Brian Ian Francis "Biff" Fowler is a fictional character from the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
television soap opera ''
Emmerdale
''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British soap opera that is broadcast on ITV1. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, ...
'', played by Stuart Wade from 1994 until 1999. Wade reprised his role as Biff in 2005 in a one-off appearance for
Seth Armstrong
Archibald Seth Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, '' Emmerdale'', played by Stan Richards from 1978 until 2004. The role of Seth began as a temporary "bit part" and he due to appear for just a few episodes, ...
's (
Stan Richards
Stanley Richardson, known professionally as Stan Richards (8 December 1930 – 11 February 2005), was an English television actor, best known for his portrayal of Seth Armstrong in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Career
He played the ...
) funeral.
Development
Three weeks after starting drama college, Wade was cast as Biff. He was initially contracted for five months.
He was introduced as a friend of
Luke McAllister (
Noah Huntley
Noah Cornelius Marmaduke Huntley (born 7 September 1974) is an English actor and model. He has appeared in films such as ''28 Days Later'' (2002), '' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' (2005), ''Snow White and the ...
). Of his character, Wade commented "He's a bit of a thug. He strikes up a friendship with Luke because they share a passion for bikes. And he's just the type of guy to lead Luke astray."
Biff and Luke were members of the show's new "brat pack", along with Luke's sister
Jessica McAllister (
Camilla Power
Camilla Joy Cynthia Power (born 13 November 1976) is an Irish-born English actress. She is best known for her appearances in the television series ''Emmerdale'' and '' Waterloo Road''.
Early life and education
Power was born in Cork, Ireland, a ...
) and Dolores Sharp (Samantha Hurst). The characters were credited with giving the soap "a whole new look", and their friendship and romance storylines also become popular with viewers.
Wade reprised the role in 2005 for
Seth Armstrong
Archibald Seth Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, '' Emmerdale'', played by Stan Richards from 1978 until 2004. The role of Seth began as a temporary "bit part" and he due to appear for just a few episodes, ...
's (
Stan Richards
Stanley Richardson, known professionally as Stan Richards (8 December 1930 – 11 February 2005), was an English television actor, best known for his portrayal of Seth Armstrong in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Career
He played the ...
) funeral.
Storylines
Biff first appears in Emmerdale as a biker and school friend of Luke McAllister. Biff has a romance with Luke's sister, Jessica and later moves in with
Betty Eagleton
Betty Eagleton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Paula Tilbrook. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 April 1994. Betty is characterised as the village gossip wh ...
(
Paula Tilbrook
Paula Tilbrook (16 January 1930 – 1 December 2019) was an English actress who played Betty Eagleton in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' from 1994 to 2015.
Career
Born in Salford, Tilbrook begun her career performing on stage across North Ea ...
) and Seth Armstrong as their lodger. Following Jessica's departure, He then begins dating
Linda Glover
Linda Fowler (also Glover) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Tonicha Jeronimo from 1994 to 1997. It was reported on 6 May 1997 that Jeronimo had quit the soap after three years. The character wa ...
(
Tonicha Jeronimo
Tonicha Dobre (née Jeronimo; born 4 November 1977) is a British actress, born in Jersey, of partial Portuguese extraction. She is best known for her role as Linda Fowler in ''Emmerdale'' between 1994 and 1997 when her character was killed off. ...
) and they marry on Christmas Eve 1996, however the day is marred by Linda's brother
Dave Glover
David "Dave" Glover is a fictional character from the British television soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Ian Kelsey. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 August 1994. The character was introduced in a bid to attra ...
(
Ian Kelsey
Ian Kelsey (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Dave Glover in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Patrick Spiller in the BBC medical drama '' Casualty'', DI Richard Mayne in the ITV crime drama '' Blue Mur ...
) being caught in a fire at home farm and further tragedy strikes when Dave dies the following day in hospital.
Biff and Linda are delighted when Linda falls pregnant in early 1997; but their happiness is cut short when she has a
miscarriage. Linda is killed in a car crash in October 1997 as a result of
Lord Alex Oakwell
Alex, Lord Oakwell is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Rupam Maxwell. The actor auditioned for the part of Alex and was told he had won the role on the same day. His casting was announced in June ...
