Emmerdale in 2021

2021 was Emmerdale's 50th year. Production was overseen by producers Kate Brooks and Laura Shaw and executive producer Jane Hudson.
318 episodes were broadcast during the year. Major storylines included psychopath Meena Jutla's murdering spree that ended the lives of Leanna Cavanagh, Andrea Tate and Ben Tucker, Paul Ashdale's death in an explosion caused by Jimmy King and the fallout of his abuse of his son Vinny Dingle, Gabby Thomas falling pregnant with Jamie Tate's baby, Jamie poisoning his mother Kim in a whodunnit plot, Al Chapman's plan to sabotage The Woolpack in order to turn it into a block of flats, Jimmy and Nicola King's battle with Juliette Holliday over the custody of their son Carl, Liv Flaherty's alcoholism, the disastrous survival challenge in October, Sarah Sugden getting to know the sister of her heart donor and Tracy Metcalfe suffering from postnatal depression.
==Production==
2021's production of Emmerdale continued to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as social distancing measures had to be upheld during filming, resulting in less intimate scenes between characters as well as more scenes filmed outdoor and lack of crowd scenes. The big exception being their much hyped up 'Super Soap Week', airing in October, which saw actors isolating beforehand in order to film without regulations and featured a big waterfall stunt as well as the death of two major characters and official beginning of Meena Jutla's (Paige Sandhu) serial killer arc as she took the life of her fourth victim. 
Departures came in the form of Meena's aforementioned murder victims, including Leanna Cavanagh played by Mimi Slinger in July, Andrea Tate played by Anna Nightingale in October and Ben Tucker played by Simon Lennon in November. All of the actors involved expressed a decision to leave the soap and their exits were incorporated into Meena's serial killer arc, a storyline which saw Sandhu being awarded "Best Villain" at the 2021 Inside Soap Awards. Other departures included Charley Webb as Debbie Dingle in February after briefly returning to the soap the previous December and Max Parker as Luke Posner in June. Reece Dinsdale made his final appearance as Paul Ashdale in March in an episode which saw the character's demise in big stunt. Although it had previously been confirmed that Emmerdale would be killing off a character, the identity of the victim was kept secret until the episode aired. Following his onscreen exit, Dinsdale continued working on Emmerdale as a director. 
Elizabeth Estensen made her final appearance as Diane Sugden in October after 22 years on the soap as she had decided to take a break from acting. Alexander Lincoln made his final appearance as Jamie Tate in November as the character made a surprise return after being believed to be dead since September. He was reunited with his daughter Millie Tate, played by Willow Bell, in an episode which saw the exit for both characters. An exit was confirmed for Aaron Dingle when it was announced in November that actor Danny Miller would be competing in the ITV competition series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and it was announced he would not be returning to Emmerdale following his participation. Aaron made his on-screen exit in December following the death of his boyfriend, Ben. 
On 12th October 2021, it was announced that Emmerdale would partake in a special crossover event involving major British soaps, Casualty, Coronation Street, Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City and Hollyoaks to promote the topic of climate change ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The event was first suggested by Emmerdale's executive producer Jane Hudson. The Emmerdale storyline saw Liam Cavanagh, with the help of teenager Amelia Spencer, starting an allotment in memory of his daughter Leanna where he would grow his own food which would help reduce food miles in the village. As part of the crossover event, an episode of Coronation Street aired on 1st November saw scenes of two characters referencing Liam's work as they watched a "viral video" of Liam and Amelia doing their "Doctor Dig" dance. Emmerdale itself paid tribute to Casualty on 4th November as Liam spoke of Dylan Keogh who he referred to as an old colleague at "Holby City hospital".
==Viewership==
The average viewing figure for the year was 4.90 million viewers, which was down 980,000 on 2020. The most-watched episode of the year was Episode 8933 (4th January 2021), with 5.94 million viewers, while the least-watched episode was Episode 9085 (29th June 2021), with 3.66 million viewers. 31 episodes ranked within the weekly top 10 for all UK TV, which was 40 less than the year before.
