List of Emmerdale Farm characters introduced in 1988

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale in 1988, by order of first appearance.

Kate Sugden

Main article: Kate Sugden

Denis Rigg

Denis Rigg, played by Richard Franklin, appeared between 1988 and 1989. He cheated Alan Turner into selling his share of Home Farm to him at a low price. Alan's business partner, Joe Sugden was angry at this and promptly sold his share too. Denis then went on to terrorise the villagers by threatening to evict them all from their homes if they refused to comply with his demands as he owned most of the houses and farms in the area. Denis looked to Emmerdale Farm to expand his business and this led to a confrontation between him and Joe. In the barn, a bull got aggravated by Denis's threatening and aggressive behaviour and crushed him against a wall, killing him.

Rachel Hughes

Main article: Rachel Hughes

Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	Craig McKay
Duration	1988–1994
First appearance	7 September 1988
Last appearance	4 January 1994
Classification	Past; regular
Introduced by	Stuart Doughty
In-universe information Father David Hughes Mother Kate Sugden Stepfather Joe Sugden (1989–1991) Sisters Rachel Hughes Grandfathers Eddie Hammond Nephews Joseph Tate

Mark Hughes, played by Craig McKay, from 1988-1993 arrived in the village as a 15-year-old in 1988 with his mother Kate (Sally Knyvette) and sister Rachel (Glenda McKay). Mark had been a model son until the breakdown of his parents marriage. He then became a troublesome teenager which coincided with his mother's relationship and subsequent marriage to Joe Sugden. In January 1989, Mark ran away from home after Kate announced her intention to move in with Joe. Mark intended to go to Germany to be with his father but only made it as far as Hull. His father David alerted Kate who brought Mark home. Despite this Mark tried to get his parents back together on numerous occasions and he reacted badly to being clipped around the ear by Joe for messing around with a gun. In January 1990, Mark and some friends tried trapping some mink using dangerous and illegal snares but only managed to succeed in trapping a puppy called Lucy. Mark also got into trouble when he went to the pub with his sister and her older friends. He wanted to prove his manhood by drinking alcohol but was cautioned for underage drinking. Mark then began shoplifting. He stole things he didn't need but was caught by Rachel and Sarah Connolly (Madeleine Howard). He was arrested and given a warning at the police station but afterwards his mother collapsed and suffered a miscarriage. Mark blamed himself for this. After leaving school Mark initially intended to join the army and follow in his father's footsteps. However he then decided to stay at school and study A-Levels in Art, Technical Drawing and English. But he refused to turn up to his final exams and as a result his girlfriend Melanie Clifford split up with him and he lost his place at Glasgow University. Mark also got himself into debt by letting his friends use telephone chatlines and he had to get a job at the Woolpack to pay them off. Annie Sugden later paid the bill for him.

In 1992, Mark started work as a handyman at the holiday village where he had a holiday romance with an older woman called Lisa. He also worked as an assistant gamekeeper to Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards). Mark did have a sense of fun and he organised the village's sheep race in 1992 and in 1993 he organised the fell race which was a challenge between the village's teenagers and his sister Rachel's student friends from Leeds. But it ended in disaster when Lorraine Nelson was bribed to move the signs and mountain rescue teams had to be called out to search for the lost runners. Mark died in the 1993 plane crash that devastated the village. Joe had wanted him to return a vacuum cleaner that evening which had been borrowed from Lynn Whiteley and this resulted in Mark being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a large section of the Eastern European airliner came down on Whiteley's farm. Mark was crushed by a falling wall and Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) identified his body after recognising his watch amongst recovered items.

Sarah Sugden

Main article: Sarah Sugden

Others

Character	Date(s)	Actor	Circumstances
Judy MacDonald	6–12 January 1998, 12 April–3 May 1990 (9 episodes)	Natalie Worsnopp Uncredited	Judy is the daughter of Jock and Liz MacDonald. When Jock and Liz separate, Judy goes to live with her mother.
Sonia Bates	6-8 February (2 episodes)	Erica Lynley	Sonia is Malcolm Bates' second wife. She gives birth to their son William in October 1987. Sonia, Malcolm and William attend Malcolm's daughter, Kathy's wedding to Jackie Merrick in February 1988.
William Bates		Uncredited
Stephen Fuller	13 April–23 June	Gregory Floy	Stephen is a lumberjack who shows interest in cutting down some trees in the plantation at Home Farm and clashes with Jack Sugden who tells him that the trees belong to the village but Stephen assures him he would only cut down trees that were ready. Alan Turner and Joe Sugden manage to raise a significant amount of money from the tree sales. Stephen begins an affair with Dolly Skilbeck following her dream home, Crossgill farm burning down and frustration with her husband Matt's lack of ambition. Stephen and Dolly's affair is short-lived and they part amicably and he leaves for Scotland. In November, News reaches Beckindale that Stephen has been killed by a falling tree, which leaves Dolly devastated. Dolly then arranges his funeral.
Rosemary Gray	17–18 August 1988, 15–27 March 1990 (6 episodes)	Christina Greatrex	Rosemary is a friend of Alan Turner. Alan invites Rosemary to dinner in order to make Caroline Bates jealous. In Spring 1990, Alan invites Rosemary to the Hunt Ball at Home Farm, where he leads her to believe that he lives. However, it is not long before Alan's deception is revealed to Rosemary.