Victoria Sugden (also Barton) is a fictional character from the British 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 since 12 October 2006 by Isabel Hodgins. As a young child, Victoria was played by Jessica Heywood until 1997, followed by

Hannah Midgley Hannah Elizabeth Midgley (born 27 October 1993) is an English actress best known for playing Victoria Sugden on the ITV programme ''Emmerdale''. She replaced Jessica Haywood in 1997 and left in July 2006 to concentrate on her studies; she was ...

from 1997 to 2006. Victoria is currently the longest serving female character on the soap. Her storylines have included surviving an explosion which she caused, being put in psychiatric care, being bullied at school, romancing with

Daz Eden Daz Eden is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Luke Tittensor. He made his first appearance in the show on 9 October 2003. Six years into his tenure on the soap, it was announced that Tittensor had b ...

(

Luke Tittensor Luke James Tittensor (born 3 November 1989) is an English actor best known for his role as Carl Gallagher in '' Shameless'' (a role he shared with his twin brother, Elliott Tittensor) and his role as Daz Eden in '' Emmerdale''. Career Tittens ...

), marrying Adam Barton (

Adam Thomas Adam Thomas (born 11 August 1988) is an English actor, known for his roles as Donte Charles in the BBC One school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' (2006–2009, 2022–present) and Adam Barton in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' (2009� ...

), accidentally running over

Ashley Thomas Ashley Thomas is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by John Middleton. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 December 1996. It was announced on 22 October 2015 that Middlet ...

( John Middleton), coping when Adam goes on the run, falling in love with Adam's brother Matty (Ash Palmisciano) and being the victim of

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...

during her night out in April 2019, leading to her

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestation, gestates) inside a woman, woman's uterus (womb). A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occur ...

as a result and giving birth to a son named

Harry Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

Storylines

Victoria is first introduced on 31 March 1994 after being born to

Jack Sugden John Jacob "Jack" Sugden is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. The character was originally played by Andrew Burt from 1972 to 1973 with a ...

(

Clive Hornby Clive William Hornby (20 October 1944 – 3 July 2008) was an English actor, best known for his role as Jack Sugden in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. He first appeared in the programme (then named ''Emmerdale Farm'') in 1980, and remained in ...

) and

Sarah Connolly Dame Sarah Patricia Connolly (born 13 June 1963) is an English mezzo-soprano. Although best known for her baroque and classical roles, Connolly has a wide-ranging repertoire which has included works by Wagner as well as various 20th-century ...

(then Madeleine Howard). When Victoria stops breathing due to a hole in her heart, she requires an operation, and later makes a full recovery.

Andy Hopwood Andy Sugden (also Hopwood) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Kelvin Fletcher. He made his first on-screen appearance on 4 July 1996. Andy is the son of Billy Hopwood (David Crellin) and Trisha H ...

(

Kelvin Fletcher Kelvin Warren Fletcher (born 17 January 1984) is an English actor, model, racing driver and presenter. He played Andy Sugden in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', a role he played from 1996 until 2016. In 2019, Fletcher won the seventeenth ser ...

) visits the farm with other children from a care home and becomes friends with Victoria's brother

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

( Christopher Smith), and the Sugdens eventually adopt him. The Sugdens struggle financially so Richie Carter (Glenn Lamont) becomes their new lodger; Sarah and Richie begin an affair and she left Jack for him, moving into Pear Tree Cottage together. Jack and Sarah (now

Alyson Spiro Alyson Spiro is a British actress, best known for portraying Sarah Sugden on the British television soap opera ''Emmerdale'' from 1994–2000. She took over the role from Madeleine Howard, after she decided to leave the ITV show after six years ...

) battle for custody of the children and Sarah wins custody of Victoria. Victoria collapses and is rushed to hospital, where she is diagnosed with a ruptured appendix. Times are difficult for the Sugdens but life is made easier by Jack's relationship with Woolpack landlady, Diane Blackstock (

Elizabeth Estensen Elizabeth Estensen (born 10 August 1949) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Diane Sugden on the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' from 1999 to 2021, with a guest stint in 2022. She has also made appearances in various British te ...

). Victoria befriends Kayleigh Gibbs (Lily Jane Stead) at school and helps get her father, Martin Crowe (

Graeme Hawley Graeme Hawley (born 28 November 1975) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as John Stape in the British soap ''Coronation Street''. Career Hawley graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1996 with a degree in Drama, b ...

