Shadrach Dingle

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Emmerdale character
Shadrach Dingle
Portrayed by Andy Devine
Duration 2000–2005, 2006—
First appearance 30 March 2000
Status Separated
Home Wishing Well Cottage
Occupation Unemployed

Shadrach Dingle is a fictional character on the British soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Andy Devine.

Contents

[edit] About Shadrach

Shadrach's main character traits are often uselessness, selfishness, hypocracy and a dependency on alcohol, although he can surprise with moments of sensitivity or support.

[edit] Arrival

He arrived in town on the day of Butch Dingle’s funeral, and got so drunk that he fell asleep in church - infuriating his brother Zak, who was grieving for his son.

[edit] Paternity reveal

Zak restrained himself because he owed Shadrach; when the two men were younger, Zak had enjoyed a fling with Shadrach’s wife Faith. Unbeknownst to both men, the product of this passionate affair was Cain Dingle. Since Cain thought Shadrach was his father, he was shocked to discover the man who’d bought him up was just his uncle.

[edit] Bad behaviour

The Dingles weathered this crisis, but when Zak went to South America in search of the Dingle fortune, Shadrach turned up and begged Zak’s wife Lisa to take him in. Sticking to the Dingle code of loyalty, Lisa agreed - only for Shadrach to spend the next few months trying to get her into bed. Order was restored when Zak returned several months later, but Shadrach’s slovenly behaviour continued to provoke disgust among his clan and the neighbours alike.

A life of heavy drinking took a toll on Shadrach and his daughter Chastity desperately worried that her father is going to die from alcoholism. In order to try and wean him off it, Chas bet Zak and Shadrach that they couldn’t stay dry for a month. Predictably, Shadrach couldn’t and spent the entire time trying to get his hands on some booze.

[edit] Daniel

On August 26th 2007, Shadrach was in the church vestry and didn't realise that heavily pregnant Laurel Thomas was asleep inside the church. However, Emily Kirk had locked the church doors without realising they were in there and Laurel went into labour. Shadrach was first on the scene and rang the church bells to alert the village to the emergency and helped Laurel through her labour. When baby Daniel was born Shadrach showed more love to Daniel than he had to any of his or Zak's children and was over the moon when Laurel asked him to be godfather. Shadrach adored his godson, surprising many; he got Daniel presents and promised to do things with him when he was older. Tragically Daniel died on February 21st 2008, leaving Shadrach devastated. Initially Shadrach blamed himself for Daniel's death as he thought that all the alcohol fumes he would have breathed upon Daniel over the last 6 months may have been the little tot's main cause of death, but stopped blaming himself with help from Laurel and Diane. Despite Daniel being dead Shadrach is still loving to him, visiting the grave every few days with flowers and even once brought one of Samson's old teddy bears to keep the tiny tot company.

[edit] Genesis

Through their shared grief, Laurel and Shadrach formed a bond, and in March 2008, Shadrach confided in Laurel that some decades earlier he'd had an affair with a woman named Shirley Pascoe. Eventually he decided to leave Faith for Shirley, but by the time he got around to seeing her again, she'd died in childbirth. Their child was Genesis Pascoe, born 21 November 1987. Shadrach allowed social services to take her and told Laurel he wished he'd taken her in.

Laurel told Chas the truth and after getting over her initial hurt and anger, Chas went with her father to social services. They learned Genesis had been adopted soon after her birth, had stayed with that family, and wanted to contact her birth father. A nervous Shadrach, with Chas' help, wrote a letter asking Genesis to contact him if she felt comfortable enough to do so. She agreed to meet Shadrach, but did not turn up. Shadrach assumed she'd changed her mind; he had no way of knowing she was fighting for her life in hospital after a car grazed her motorbike.

Shadrach finally met Genesis, now going by Gennie Walker, several weeks later, when Paddy Kirk invited her to a birthday party for Eli. A drunk Shadrach, having no idea who Gennie was, made a pass at her. Gennie was horrified when she learned his name was Shadrach, as she knew that was her father's name. Later in the party, she told Paddy that Shadrach was her father, not realising everyone would overhear when the music was suddenly switched off.

Gennie fled the house and Shadrach had to explain himself to Lisa and Zak. Soon, Gennie returned, and wanted to get to know her father. He told her about the circumstances of her birth and adoption, and they began to form a close bond. He also tried to reassure Chas, who resented the efforts he was making for his new daughter when he'd never bothered to support her.

[edit] Family


[edit] External links