(Rupam Maxwell) being high on cocaine, which leaves Biff devastated. He then has a
one-night stand
A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
with
Kelly Windsor
Kelly Windsor (also Glover) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Adele Silva. The character first appeared on 10 August 1993. Silva portrayed her from August 1993 until November 2000. In February 2 ...
(
Adele Silva
Adele Silva (born 19 November 1980) is an English actress. She played the role of Kelly Windsor in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' on and off from 1993 to 2011. In 1989, she had a minor role in the final classic series ''Doctor Who'' story '' ...
), his brother-in-law
Roy
Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin.
In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...
's (
Nicky Evans
Nicky Evans (born 20 April 1979) is an English actor who is best known for playing the roles of Shane Maguire on Channel 4's hit comedy drama '' Shameless'' and Roy Glover on the ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale''. He has also played roles in vari ...
) girlfriend, the following month. Kelly becomes pregnant but miscarries after she is pushed down the stairs by
Kim Tate
Kim Taylor (also Barker, Marchant and Tate) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Claire King. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 12 December 1989. Kim is portrayed in the ser ...
(
Claire King
Jayne Claire King (born Jayne Claire Seed; 10 January 1962) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Kim Tate in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' and Karen Betts in '' Bad Girls''. She has appeared in the fourth series of ''Stric ...
). The following year, Biff has a fling with Alex's ex-wife
Lady Tara Oakwell
Lady Tara Thornfield (also Cockburn and Lady Oakwell) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Anna Brecon. She made her first on screen appearance on 31 July 1997. She remained on and off in the show until ...
(
Anna Brecon
Anna Brecon (born 1971), or Anna Juliet Davis, is an English actress, best known for portraying Tara Reynolds ('Lady Tara') in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Early life
Born in Salisbury,“DAVIS Anna Juliet / PRITCHARD / Salisbury 7c 24 ...
) but she dumps him to marry
Lord Michael Thornfield (
Malcolm Stoddard
Malcolm Stoddard (born 20 July 1948) is a British actor who has appeared in films and television.
Early life
He attended the all-male grammar school Chichester High School For Boys.
Career
His TV credits include '' The Voyage of Charles Darwin' ...
). Biff then begins dating
Kathy Glover
Katherine "Kathy" Brookman (also Bates, Merrick, Tate and Glover) is a fictional character from the British television soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Malandra Burrows. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 Novem ...
(
Malandra Burrows
Malandra Elizabeth Burrows (born 4 November 1965) is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her long-running role as Kathy Glover in ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Early life
Burrows' first name, Malandra, is a portmanteau of her pa ...
), Dave's widow, and they plans to marry but on their wedding day,
Graham Clark (
Kevin Pallister
Graham Clark is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Kevin Pallister. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 19 August 1998.
Creation and casting
In early August 1998, Steven ...
) shows up and Biff began to have doubts about marrying Kathy as he realises that Kathy saw a lot of Graham and was close to him. Biff jilted her at the altar, leaving Kathy distraught.
Marlon Dingle
Marlon Dingle is a fictional character from the British television soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Mark Charnock. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 October 1996.
Storylines
Marlon comes to Emmerdale to stay wit ...
(
Mark Charnock
Mark Charnock (born 28 August 1968) is an English actor, known for his role in ITV's ''Emmerdale'' as Marlon Dingle, a role he has played since 1996. Charnock and ''Emmerdale'' co-star Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy Kirk, produce a yearly ''Zom ...
) wonders whether he will see his good friend again and Biff rode off on his motorbike, into the sunset.
Six years later, Biff briefly returns to Emmerdale, following the death of Seth. He meets a grieving Betty, who is reliving memories of Seth in his shed. Biff tells Betty that she can stay in Keeper's Cottage for as long as she likes, despite her offering to move out. Biff comforts Betty as she explains that she does not want Seth to be cremated and he suggests that she stop the cremation after the wake. Biff attends the wake in The Woolpack and leaves again, following the funeral.
Reception
Paul Simper of the ''
Radio Times'' observed that Biff was "unlucky in love" throughout his time in the show, but thought he was "something of a catch in ''Emmerdale'', a grafter with a good heart and his own set of wheels."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Biff
Emmerdale characters
Television characters introduced in 1994
Male characters in television