) together with

Louise Appleton Louise Appleton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Emily Symons. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 June 2001. Louise arrived in the village as a temporary bar ...

(

Emily Symons Emily Symons (born 10 August 1969) is an Australian-born actress, active on both Australian and British television. She is known for playing Anne Costello in the short-lived soap opera '' Richmond Hill'' in 1988 and when that series ended, from ...

). The girls misbehave, gatecrashing

Jamie Hope Jamie Hope is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. He was played by Alex Carter and first appeared on screen on 16 February 2006. He last appeared on 21 May 2010, after Carter quit the soap in order to pursue ...

's ( Alex Carter) rave and starting a campaign of terror against pensioner

Edna Birch Edna Birch is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Shirley Stelfox. She made her first appearance during the episode first broadcast on 25 May 2000. Edna is characterised as a proud and independent Ch ...

(

Shirley Stelfox Shirley Rosemary Stelfox (11 April 1941 – 7 December 2015) was an English actress, known for her portrayal of the character Edna Birch, a moralising busybody in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', and as Rose, the vampy sister of the snobby ...

), culminating in Edna slapping Victoria. They also tell

Aaron Livesy Aaron Dingle (previously Sugden-Dingle, also Livesy) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Danny Miller. The character was originally played by Danny Webb and appeared in a recurring capacity. Aaron made ...

(Danny Webb) about

Carl King Carl Thomas King is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Tom Lister. The character and casting were announced in January 2004 when it was announced that producers were bringing "four new single 'hun ...

's ( Tom Lister) one-night stand with

Del Dingle Del Dingle is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Hayley Tamaddon. She made her first on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 July 2005. Casting On 1 June 2005, Kris Green of Digital ...

(

Hayley Tamaddon Hayley Soraya Tamaddon (born 24 January 1977) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in the ITV soap operas as Del Dingle in ''Emmerdale'' and Andrea Beckett in ''Coronation Street''. Tamaddon won the fifth series of ''Dancing on I ...

). Victoria (now played by Isabel Hodgins) returns from Annie in Spain, later than expected, prompting Jack and Diane to worry but returns safely. Victoria and Kayleigh go clubbing but Kayleigh leaves early. Victoria flirts with an older boy and he tries to force himself on her but

Billy Hopwood William "Billy" Hopwood is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by David Crellin. Casting Crellin first appeared in ''Emmerdale'' in 1997, when Billy was one of a host of new characters producers introd ...

(

David Crellin David Crellin (born 1961) is an English actor. Crellin, who was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, is known for roles in ''Emmerdale'' as Billy Hopwood, BBC 2's BAFTA award-winning series '' The Cops'' as Alan Wakefield, and ''Coronation Stree ...

) stops him. Billy drives her home but his brakes fail, due to

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 '' ...

) sabotaging them, and they crash into a lake. Victoria almost drowns, only escaping as Jack, Andy and Daz arrive. Jack blames Billy until Victoria told him that Billy had saved her life. Victoria's fear of water returns to haunt her on a canoeing trip where she freaks out and hits her instructor, Christian Schwarz and is suspended as a result. Victoria searches for the truth about

Sarah Sugden Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pi ...

's (

) death, but nobody is willing to discuss it. Jack is evasive, but

Jasmine Thomas Jasmine Thomas is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Jenna-Louise Coleman. She made her first screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 30 June 2005 and her last appearance on 26 March 2009. C ...

(

Jenna-Louise Coleman Jenna-Louise Coleman (born 27 April 1986), known professionally as Jenna Coleman, is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jasmine Thomas in the soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Clara Oswald in the science-fiction series '' Doctor Who'', ...

) shows her an article in the ''Hotten Courier'' about Sarah's death seven years earlier. She then investigates after Jack becomes more and more evasive. She tracks down Richie who tells her Jack was not responsible but she doesn't believe him and on her return to the village, she steals a can of petrol from the garage and douses the house with it, threatening to set the place alight unless the truth is told. Andy confesses but when Jack tries to clean Victoria's bloody head after a fall with water from the hot tap on a flannel, it makes the house explode. The Sugdens escape, assisted by Billy and

Jonny Foster Jonathan "Jonny" Foster is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Richard Grieve. He appeared from 2007 to 2008 and in 2009. Openly gay, in 2008 Jonny enters into a civil partnership with Paul Lambert ...

