th anniversary.

Emmerdale has announced that three characters are to return to the soap as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

Danny Miller, Elizabeth Estensen and Amy Walsh have agreed to a short-term reprisal of their roles as Aaron Dingle, Diane Blackstock and Tracy Metcalfe for the occasion.

Producer Kate Brooks said:

“We have the return of some very familiar faces to the Dales. Diane, Aaron and Tracy will all be making a reappearance, albeit on a temporary basis. They will come back and be at the heart of some really big stories that’ll impact their lives, and not just their lives but the lives of the characters they leave behind.”

Danny Miller chose to leave his role as Aaron after 13 years last year, citing “tough schedules” and a change of outlook following the birth of his first child as the reasons.

In December, Aaron left the village to go and stay with his cousin Debbie in Scotland having begun to doubt that his sister Liv was innocent in the killing of his boyfriend, Ben.

Emmerdale producer Jane Hudson teased of the character’s comeback:

“How is Aaron going to respond when he finds out that his mum is cheating on Paddy, who he sees as a father?

“Is he going to discover that Sandra is not all about Liv? There’s a huge story happening over there.”

Viewers last saw Diane in October when she made the decision to leave the village to start a new life in Portugal.

Elizabeth Estensen announced in September that she was leaving the role after 22 years.

The actress said at the time:

“For the past 22 years I have loved playing Diane Sugden – she’s kind, reliable and fiercely loyal. However, I now feel the time has come to say goodbye. Emmerdale will always remain special to me. I’ve been treated with respect and kindness and I’ve had the very best friends and colleagues, both past and present. I’ll miss everyone dearly.”

Amy Walsh, who has played the role of Tracy since 2014, is currently on maternity leave from the soap. She welcomed her first baby with her partner Toby Alexander Smith in December.

Tracy was last seen on screen in January when she accepted a job in Nottingham.

Hudson teased that Tracy will return “with a bit of news”.

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV, STV and UTV