==Episodes==
==Main Cast==
Ranking	Character 	Played by 	Duration 	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1 	Chas Dingle 	Lucy Pargeter 	Full year 	165 	2908 	11
2 	Meena Jutla 	Paige Sandhu 	Full year 	143 	165 	60
3 	Gabby Thomas 	Rosie Bentham 	Full year 	140 	1032 	25
4 	Kim Tate 	Claire King 	Full year, except August 	139 	1179 	21
5 	Mackenzie Boyd 	Lawrence Robb 	Full year 	125 	155 	52
6 	Liv Flaherty 	Isobel Steele 	Full year, except October 	123 	557 	33
7 	Marlon Dingle 	Mark Charnock 	Full year, except June 	119 	3457 	9
8 	Charles Anderson 	Kevin Mathurin 	Full year 	116 	119 	85
9 	Aaron Dingle 	Danny Miller 	Until September, November to December 	115 	1592 	35
10 	Nicola King 	Nicola Wheeler 	Full year 	113 	2450 	35
11 	Vinny Dingle 	Bradley Johnson 	Until August, from November 	106 	229 	20
12 	Cain Dingle 	Jeff Hordley 	Full year, except October 	105 	2703 	2
13 	Mandy Dingle 	Lisa Riley 	Full year, except October 	103 	752 	7
14 	Dawn Taylor 	Olivia Bromley 	Full year, except August 	102 	369 	3
15 	Al Chapman 	Michael Wildman 	Until June, from September 	101 	247 	18
15 	Manpreet Sharma 	Rebecca Sarker 	Full year 	101 	260 	37
15 	Tracy Metcalfe 	Amy Walsh 	Full year 	101 	818 	14
18 	Will Taylor 	Dean Andrews 	Full year 	99 	264 	4
19 	Charity Dingle 	Emma Atkins 	Full year 	98 	2516 	5
19 	David Metcalfe 	Matthew Wolfenden 	Until October 	98 	1829 	43
19 	Priya Kotecha 	Fiona Wade 	Full year, except May 	98 	1115 	25
22 	Victoria Sugden 	Isabel Hodgins 	Until February, April to October 	97 	2202 	32
23 	Nate Robinson 	Jurell Carter 	Full year 	95 	301 	16
24 	Jamie Tate 	Alexander Lincoln 	Until September, November 	91 	472 	1
24 	Paddy Dingle 	Dominic Brunt 	Full year, except April 	91 	2852 	18
26 	Faith Dingle 	Sally Dexter 	From February 	86 	508 	N/A
26 	Leyla Harding/Cavanagh	Roxy Shahidi 	From March 	86 	1285 	11
28 	Jimmy King 	Nick Miles 	Full year, except September and November 	84 	2067 	50
29 	Ethan Anderson 	Emile John 	January to October, from December 	83 	83 	N/A
29 	Liam Cavanagh 	Jonny McPherson 	From April 	83 	331 	22
31 	Bernice Blackstock 	Samantha Giles 	From May 	78 	1440 	N/A
31 	Lydia Dingle 	Karen Blick 	Full year, except June 	78 	447 	23
33 	Bob Hope 	Tony Audenshaw 	Full year 	75 	2738 	33
34 	Eric Pollard 	Christopher Chittell 	Full year 	74 	3199 	52
34 	Jai Sharma 	Christopher Bisson 	Full year, except August 	74 	1428 	30
34 	Noah Dingle 	Jack Downham 	Full year, except March 	74 	614 	47
37 	Andrea Tate 	Anna Nightingale 	Until October 	72 	262 	13
37 	Ellis Chapman 	Aaron Anthony 	Full year, except May and July 	72 	291 	27
39 	Brenda Walker 	Lesley Dunlop 	Full year 	71 	1304 	42
40 	Amy Wyatt 	Natalie Ann Jamieson 	Full year 	70 	674 	49
40 	Moira Dingle 	Natalie J Robb 	Full year, except October 	70 	1697 	10
42 	Billy Fletcher 	Jay Kontzle 	Full year, except February 	66 	296 	16
43 	Laurel Thomas 	Charlotte Bellamy 	Full year, except April and September 	65 	2298 	27
44 	Diane Sugden 	Elizabeth Estensen 	January to March, May to October 	64 	3016 	66
45 	Harriet Finch 	Katherine Dow Blyton 	Full year, except June and August 	63 	794 	6