(

Richard Grieve Richard Grieve (born 25 January 1970) is an Australian actor, who has worked extensively in film, television, theatre and musical theatre, but is perhaps best known for his roles in the British soap ''Emmerdale'', and two Australian television s ...

). Victoria is charged and placed in psychiatric care, which gets her bullied at school. Andy is arrested and jailed for three years but eventually freed. When Andy begins beating his ex-wife, Jo (

Roxanne Pallett Roxanne Carrion (born Roxanne Kaboli-Nejad, later Roxanne Pallett; 26 December 1982) is an English actress, television personality, and broadcaster. She played Jo Stiles in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' (2005–2008), and has appeared in th ...

), Victoria refuses to have anything to do with him. While messing around with other local teens, Victoria falls through the ice and nearly drowns. While under the water, Victoria finds a corpse which is later identified as missing police officer

Shane Doyle The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' in 2008, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the soap's executive producer, Keith Richardson. Shane Doyle Shane Do ...

( Paul McEwan). Annie informs the family of Jack's death in February 2009, leaving them devastated. Daz admits he will always be there for her and resultantly they begin sleeping together, despite the fact Daz is dating

Scarlett Nicholls Scarlett Mary Nicholls is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale''. She is played by Kelsey-Beth Crossley and made her first appearance on 2 March 2007. It was announced on 8 May 2011 that Crossley was leaving the s ...

( Kelsey-Beth Crossley). Victoria is hurt when Daz decides to remain with Scarlett and tells him she is pregnant but it turns out to be a lie. Scarlett soon finds out the truth when Daz jealously attacks Aaron (now Danny Miller), after catching him and Victoria together. Victoria befriends

Hannah Barton The following is a list of characters who first appeared in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' in 2009, by order of first appearance. Characters until March were introduced by executive producer Keith Richardson, with Steve Frost taking over a ...

(

Grace Cassidy Grace May Cassidy (born 24 March 1993) is an English actress. She began her career as a child actress in the BBC One drama '' The Chase'' (2006–2007), the CBBC series ''Grange Hill'' (2007–2008), and the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' (2009– ...

), daughter of the new tenants at Butler's Farm but Kayleigh does not like her and begins bullying Hannah. Eventually, Victoria tires of this behaviour and cuts Kayleigh out of her life. She also makes friends with

Amy Wyatt Amy Wyatt is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Natalie Ann Jamieson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 October 2010, played by Chelsea Halfpenny. Since her inception Amy has been cent ...

(

Chelsea Halfpenny Chelsea Halfpenny (born 26 September 1991) is an English actress, known for her roles as Amy Wyatt in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' and Alicia Munroe in the BBC drama '' Casualty''. She played Jenna Hunterson in the 2022 UK Tour of ''Wai ...

) and they soon become close friends.

Alex Moss The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' in 2011, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the soap's executive producer, Steve Frost. Flynn Buchanan Flynn Bucha ...

(Kurtis Stacey) the new farmhand at Butler's Farm arrives and they become a couple. Alex's incessant flirting with other women drives Victoria to dump him. When she feels she has made a mistake, Victoria tries to get Alex back but is horrified to discover he is involved with

Moira Barton Moira Dingle (also Barton) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Natalie J. Robb. The actress successfully auditioned for the role after a call came through her agent. Robb's character and her family wer ...

( Natalie J. Robb). During this time Victoria buys

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 ...

's (

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 ...

) house on the condition that she and Alan Turner (

Richard Thorp Richard Stanley Thorp (2 January 1932 – 22 May 2013) was an English actor. He was best known for his 30-year tenure portraying Alan Turner in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' from 1982 to 2013. He also appeared in films such as '' The Dam Bu ...

) stay on as tenants and Victoria agrees. Victoria begins a relationship with Adam Barton (

) but it breaks down when she find he is involved in illegal activities with Robbie Lawson (Jamie Shelton). Victoria later provides

Val Pollard Valerie "Val" Pollard (also Lambert) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Charlie Hardwick. She made her first screen appearance in the episodes broadcast on 1 February 2004. Val was introduced as ...

