Andy Sugden

Andy Sugden
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by Kelvin Fletcher
Duration 1996–
First appearance 4 July 1996
Introduced by Mervyn Watson
Classification Present; regular
Profile
Occupation Farmer (1996–)
Groundsman (2014, 2015)
Home Tug Ghyll

Andrew "Andy" Sugden (né Hopwood) is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Kelvin Fletcher. He first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast 4 July 1996.

Storylines

1996-2008

Andy arrives in Emmerdale and is fostered by Jack (Clive Hornby) and Sarah Sugden (Alyson Spiro) but finds it difficult to settle with the Sugden family. While on-site at a quarry, his foot lodges on a rock and gets trapped, forcing Jack to rescue him. When his father, Billy Hopwood (David Crellin), visits Emmerdale, Andy is persuaded to move into a caravan with him and disown the Sugdens. Billy breaks his promise to change and returns to committing petty crime such as stealing and robs the local post office, resulting in Vic Windsor's (Alun Lewis) death. Billy is arrested and Andy moves back in with the Sugdens.

Andy is concerned when Jack and Sarah begin arguing over the farm. She is annoyed with Jack as he keeps Andy and Robert Sugden (Christopher Smith) off school to work on the farm. They soon discover that Sarah is having an affair with Richie Carter (Glenn Lamont) and the family break up. After a court case, Jack is awarded custody of Robert while Sarah is awarded custody of Victoria (Hannah Midgley). Andy decides to stay with Jack. When the farm faces financial ruin, Andy decides to set fire to the barn for the insurance payout. However, Sarah and Richie are in the barn, resulting in her death. Richie blames Jack for the fire but withdraws his statement to protect Andy.

Andy begins dating Katie Addyman (Sammy Winward). Andy goes to a nightclub with Eve Birch (Raine Davison), Marc Reynolds (Anthony Lewis), Ollie Reynolds (Vicky Binns), Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth), Robert and Katie. When they miss the bus, they steal a car and accidentally kill their headteacher Barbara Strickland (Alex Hall). They attempt to cover up their crime and burn the car. After living with guilt, the group confess and everyone apart from Marc (who was driving) are given community service. Katie's father Brian (Martin Reeve) disapproves of Andy and attempts to split them up. They decide to have a baby to change his mind but when Brian learns that Katie is pregnant, he sends her to live with her mother. She returns and moves in with Andy but Katie miscarries. Despite this, she and Andy decide to get married and starts planning their wedding. Katie, however, feels neglected by Andy working long hours and turns to Robert when he promises her excitement. They begin an affair but are caught by Andy's brother, Daz Eden, and Andy and Robert's younger sister, Victoria Sugden. However, Andy refuses to believe Daz when he tells Andy about Katie and Robert and puts him into care. When their marriage fails, Katie and Robert admit their affair. Andy tries to shoot Robert but Jack gets shot instead. He disowns Andy but the pair eventually reconcile.

Andy invites Daz, Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) and Debbie (Charley Webb) to move in, needing the rent money. Debbie is attracted to Andy and they start dating secretly. When her family find out, Cain ends the relationship by threatening Andy that he will lead Daz into criminal activities unless if he does not leave Debbie alone. Andy dates Libby Charles (Ty Glaser) but ends their romance when he discovers that Debbie has had his baby. He reconciles with Debbie but later break up agreeing to keep in contact. Debbie decides to give Sarah to Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor), upsetting Andy. When Katie is involved in a car accident, Andy is there for her. They soon resume their relationship, annoying the Sugdens but Andy later has an affair with Jo Stiles (Roxanne Pallett). Andy realises that he was using Jo to get revenge for Katie and Robert's affair but Jo manipulates Andy into continuing the affair. Emily returns Sarah to Andy and he tries to keep this a secret. When Debbie discovers her presence, she gives Andy custody and refuses to see her.

Katie struggles to look after Sarah and start a stable business. Meanwhile, Andy sees Jo is better with Sarah and restarts their affair. Andy is about to tell Katie when she announces that she could be pregnant, which soon becomes clear is a false alarm. Andy tells her about his and Jo's affair. Katie throws them out but they soon return as Andy is the leaseholder so Katie moves out instead and moves her business to Home Farm. Before Katie leaves, she wishes Jo luck, telling her she will need it. Andy and Katie subsequently divorce.

Victoria (now played by Isabel Hodgins) begins looking for answers to the cause of Sarah Sr's death. She tracks down Richie who tells her to ask Jack. In an attempt to force a confession, she douses the furniture in petrol and demands the truth, Andy confesses but a fire soon ignites. Following Andy's confession, he is sentenced to three years imprisonment in January 2008 after confessing to manslaughter. Andy and Jo marry on 19 February 2008 in prison. Jack, Victoria, Daz, Ashley and Laurel are their guests and Ashley presides over the service. During Andy's incarceration, Debbie gets closer to Sarah and changes her mind about Jo adopting her. When Andy is released, he is not pleased to find that things have changed. His mood worsens when he discovers that Debbie has been allowed access and begins lashing out at Jo, giving her a black eye in one instance. The abuse continues for months and culminates in Andy getting seriously injured during a confrontation in a barn. Andy's family do not believe Jo initially but when Daz and Victoria see for themselves, they are shocked. After a suicide threat, Diane intervenes and arranges for Andy to get psychiatric treatment. Jo eventually leaves after Lee Naylor (Lewis Linford) helps her sell the farm equipment to fund her escape.