45 	Jacob Gallagher 	Joe-Warren Plant 	From June 	63 	715 	55
45 	Wendy Posner 	Susan Cookson 	Full year, except January and March 	63 	145 	39
48 	Rishi Sharma 	Bhasker Patel 	Until July, from October 	58 	783 	46
49 	Ben Tucker 	Simon Lennon 	January, May to August, October to December 	56 	64 	80
49 	Rhona Goskirk 	Zoe Henry 	Full year, except June and October 	56 	1306 	15
51 	Sarah Sugden 	Katie Hill 	Until April, July to November 	52 	942 	43
52 	April Windsor 	Amelia Flanagan 	January to February, April, from July 	46 	366 	63
53 	Paul Ashdale 	Reece Dinsdale 	Until April 	43 	101 	31
53 	Sam Dingle 	James Hooton 	Until May, August, from November 	43 	2267 	24
55 	Cathy Hope 	Gabrielle Dowling 	February, April, from July 	41 	254 	85
55 	Ryan Stocks 	James Moore 	Until January, from April 	41 	173 	63
57 	Belle Dingle 	Eden Taylor-Draper 	Full year, except April, July and September 	40 	1637 	8
58 	Matty Barton 	Ash Palmisciano 	Full year, except November 	39 	494 	39
59 	Rodney Blackstock 	Patrick Mower 	From March 	32 	1934 	72
60 	Bear Wolf 	Joshua Richards 	Full year, except January and June 	30 	139 	50
60 	Dan Spencer 	Liam Fox 	Until January, April to July, September to October, from December	30 	941 	37
62 	Leanna Cavanagh 	Mimi Slinger 	April to July 	28 	135 	45
63 	Luke Posner 	Max Parker 	January to February, April to June 	26 	84 	47
64 	Chloe Harris 	Jessie Elland 	From August 	25 	25 	N/A
64 	Frankie Robinson 	EzraEden Ratcliffe-Knights 	February to March, May to September, November 	25 	25 	N/A
66 	Carl Holliday 	Charlie Munro Joyce 	February to August, October 	24 	105 	83
66 	Zak Dingle 	Steve Halliwell 	Until February, from June 	24 	2889 	80
68 	Kerry Wyatt 	Laura Norton 	From November 	23 	1011 	60
69 	Debbie Dingle 	Charley Webb 	Until February 	21 	2345 	90
69 	Heath Hope 	Sebastian Dowling 	February, July to September, from November 	21 	236 	85
71 	Amelia Spencer 	Daisy Campbell 	Until January, from June 	17 	446 	41
72 	Millie Tate 	Willow Bell 	Until January, April to July, October to November 	13 	101 	54
73 	Samson Dingle 	Sam Hall 	February, May, July and December only 	11 	445 	75
74 	Lucas Taylor 	Dexter AnsellNoah Ryan Aspinall	January, March and December only 	9 	35 	56
75 	Amba Metcalfe 	Ava Jayasinghe 	From October 	7 	114 	85
75 	Angelica King 	Rebecca Bakes 	February, June and August only 	7 	302 	83
75 	Kyle Winchester 	Huey Quinn 	February and December only 	7 	222 	70
78 	Arthur Thomas 	Alfie Clarke 	February, from November 	5 	503 	56
78 	Leo Goskirk 	Harvey Rogerson 	July to November 	5 	271 	68
78 	Vanessa Woodfield 	Michelle Hardwick 	From December 	5 	980 	29
81 	Thomas Tate 	Bertie Brotherton 	October to November 	4 	4 	N/A
82 	Elliot Windsor 	Luca Hoyle 	June and August only 	3 	128 	85
83 	Theo Metcalfe 	Beau Newton 	August only 	2 	19 	74
84 	Archie Breckle 	Kai Assi 	December only 	1 	144 	72
84 	Dotty Thomas 	Ellerie Carroll 	December only 	1 	108 	70
84 	Eve Dingle 	Billy and Bonnie Clement 	September only 	1 	41 	59
84 	Harry Sugden 	Brody and Teddy Hall 	August only 	1 	25 	56
84 	Moses Dingle 	Arthur Cockroft 	December only 	1 	187 	78
==Storylines==
===January===
To be added.