(

Charlie Hardwick Claire Elizabeth Hardwick (born 3 November 1960)
''

HIV positive The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immu ...

. Victoria tries to urge Val to tell her husband

Eric The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

(

Chris Chittell Christopher John Chittell (born 19 May 1948) is an English actor, known for his role as Eric Pollard in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. He has portrayed the role since 1986, making him the longest-serving cast member in the soap's history. ...

), but it takes a few weeks to actually tell Eric. Victoria is later stunned when she discovers that Diane and Eric slept together after Val reveals their secret to the regulars of The Woolpack. Victoria, however, sticks up for Diane. She and Eric later rush to the scene when Val sustains a fall in the village and cuts her knee. Victoria befriends newcomer

Finn Barton ''Emmerdale'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 16 October 1972. The following is a list of characters that first appeared during 2013, by order of first appearance. Ross Barton ( Michael Parr) made his debut in July. Joanie Wright ( Den ...

(

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), who reveals that he is

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

and has feelings for

David Metcalfe David Metcalfe is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Matthew Wolfenden. Storylines Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) had never divorced from his first wife, Eileen (Arbel Jones), and went on to have an ...

(

Matthew Wolfenden Matthew Wolfenden (born 5 May 1980) is an English actor best known for his role as David Metcalfe in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale''. Early life Wolfenden was born in Norwood Green, West Yorkshire. He was educated at Brighouse High Sc ...

), who owns the local shop. Robert (now played by

Ryan Hawley Ryan Alexander Hawley (born 21 September 1985) is an English actor, known for his portrayal of Robert Sugden in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' from 2014 to 2019. Early life Hawley, son of Christine and Steve, spent his childhood partly in ...

) returns to the village in October with fiancée

Chrissie White Chrissie White (23 May 1895 – 18 August 1989) was a British film actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 180 films between 1908 and 1933. White married actor and film director Henry Edwards in 1922, and in the 1920s the two ...

(

Louise Marwood Louise Marwood (born 13 March 1979) is an English actress and comedian, known for portraying the role of Chrissie White in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', which she played from 2014 until 2018. Early life Marwood was born on 13 March 1979 i ...

), her father

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

( John Bowe), and her teenage son Lachlan (Thomas Atkinson) in tow. Initially, Victoria is, like a majority of the village, bitter towards Robert, but as time passes, she warms to him again and comes to accept his return along with Andy. Victoria then restarts her relationship with Adam as he attempts to get her back by buying her a puppy, and cooking naked in The Woolpack kitchen. Victoria attends Robert and Chrissie's wedding, but it ends in tragedy when Andy discovers Katie's deceased body at Wylie's Farm; she had been pushed on to some loose floorboards by Robert. Victoria supports Andy as he attempts to commit suicide only hours after Katie's funeral. She pleads for him to see hope, along with Diane, Chrissie and Robert. Andy later goes to stay with the Whites at Home Farm. Victoria is heartbroken to learn that Adam has slept with local vet

Vanessa Woodfield ''Emmerdale'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 16 October 1972. The following is a list of characters that first appeared during 2012, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the soap's executive producer, Steve ...

( Michelle Hardwick), and has impregnated her. She goes on a downward spiral, and slaps Vanessa in the street when she sees her. The following day, Adam notices Victoria attempting to drive her car, knowing that she has not passed her driving test and does not have a provisional license, and tries to stop her. She does not listen, and as she drives off, she runs over

( John Middleton). He appears to be fine, however, he later collapses and is comatose. Victoria is terrified she will be imprisoned, so Adam gives her a false alibi. However, Ashley's alcoholic ex-wife

Laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

(

Charlotte Bellamy Charlotte Bellamy (born 19 March 1973) is an English actress. She is known for her long-running role as Laurel Thomas in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. Her other television roles include Sue Taylor in ''EastEnders'' (1997) and Harriet Potter ...

) drunkenly announces that Ashley has died while in hospital, unaware that he is still comatose. Victoria cannot deal with her guilt and hands herself in to the police, and she is arrested. She is later released, and is delighted to hear that Ashley is alive. Ashley later learns that he now has

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...

following the accident. Adam and Victoria rekindle their relationship and decide to run away and get married, with the help of Aaron. Robert and Andy are furious to discover this, but Adam and Victoria leave before they can stop them. Victoria is attacked at the scrapyard by

Holly Barton Holly Barton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Emmerdale'', played by Sophie Powles. She made her first on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 July 2009. Holly was introduced to the soap as part of th ...