2009-

Jack dies and leaves a letter for Diane to read at his funeral, in which he requests for Andy to become the head of the family. Andy refuses at first but agrees after he sees Robert watching from a distance. When Robert sees Andy, he tells him that there was nothing for him in Emmerdale and leaves again. Following Debbie's release from prison for allegedly murdering Shane Doyle, she requests more access to Sarah which Andy is unhappy about. Debbie warns him that she will not give Sarah up without a fight. During this time, Andy begins dating Maisie Wylde (Alice Coulthard), much to the chagrin of her family. The hearing approaches and after realising he cannot win, he withdraws his application for custody and Sarah goes to live with Debbie, which he takes very hard. Andy then suffers a breakdown, letting the farm slide and the livestock go unattended and is diagnosed with clinical depression. As time passes, Andy works on rebuilding bridges with others in the village and eventually recovers. He resumes work as a farmhand for the Barton family who take over the tenancy at Butlers and begins a brief relationship with Adele Allfrey (Tanya Vital) but this breaks down when Andy's temper and jealousy get the best of him and Adele tires of this and eventually leaves the village.

Andy tries several times to reconcile with Katie and they sleep together one occasion but Katie tells him it was a mistake and they should remain friends, which Andy reluctantly agrees to. He becomes jealous when Katie starts a relationship with police officer Nick Henshall and is later accused of starting the fire that kills Viv and Terry Woods (Billy Hartman). It is later revealed police officer Nick Henshall (Michael McKell) started the fire to tried and frame Andy, who has form for Arson. Henshall is then arrested after kidnapping Katie and holding her hostage when the truth comes out. Katie escapes when Henshall kills himself.

Sarah becomes ill and she is then diagnosed with Fanconi anaemia, a genetic disorder which could kill her without treatment. Debbie and Andy then go about looking for donors to try to save Sarah but having no luck in finding a donor, they believe having another baby also known as a 'Saviour Sibling' is the only way to save their sick child. They apply for IVF but get turned down when the hospital find out they are pretending to be a couple in hope of getting accepted to have the IVF. Debbie suggests having a baby by using artificial insemination, with their partners Cameron Murray (Dominic Power) and Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson) still not happy with the situation of them having another baby together they choose to go along with the process anyway but have no luck after trying numerous times. Debbie believes the only way to conceive is for them to sleep together. Andy is unsure at first but eventually agrees to the plan, their other halves are upset and angry that they have to do this, resulting in Alicia breaking up with Andy but Cameron still agreeing to support Debbie through this whole situation. They plan to sleep together but Debbie can't through with the plan and walks out on Andy leaving him humiliated. Desperate to save her daughter, Debbie gets Andy to meet her at a hotel and apologises for her previous actions and seduces him and telling him it is just about them and that she wants him. After sleeping together, Debbie doesn't tell Cameron about it and Andy is confused with his feelings for Debbie. He becomes jealous of Cameron and turns up Tug Ghyll at any given chance just to see Debbie. Debbie discovers she is pregnant and Andy is delighted, while Cameron feels left out but still believes the baby was a result of artificial insemination. Cameron becomes angry that Andy is always there and won't leave Debbie alone, he then warns Andy to stay away.

When John dies in a car accident after skidding on ice while using Andy's Land Rover, Andy is guilt ridden after he finds out and thinks his car was the cause of the accident. John's widow, Moira (Natalie J. Robb) assures him it was icy and that he is not to blame. Andy breaks down and tells Moira he feels like he has lost a brother after he and Moira talk about his and the Barton's first meeting on the farm. Debbie tries to console Andy and much to her surprise he confesses his love for her but she breaks his heart by telling him she does not feel the same and loves Cameron. After Cameron warns Andy off, Andy reveals in a rage the baby was conceived naturally, not artificially. Following tests, Andy and Debbie discover the child is a match and they are delighted. Andy finds himself close to Katie again when he gives her advice after she leaves her husband Declan Macey (Jason Merrells). This leads to Declan and Andy fighting in The Woolpack. When Katie returns to fight for her marriage only a week later, Andy welcomes her back but warns Declan to start treating her the way she deserves.

Andy takes in Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton) after her daughter Amy (Chelsea Halfpenny) throws her out. He confides in Kerry about his past and they both bond over what they've been through. She cooks dinner for Andy and he tells her to stay another night as they kiss. Debbie goes into labour in October and gives birth to a boy and they name his Jack after Andy's late adoptive father. Andy and Amy share a kiss and Amy eventually tells Kerry. After a heated argument with Amy and her foster mother Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick), Kerry slaps Amy, shocking Andy. Andy's relationship with Kerry comes to an end after Sarah and Jack are left in danger when Kerry gets drunk and drops as cigarette, which starts a house fire. Desperate to win Andy back, Kerry tells him she is pregnant but after a hit and run incident with Adam Barton and Robbie Macey, she tells Andy that she was never pregnant but that she loves him, however he rejects her.

Reception

The episode where Andy sets fire to the Barn won the "Spectacular Scene of the Year" award at the 2001 British Soap Awards.[1] The character was selected as one of the "top 100 British soap characters" by industry experts for a poll to be run by What's on TV, with readers able to vote for their favourite character to discover "Who is Soap's greatest Legend?"[2]

References

  1. ↑ Wilkes, Neil (27 May 2001). "Soap Awards:The Winners". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "Who is Soaps' Greatest Legend?". What's on TV. IPC Media. Retrieved 8 July 2012.

External links