==Who lives where==
Main Street
*Mulberry Cottage - Laurel, Arthur and Dotty Thomas. Gabby Thomas (until February). Jai Sharma and Archie Breckle (both from February).
* The Grange - Will Taylor (until January and February to March). Manpreet Sharma (January to February, and October to December). Jamie Tate (June to July). Meena Jutla (October to December).
*The Woolpack - Chas, Paddy, and Eve Dingle, and Bear Wolf (all until December). Charity and Noah Dingle (both January to February). Faith Dingle (April to June, and July to December). Al Chapman (November to December).
*Woodbine Cottage - Dawn Taylor. Harriet Finch (until January, and from September). Lucas Taylor (until January, and from March). Will Taylor (January to February, and March to September).
*Tug Ghyll - Tracy Metcalfe. Nate Robinson (until November, and December). Frankie Robinson (from February). Faith Dingle (March to April). Vanessa Woodfield (from December).
*Dale Head - Dan and Amelia Spencer. Harriet Finch (January to September). Jimmy King (July to August).
*Mill Cottage
**Apartment One - Aaron Dingle (until December). Liv Flaherty (until May, and June to December). Vinny Dingle (until March, and April to May). Chas, Paddy, Faith, and Eve Dingle, and Bear Wolf (all from December).
**Apartment Two - Charles and Ethan Anderson (both from March).
*Dale View - Wendy Posner. Andrea and Millie Tate (both until October). Luke Posner (until June). Ben Tucker (July to November). Manpreet Sharma and Meena Jutla (both from December).
*Connelton View - Bob, Cathy, and Heath Hope. Brenda Walker (until July).
*Victoria Cottage - Nicola, and Angelica King, Elliot Windsor, and Rodney Blackstock. Jimmy King (until July, and from August). Carl Holliday (unti May, June, and from August).
*Keepers Cottage - Victoria and Harry Sugden, and Amy Wyatt. Luke Posner (June only). Kerry Wyatt and Chloe Harris (both from November).
*Brook Cottage - Diane Sugden (until October). Gabby Thomas (February only). Charity Dingle (from February). Bernice Blackstock (May to November, and from December). Moses Dingle (from December).
Church Lane
*Farrers Barn - David and Theo Metcalfe. Leyla Harding (until May). Jacob Gallagher (from June). Meena Jutla (July to October).
*Tenant House - Liam Cavanagh. Leanna Cavanagh (until July). Leyla Cavanagh (from May).
*Jacobs Fold - Charity Dingle (until January). Noah Dingle (January, and from February). Sarah Sugden (from January). Debbie Dingle and Jack Sugden (both January to February). Belle Dingle (from February).
Hotten Road
*Smithy Cottage - Rhona and Leo Goskirk. Charles Anderson (January to March). Ethan Anderson (January/February to March). Marlon Dingle and April Windsor (both from April/May). Lydia Dingle (December only).
*Butlers Farm - Cain, Moira, and Isaac Dingle, Kyle Winchester and Matty Barton. Noah Dingle and Sarah Sugden (both until January). Mackenzie Boyd (until May). Nate Robinson (November to December).
Cricketer's Row
*Tall Trees Cottage - Billy Fletcher and Ellis Chapman. Marlon Dingle and April Windsor (both until April/May). Mackenzie Boyd and Ryan Stocks (both from May).
Robblesfield Way
*Wishing Well Barn - Eric Pollard. Faith Dingle (June to July). Brenda Walker (from July).
*Wishing Well Cottage - Sam, Lydia, Mandy, and Samson Dingle. Belle Dingle (until February). Paul Ashdale (until April). Zak Dingle (January to March, and from June). Vinny Dingle (March to April and from May).
*Holdgate Farm - Rishi Sharma, Priya Kotecha, and Amba Metcalfe. Jai Sharma and Archie Breckle (both until February). Manpreet Sharma (until January, and February to October). Meena Jutla (until July).
Connelton Lane
*Home Farm - Kim Tate. Jamie Tate (until June, and August to September). Gabby Thomas (from February). Millie Tate (October to November). Thomas Tate (from November). Bernice Blackstock (November to December). Will Taylor (from November).
*Lodge on Home Farm Estate - Mackenzie Boyd (January only).
*Gamekeepers Cottage, Home Farm - Will Taylor (September to November).
Other
*Hearse - Faith Dingle (February to March, and April).
*Demdyke - Pearl Ladderbanks.
*Skipdale Women's Prison - Liv Flaherty (from December).
*Leeds - Ryan Stocks (until May).
*Caravan park near Rhyll, Wales - Liv Flaherty (May to June).
==Who works where==
Main Street
*The Grange - Eric Pollard and Tracy Metcalfe. Diane Sugden (until November). Noah Dingle (from December). 
*The Woolpack - Chas, Marlon, Lydia and Mandy Dingle, Bob Hope and Matty Barton. Charity Dingle (until February). Luke Posner (until June). Ellis Chapman (November to December). 
*PampaManda - Mandy Dingle. Bernice Blackstock (from June). Kerry Wyatt (from December). 
*Take A Vow - Leyla Cavanagh. Andrea Tate (until October). Priya Kotecha (from March).
*Barton and Dingle Automotives - Cain Dingle and Dan Spencer. Will Taylor (until September). 
*Café Main Street - Brenda Walker, Bob Hope, Nicola King and Rodney Blackstock. 
Church Lane
*David's Shop - David Metcalfe, Matty Barton, Amy Wyatt and Jacob Gallagher. Kerry Wyatt (from December). 
*St. Mary's Church - Harriet Finch (until December). Charles Anderson (from January). 
Hotten Road
*Emmerdale Veterinary Surgery - Paddy Dingle, Vanessa Woodfield and Pearl Ladderbanks. Jamie Tate (until July). Dawn Taylor (from February). Rhona Goskirk (from December). 
*Butlers Farm - Moira Dingle. Rhona Goskirk (until December). Nate Robinson, Sam and Belle Dingle (from December). 
Robblesfield Way
*Hawksford Outdoor Pursuits - Jai Sharma, Kim Tate, Al Chapman, Victoria Sugden, Amy Wyatt, Ryan Stocks and Gabby Thomas. Dawn Taylor (until February). Liv Flaherty (from August). Ben Tucker (until November). 
*Holey Scrap - Vinny Dingle. Aaron Dingle (until December). 
*Home James Haulage - Jimmy and Nicola King. Charity Dingle and Mackenzie Boyd (both from April).
Other
*Home Farm Estate - Priya Kotecha, Kim Tate, Sam and Lydia Dingle. Noah Dingle (May to September). Will Taylor (from July).
*Abbott Lane Surgery - Manpreet Sharma, Wendy Posner and Meena Jutla. Liam Cavanagh (until August).
*Wylies Farm - Nate Robinson, Sam and Belle Dingle (until December).
*Chapman & Fletcher Personal Training - Billy Fletcher and Ellis Chapman.
==Awards and nominations==
To be added.
Category:Emmerdale year-by-year
Category:2021