's ( Sophie Powles) drug dealer, but she fights back. A week later, Victoria accidentally sprays Finn after mistaking him as the attacker. Victoria is scared to find a man had broken into her Diddy Diner truck, and even more so when the culprit knew her. She is shocked but pleased when the man turns out to be Hannah Barton, who had transitioned into a man and went by the name

Matty Barton The following is a list of characters who first appeared in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' in 2009, by order of first appearance. Characters until March were introduced by executive producer Keith Richardson, with Steve Frost taking over a ...

(Ash Palmisciano). Matty reveals that Moira was unaccepting about the change and has thrown him out. Matty makes the decision to return to

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, despite Victoria's offers to allow him to stay with her. She drops Matty off at the train station when Cain fails to convince him to stay. After being beaten up, Matty decides to come back and stay with Moira at Butler's farm. On a night out with her friends, Victoria is raped by

Lee Posner ''Emmerdale'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 16 October 1972. The following is a list of characters that appear during 2019, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the soap's executive producer, Jane Hudson. Th ...

(Kris Mochrie). She reports the rape to the police, and when his mother

Wendy Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries. In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...

( Susan Cookson) arrives in the village to confront Victoria on what Wendy believes are lies, Victoria begins to leave the house less often. Wendy moves to the village with son Luke (Max Parker), she is shocked to recognise him, since the pair have flirted before. The two begin a relationship, and although she struggles due to his connection with Lee, the pair begin dating.

Characterisation

On her character profile on the ITV website, it notes that growing up, Victoria "was easily led by her peers", but nowadays, she "knows how to stand up for herself". Victoria is billed as an "honest, fun, sarcastic, out-spoken, confident" character who enjoys socialising. It adds that she is "not afraid to use her sharp wit", and that she enjoys bossing her boyfriends around, and that if Victoria had one wish, it would be for an easy life.

Development

Rape

In 2019, producers of ''Emmerdale'' announced a special episode in which they planned to "experiment with non-linear storytelling and flashbacks", where it was confirmed that multiple characters' lives will "change for good" on a night out. It was later confirmed that the episode would explore Victoria getting raped. After Victoria is raped by Lee, actress Hodgins appeared on '' This Morning'' to speak about the storyline. She stated that it has been the "grittiest" storyline she has been involved in to date, and although it was a "journey", she enjoyed being part of the story from an acting perspective. Presenter Philip Schofield asked if she felt pressure portraying a victim of rape, to which she stated that she "massively" felt it. She explained that due to the relevance of an issue-led storyline which "happens to thousands of men and women", herself and the producers had a "big responsibility" to cover it well. To prepare for the storyline, Hodgins spoke with real-life victims, who recalled their experiences with rape to the actress. She stated that they were brave for being able to share their stories with her, noting that some were similar to her character's experience. Hodgins also spoke about the lack of support that Victoria receives from Robert, stating: "She's in one of the hardest positions someone can find themselves in, and who do you need to support you? Your family. So when Robert isn't supportive, that breaks her heart. Robert's her brother, she needs him there, she wants him there." In real life, Hodgins cut her "very thick, curly, unruly hair" due to wanting a different appearance, and when she told producers, they replied that her short hair "ties in with the story". She joked that life is "so much easier" due to the shortened time spent by hairstylists on set. Hodgins told producers to make her look "as awful" as they could possibly make her in the scenes where she realises she has been raped. She stated that in that scene, she was embarrassed to cry, since she has never been given the opportunity to have overly emotional scenes on the soap. While appearing on '' Loose Women'', Hodgins recalled: "Afterwards when he directorsaid cut, I just threw a blanket over my head. They asked what's going on and I said 'I'm embarrassed'". She noted that the scenes were "challenging" for her. Hodgins also detailed that the production team had to "negotiate" what they could show of the attack, since ''Emmerdale'' is transmitted before the 9pm watershed. She explained that they wanted to "get the message across

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

it was a brutal horrendous attack", while also respecting the watershed guidelines. Casualty

