Jo Stiles

Jo Stiles
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by	Roxanne Pallett
Duration	2005–08
First appearance	26 August 2005
Last appearance	22 December 2008
Introduced by	Kathleen Beedles
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Other names	Jo Sugden
Occupation	Receptionist Barmaid Farmer
Family Mother Jackie Stiles Husband Andy Sugden (2008–09)

Josephine Madonna "Jo" Stiles (previously Sugden) is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Roxanne Pallett. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 August 2005 and her last on 22 December 2008.

Casting

While studying at the Manchester School of Acting, Pallett attended auditions during the weekends and she was asked to try out for Emmerdale.^[1] Pallet told Jessica McCulloch of the News of the World "We always had the soaps on in our house so it was exciting to get the casting for Emmerdale. Pallett said that she spent over a month auditioning for roles, so the casting people were able to see her potential in the workshops and call backs.^[1] She revealed that the writers were creating the part of Jo at the same time and began looking at her for the role.^[1]

Details of the character and Pallett's casting was announced on 22 July 2005.^[2] Of joining the soap, Pallett said "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Emmerdale. Jo is a bit of a minx and a great character for me to get my teeth into!"^[2] Series producer Kath Beedles stated that she was delighted to welcome Pallett to the cast and said her character would "turn up the heat in the village".^[2] Kris Green of Digital Spy said Jo would become the new veterinary receptionist and set her sights on Danny Daggert (Cleveland Campbell).^[2] Pallett made her debut screen appearance as Jo in August.^[2]

Storylines

Jo Stiles arrived in the village as new receptionist at the vets' surgery and is soon noticed by the local men, especially Max King and Danny Daggert. Jo and Danny went on a date but they agreed he was far too tame for a bad girl like her. So with no potential boyfriends on the scene, Jo settled into her job and needing somewhere to live, moved into Connelton View with Dawn Woods and her son, TJ. After seeing chemistry between her new best mate, Dawn, and former flame Danny, Jo set the pair up. However, Jo’s carefree, single life seemed attractive to Dawn so she dumped Danny. Jo’s other attempt at matchmaking also went wrong when she tried to help her lonely boss, Paddy Kirk, by inventing a chatroom girlfriend for him called Fireblade. It seemed like harmless fun until Paddy booked a ticket to Portugal to track down Fireblade. When Paddy returned with vivacious Toni Daggert (Danny Daggert's cousin) on his arm, Jo knew she wasn’t Fireblade and became desperate to stop her taking him for a ride. The joke, however, was on Jo. Paddy had guessed what she was up to and he and Toni were winding Jo up to pay her back. to Jo was happy living at Connelton View but trouble was on the horizon when Scott Windsor arrived. He tried to seduce Jo but she wasn't interested but Dawn thought something was going on. Although they sorted it out, Dawn's mum, Jean Hope, evicted Jo because of her rent arrears. Feeling guilty that her mum hadn't given Jo much notice, Dawn arranged for her to move in with the Sugdens at Butlers' Farm as she knew they didn't have much money and could use Jo's rent. Jo soon developed feelings for Andy and they had an affair. They told Katie, ending the marriage on learning that Katie was not pregnant after all. After Katie left, Jo helped Andy run the farm and look after little Sarah. Jo continued to work at the vets' initially, but Hari sacked her as he was adding extras to people's invoices and didn't want Jo asking questions, as she did the accounts. Andy was pleased but Jo wasn't so Jo started her own business, making organic goat's cheese.

Andy and Jo got engaged, following his divorce. Andy also asked Jo to adopt Sarah and she agreed as Debbie had said she wouldn't oppose it. Unfortunately, following the fire at Tenants' Cottage, Andy admitted that he was responsible for the fire that killed his adoptive mother, Sarah Sugden, and was sentenced to three years in prison on the day that they planned to marry so Andy asked Jo to marry him while he was in prison. Jo agreed as she didn't want to disappoint Andy. While in prison, Andy made an enemy of Charlie Sellers. Charlie was released before Andy and took revenge by moving into Butlers' Farm, staying initially in the barn but soon moved into the house, threatening Andy and little Sarah every time Jo objected. In desperation, Jo told Debbie and she wanted to remove Sarah but Jo wouldn't let her. Eventually Debbie and Chas got rid of Charlie with help from the McFarlanes, a criminal family known to the Dingles. Not long after Charlie left, Andy was released on appeal and immediately called Social Services about Sarah's adoption. They told him that Debbie had not returned the papers so he confronted her, reminding her that she promised not to contest it but she insisted she needed more time. Unhappy, he visited his solicitor to investigate court orders that would finalise the adoption but was told that that kind of court order was rarely granted in his circumstances.

In April 2008, Terry Woods's son, TJ, was admitted to hospital with e coli and Environmental Health investigated all groceries that Terry had bought, including Jo's goat cheese. The culprit was a local supermarket but Jo's business suffered and Andy insisted she sell the goats. About the same time, Debbie asked Jo for access to Sarah as Andy always refused. On Sarah's first visit to Debbie, Andy returned early and realised that Jo was lying about Sarah's whereabouts. He guessed that she was with Debbie and wanted to go and get him but Jo wouldn't let him leave and Andy accidentally slapped Jo, giving her a nasty black eye. Andy and Jo were horrified and although Andy promised it would never happen again, it did. Andy put Jo in hospital twice with broken bones. Sam Dingle and Jake Doland helped out at the farm but Andy, not wanting witnesses, sacked them but not before Sam realised what was happening. Sam tried telling his family but they didn't believe him until Sarah drew a worrying picture. Debbie confronted Jo and Jo eventually admitted it so Debbie warned her if Sarah was harmed in any way, she would remove her.

Terrified of another beating, Jo lied that she was pregnant. This continued for several weeks and Andy only learned the truth as Jo was about to leave. This led to another fight and Andy was accidentally impaled on an old farm tool in the barn. Jo left him there but Debbie persuaded her to return and found Andy's brother, Daz, there and he called an ambulance so Andy was taken to hospital. When Jo tried to tell her story, Andy claimed that Jo was abusing him and everyone initially believed it until Diane's sister, Val, made Diane realise that Jo was telling the truth. On Andy's discharge, he moved into the Woolpack with Diane and Victoria as Jo agreed not to call the police about the domestic violence, provided he move out and leave her alone. His ex-wife, Katie, took pity on him and gave him a job at the stables but after he verbally abused her for not allowing him to kiss her, she also realised Jo was telling the truth. She visited Jo and, despite their differences, comforted her but warned her that she would only be free of Andy if she left the village.

Jo ran the farm with help from her neighbours, the Naylors. Debbie and the Dingles also helped Jo with Sarah but money got tighter and tighter, and the Kings were declared bankrupt so ownership of the farm reverted to the bank. Various items began breaking and Andy repaired them. Jo was grateful until Lee Naylor caught Andy damaging the washing machine. A fight erupted and Jo realised that Andy had been breaking appliances and then repairing them to win back her trust. Jo knew that he would never leave her alone all the time she lived on his farm with his daughter so on 22 December, Jo and Lee sold the farm equipment so she and Sarah could get away. Just as Jo was about to leave, Mick Naylor arrived. Worried that he would tell Andy, she locked him in the barn but he begged her not to take Sarah. Following this, Jo and Sarah left the farm. However, she left Sarah Sugden with the Dingles and texted Lee telling him where Mick was. The next day, she texted Andy telling him to go to farm to meet her so he could see what she had done.

In May 2009, while Andy and Debbie were fighting for residency of Sarah, Debbie's father, Cain Dingle, told Social Services about Andy's domestic abuse. Andy and Victoria denied it but Jo gave a statement, confirming what Cain had said. This plus problems with running the farm and Victoria playing truant from school meant Andy felt he had to drop his claim for residency. Jo and Andy officially divorced that same year. Jo Sugden has not been mentioned in Emmerdale since apart from the rumour that she was engaged to her new boyfriend.

References

External links

• Jo Stiles at itv.com