Soap shake ups! (Picture: ITV/Metro)
The departures and returns are continuing in Emmerdale as 2026 races by.
It’s been quite the start to the year for the ITV soap. Some characters have departed for new lives elsewhere, while John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) all faced their ends via horrific murders.
Last year, we said farewell to a number of villagers, including Rachael Gill-Davis, who played Gail Loman.
Another departee was Paula Lane’s Ella Forster, who left the Dales in the back of a police car after just fifteen months onscreen.
There was also the much-anticipated return of Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley), who came back to the village following a prison stint.
We even saw Bernice Blackstock (Samantha Giles) pop back to the Dales for a brief stint.
More changes are afoot this year, so here’s the lowdown on who is returning, leaving, and arriving in the ITV soap…
Emmerdale cast returns
Kev Townsend
Kev’s coming back ‘by popular’ demand (Picture: ITV)
Robert’s psychopathic but oddly-endearing ex-prison husband, Kev Townsend will be returning to the village, with Chris Coghill reprising the role ‘by popular demand’.
Discussing the return, producer of the show Laura Shaw said: ‘Both Chris and the character of Kev made a massive impact on the show last year, so Chris is most definitely back by popular demand’
Kev will have to deal with being in such close proximity to his ex-husband and ex-love rival, Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), while deciding whether or not to tell Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches) that he is his biological father.
When is Kev Townsend returning to Emmerdale? Currently unknown.
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Cathy Hope
Cathy departed with Brenda (Picture: ITV/Mark Bruce/Shutterstock)
Nineteen-year-old Gabrielle Dowling has also left the soap – but she will be back.
Recent storylines have included Cathy Hope coming to terms with a PMDD diagnosis, and also dealing with the horrific death of twin brother Heath, played by Gabrielle’s brother Sebastian, who passed away following a car accident.
Metro understands that the star is just taking a short break and will return down the line.
When is Cathy Hope returning to Emmerdale? Currently unknown.
Victoria Sugden
Isabel gave birth to her first baby last month (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)
Victoria Sugden left the Emmerdale village in February to tie in with Isabel Hodgins’ maternity leave.
The actress announced on her Instagram last month that she has given birth to her first baby, called Georgie Grace.
Vic’s exit saw her leave for a new life in Portugal. She told Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) that she would return, though when exactly this will be remains to be seen.
When is Victoria returning? Currently unknown.
Tracy Shankley
Tracy will leave the village soon (Picture: ITV)
Amy Walsh recently left her role as Tracy Shankley, with the exit story will facilitating Amy’s maternity leave.
The star, who is married to Toby-Alexander Smith, recently gave birth to her second child.
Tracy moved out of the village following a difficult year adjusting to life as a single mum, but she will return when her maternity leave comes to an end.
When is Tracy leaving Emmerdale? Currently unknown.
Emmerdale cast departures
Dawn Taylor
Dawn has recently been axed (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
It was recently revealed that Olivia Bromley will be departing from her role as Dawn Taylor after 8 years.
Her axing is believed to be a result of ITV’s cost-cutting measures, with both Emmerdale and Coronation Street reducing the amount of screen time some actors have and losing others.
Dawn’s life is set to spectacularly fall apart in upcoming scenes when she reveals the true extent of boyfriend, Joe Tate’s (Ned Porteous) cruelty.
Metro understands that a final explosive story will play out for Dawn in the summer, with Olivia still currently filming.
When is Olivia leaving Emmerdale? Later this year.
Who is in the Emmerdale 2026 cast?
The present cast of Emmerdale is made up of:
Regular cast:
Ryan Hawley as Robert Sugden
Chris Chittell as Eric Pollard
Claire King as Kim Tate
Isabel Hodgins as Victoria Sugden
James Hooton as Sam Dingle
Ned Porteous as Joe Tate
Lisa Riley as Mandy Dingle
Mark Charnock as Marlon Dingle
Dominic Brunt as Paddy Kirk
Eden Taylor-Draper as Belle Dingle
Emma Atkins as Charity Dingle
Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle
Tony Audenshaw as Bob Hope
Patrick Mower as Rodney Blackstock
Nicola Wheeler as Nicola King
Zoe Henry as Rhona Goskirk
Rosie Bentham as Gabby Thomas
Charlotte Bellamy as Laurel Thomas
Lucy Pargeter as Chas Dingle
Danny Miller as Aaron Dingle
Nick Miles as Jimmy King
Jack Downham as Noah Dingle
Katie Hill as Sarah Sugden
Gabrielle Dowling as Cathy Hope
Alfie Clarke as Arthur Thomas
Natalie J. Robb as Moira Dingle
Ash Palmisciano as Matty Barton
Chris Bisson as Jai Sharma
Joe-Warren Plant as Jacob Gallagher
Laura Norton as Kerry Wyatt
Michelle Hardwick as Vanessa Woodfield
Michael Parr as Ross Barton
Jonny McPherson as Liam Cavanagh
Amelia Flanagan as April Windsor
Amy Walsh as Tracy Shankley
Karen Blick as Lydia Dingle
Andrew Scarborough as Graham Foster
Olivia Bromley as Dawn Taylor
James Moore as Ryan Stocks
Rebecca Sarker as Manpreet Sharma
Jay Kontzle as Billy Fletcher
Bradley Johnson as Vinny Dingle
Joshua Richards as Bear Wolf
Lawrence Robb as Mackenzie Boyd
Kevin Mathurin as Charles Anderson
Louise Jameson as Mary Goskirk
William Ash as Caleb Milligan
Flo Wilson as Claudette Anderson
Beth Cordingly as Ruby Fox-Milligan
Georgia Jay as Steph Milligan
Caroline Harker as Caitlin Todd
Fred Kettle as Dylan Penders
Shebz Miah as Kammy Hadiq
Bradley Riches as Lewis Barton
Recurring cast:
Andy Moore as Mike Swirling
Harvey Rogerson as Leo Goskirk
Huey Quinn as Kyle Winchester
Kai Assi as Archie Breckle
Charlie Munro Joyce as Carl Holliday
Arthur Cockroft as Moses Dingle
Jack Jennings as Johnny Woodfield
Tilly-Rue Foster as Dotty Thomas
Bobby Dunsmoir as Isaac Dingle
Noah Ryan Aspinall as Lucas Taylor
Bella James as Eve Dingle
Adam Pryor as Harry Sugden
Eden Ratcliffe-Knights as Frankie Robinson
Bertie Brotherton as Thomas Tate
Mabel Addison as Clemmie Reed
Alice Mauve as Ivy Malcoms
Malachi McKenzie as Evan Fletcher
This article was first published on October 25, 2024 and has since been updated.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8:00pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
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