Lee's mother Wendy arrives in the village to confront Victoria, as she believes that Victoria is lying. Hodgins explains that Victoria is "shocked and scared" due to Wendy's arrival, and that immediately after meeting her, "Victoria knows that Wendy is an enemy". Hodgins notes that Wendy "has got her son's interests at heart", but since her beliefs contradict Victoria's experience, she knows it will be difficult to interact with Wendy "from the off". Victoria receives defence from her friends and family, but is "left feeling a little bit shellshocked" and "crumbles" due to not expecting Wendy's confrontation. Wendy brings Lee with her, and since it is the first time she has seen him since the rape, she "feels genuine fear", especially since they know where she works and lives, and can show up at any time. Hodgins states that Victoria hates having "no control" over the situation, adding that the village being so small means that she is easy to find. A "harrowing twist" and "new trauma" for Victoria was later confirmed when it was revealed that she would discover she is pregnant with Lee's baby. Victoria decides to keep the baby, and feels that when it comes to informing Lee and Wendy, "it's none of their business". Hodgins states that Victoria is "more than happy" to raise the baby on her own, as she fears the pair will either "bully her into getting a termination", or that Lee may want to be involved. When Wendy moves to the village, Hodgins states that her character will feel "exhausted" and "frustrated" due to Wendy not allowing her to move emotionally to "the next chapter of her life". She explains that Victoria tries not to be too stressed due to her pregnancy, but that "hating someone is exhausting". Wendy's house is vandalised due to her reputation as the mother and defender of a rapist, to which Victoria feels "a little bit guilty". Due to her confrontations with Wendy and Wendy's vandalism, Victoria feels like the pair of them are "being punished" for what Lee has done. Hodgins stated: "She thinks surely the best thing to happen would be for Wendy to leave and then they can both have a nice life."

Becoming a mother

Following the decision to keep the baby, Victoria goes into labour in the episode transmitted on 31 December 2019, New Year's Eve. Prior to filming the scenes, Hodgins stated that she is finding it "nerve-wracking", accrediting her nerves to the fact she had never given birth in real life. She approached her sister, who has had two children, as well as ''Emmerdale'' co-star Charley Webb, a mother of three, for advice. Also in preparation, she used a day off from work to watch the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

documentary series ''

One Born Every Minute ''One Born Every Minute'' is a British observational documentary series which shows activities taking place in the labour ward. The first series aired on Channel 4 in 2010, the second in 2011. Series 7 made its debut on 10 March 2015. Productio ...

'', as well as birthing

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. She added: "I take my hat off to anyone who's had a baby – well done, you are amazing!" Speaking about her character's maternal skills, she opined that Victoria would be a good mother, labelling her "mother earth". However, she explained that it "takes a village to raise a child", and if she shuts people out due to her rape ordeal, she may struggle to cope. She expressed her wishes for Victoria's journey with birthing to be "smooth sailing", due to her hard times in recent months, adding: "She can't take any more!" Following the scenes being filmed, Hodgins admitted that she was "exhausted". She described the filming process as "honestly the most exhausting day in er''Emmerdale'' history", and stated that she went to sleep immediately after returning home. She joked that she had "earned her money that day" due to the " fake pushing, grunting and moaning". Hodgins found the birthing vlogs helpful, as it showed her that the "intense pain" of childbirth comes from within. She attempted to emulate the behaviour that she saw in the videos, since she "wanted the scenes to look real". On working with a real baby, she stated that she was not phased, since she has experience working with babies on set. However, despite her experience, she tried hard to interact with the baby as accurately as possible, so that viewers would not think "oh, she's clearly never had a baby before", as she felt that "would have detracted away from the enormous moment when Victoria meets the baby". Hodgins joked that she would miss wearing the fake baby bump, since it kept her warm in the winter, but expressed her excitement at "the next chapter" of Victoria's story.

Reception

The accident involving Victoria and Billy was nominated for "Spectacular Scene of the Year" at the 2007 British Soap Awards. At the 2009 ceremony, Hodgins was nominated for Best Young Performance, and the scene of Victoria falling through the ice won the award for Most Spectacular Scene.

References

External links

Victoria Sugden
at

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sugden, Victoria Emmerdale characters Female characters in television Fictional bartenders Fictional chefs Fictional orphans Fictional victims of sexual assault Television characters introduced in 1994