Fans of the long-running soap think they’ve cracked an upcoming storyline
Sara Baalla Screen Time TV Reporter
10:58, 21 Sep 2025
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Emmerdale enthusiasts are certain that a past soap star is set to return to the village to take the reins of The Woolpack.
The iconic ITV landmark, one of the most recognised pubs in soapland, has a rich history spanning the programme’s 53-year run on television.
The Woolpack was originally established around 1779 and was under the ownership of Ephraim Monks Brewery until 1973.
The building is connected to The Grange and adjacent Pear Tree Cottage. At present, Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) operates her beauty salon from the front of the property, while Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) and Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley) run the wedding and events business Take a Vow from the back office.
The Woolpack is a staple on the ITV soap(Image: ITV)READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale’s Liam Cavanagh faces cancer fears in health scareREAD MORE: ITV Emmerdale spoilers for tonight as John’s ‘chilling’ plan to strike again emerges
The pub has weathered numerous disasters, including the 1993 plane crash and the storm of 2003/2004, which resulted in the roof collapsing after the building was struck by lightning, reports the Daily Star.
Over the years, The Woolpack has seen various owners, including Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter), Al Chapman (Michael Wildman) and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock).
The longest-serving landlord was Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill), who held the position for 43 years. Meanwhile, the longest-serving landlady is Diane Sugden (Elizabeth Estensen), who manned the bar for 16 years.
Currently, Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and her son Ryan Stocks (James Moore) own the pub, but their tenure might be short-lived.
Now, several Emmerdale fans are convinced that Diane will make a comeback to the village to reclaim her title as pub landlady.
Emmerdale fans believe that Diane Sugden could return to take over the pub(Image: ITV)
The character notably said her goodbyes to the Dales back in 2021 when she relocated to Portugal to reinvent herself and avoid being seen past her prime.
Diane’s departure coincided with actor Elizabeth’s retirement after a 22-year stint on the soap. But could she now make a comeback, especially following her daughter Bernice Blackstock’s (Samantha Giles) recent return?
“Personally, I would like to see Diane return as part owner of the Woolpack along with Chas,” one individual posted on a Facebook fan page.
Another chimed in: “I miss Diane, would love for her to come back,” while a third commented: “I’d probably get teary eyed if Diane ever came back. I loved her so much.”
A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, stating: “Diane was such an iconic character, it would be great for the soap if she came back even briefly. She’s got to pull another pint again.”
Meanwhile, another fan believes that Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) should be running the pub as she’s a well-liked villager.
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX