List of Emmerdale characters (1990)

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale in 1990, by order of first appearance.

Charlie Aindow

Charlie Aindow, played by David Fleeshman, first appeared in the village in 1990. Charlie was a councillor but was not all he seemed. The truth was that he was corrupt and quickly got involved in dodgy schemes with local villain Eric Pollard.

Shortly after arriving, Charlie falls for feisty barmaid Dolly Acaster, whose ex-husband Matt Skilbeck has just left the village, leaving her depressed. After initial bonding, Charlie and Dolly begin an affair which carries on until the revelation that Dolly is pregnant brings him back to reality. Not wanting to be a father, Charlie advises Dolly to get an abortion, which she does. Despite this, he is devastated when she leaves the village in Autumn 1991 to reunite with Matt in Norfolk. Realising what he has lost and not popular amongst the villagers, Charlie leaves Beckindale in 1992.

In March 1994, Charlie returns to the village in the wake of the Emmerdale plane crash and is shocked to discover that Eric is suspected of murdering his wife Elizabeth Pollard. After visiting some familiar faces, he leaves once more.

Elizabeth Pollard

Elizabeth Pollard (née Jeffries, previously Feldmann), played by Kate Dove, arrived in the village with her son Michael and daughter Elsa in 1990. She found herself fighting for the affections of Alan Turner and Eric Pollard. Elizabeth chose Eric and married him in October 1992. She didn't know that Eric was still married to his first wife Eileen and was committing bigamy.

Eventually, Elizabeth discovered that Eric had planted a typewriter on her son, Michael, in order to disguise the fact that he himself had committed cheque fraud and was prepared to let Michael take the blame. On 30 December 1993, Elizabeth left Eric, informing him that she would report him to the police. He tried to dissuade her, saying that if she reported him, she herself would face prosecution for her role in the theft of antique vases, however, Elizabeth admitted that her own imprisonment would be worth that of Eric's. Shortly afterwards, Elizabeth was killed in the plane crash that struck the village. Her son, Michael, however, as well as a majority of villagers, believed that Eric had actually murdered her in order to stop her from exposing his fraudulent activities.

Legacy

Nearly seventeen years after her death, in December 2010, Eric started to receive notes, messages and Christmas greetings, signed from Elizabeth. Originally believing them to be from Amy Wyatt (Chelsea Halfpenny), it later transpired that Elizabeth's son Michael had been sending the notes and returned to the village after 16 years of absence, in order to make Eric pay for the murder of his mother. Eric told Val on 3 January 2011 about the night of the plane crash 17 years before and stated the events leading up to her death such as about the cheque fraud and stolen Roman bracelet. He then stated that he went round to see her then after a brief row she had stormed out of the house and he followed her, caught up with her and tried to get her to listen and that she had run off into the night screaming but a tree near her burst into flames as plane wreckage shot down and the sky lit up. Eric explains that he went back a bit later and found her dead. On 4 January 2011, Eric's current wife Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick) obtained the coroners report into Elizabeth's death which confirmed she had been killed by falling debris from the plane.

In May 2011, Eric mentioned her when he and David were looking for Amy in Hotten, and she is mentioned once again in July 2015 when Val, facing prison for committing fraud against the Bank, reminds Eric (who is upset over her actions) that he once tried to "defraud his dead ex-wife", referring to Elizabeth. In October 2015, Lawrence White (John Bowe) threatens Eric with legal action over his past if he gives evidence against Chrissie Sugden (Louise Marwood) in court. Lawrence tells Eric that he will get his lawyers to dig up dirt on his past, including "an ex-wife who died in mysterious circumstances" before saying "What was her name, Elizabeth?" His threat leads to Eric not giving evidence against Chrissie in court, suggesting that he may have had a more guilty role in Elizabeth's death than stated back in 2011.

Elsa Chappell

Elsa Chappell (née Feldmann) first appeared in 1990 with her mother Elizabeth and brother Michael after they were being evicted from their house by Frank Tate. Elsa soon began dating Nick Bates and they got engaged and planned to marry on Valentine's Day 1991. However, Elsa was pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, Alice. As they were unable to get her to the hospital in time, Zoe Tate acted as midwife and helped deliver Alice. The couple separated, with Elsa leaving Nick on Christmas Day 1991, taking Alice with her. She soon realized that she wasn't ready for motherhood, as it prevented her having a social life, so she gave Nick custody of Alice before leaving the village.

Following the death of her mother in the plane crash in December 1993, Elsa returned to Emmerdale for her funeral and tried to get custody of Alice by spreading rumours that Nick and his best friend, Archie Brooks, were gay. However, a court ruled in Nick's favour and Elsa left the village again. After living in Australia for a while, Elsa returned in 1999 with a new husband, Brett, and stepson, Shane, hoping to get custody of Alice and take her to live with her in Australia permanently. During Elsa's absence, Nick had been imprisoned for manslaughter after killing a poacher and he gave custody of Alice to his sister, Kathy Glover. Kathy, who had become very close to her niece, let Elsa take Alice as she saw that Alice wanted to live with parents and a step brother, rather than an aunt. Kathy visited Elsa in 2001 and brought Alice home but Elsa followed and after seeing that Alice was happy with Kathy, suggested that Kathy join them to Australia with her and Alice. Kathy agreed and they returned to Australia.

Michael Feldmann

Michael Feldmann first appeared in 1990 with his mother, Elizabeth and sister, Elsa when they were being evicted from their house by Frank Tate.

In his early years, Michael sought employment at Emmerdale Farm, working for Annie and Jack Sugden. He was accused of arson, when one of the barns burnt down, however, this was later proven to be the work of a labourer from another estate. Michael went on to have a relationship with Rachel Hughes, however, this was jeopardised after he had a one-night stand with Zoe Tate, who later came out as a lesbian.

In 1992, Michael took part in an armed robbery of Home Farm, which left Joe Sugden badly injured and fighting for his life. The robbery was organised by Neil Kincaid's stable hand, Steve. Following his mother's marriage to Eric Pollard, several months later, Michael was arrested for his involvement in the attack, and was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

Michael had long disapproved of Elizabeth's relationship with Eric. Soon after the relationship began, Michael attacked Eric in The Woolpack, and punched him to the floor. However, after the Emmerdale plane crash of 1993, in which Elizabeth died, Michael accused Eric of his mother's murder. Elizabeth had discovered Eric's involvement in a cheque fraud, for which Eric had framed Michael, and left him shortly afterwards to report him to the police. However, she died en route, apparently killed by falling debris from the plane. However, Michael, as well as other villagers, had suspected Eric of murder. This accusation was strengthened when Eric's first wife, Eileen appeared, claiming that Eric's marriage to Elizabeth had been bigamous. This led to a heated confrontation between Michael and Eric, and the two men had a fight which left Eric unconscious on the floor. Scared that he had killed Eric, Michael fled the village in Eric's car, which was later found abandoned at the airport, revealing that Michael had fled the country.

Nothing was seen or heard of Michael for 16 years until December 2010, when Eric began receiving letters, messages and cards, claiming to be from Elizabeth. Originally suspecting the messages to be sent by Amy Wyatt, it was revealed on 30 December that the messages had instead been sent by Michael. Michael, who had been spending periods of time in-and-out of jail, confronted Eric at Elizabeth's grave. He later followed Eric back to The Grange, where he again confronted Eric, prompting him to reveal his history to his current wife, Val. Michael then left. However, he later informed Amy that he wanted Eric to pay him a large sum or money, otherwise he would reveal Eric to be a murderer. Eric told Michael to come in his car with him, and he would pay him off. Eric drove Michael to a remote area however, and, after an exchange of words, Eric produced a tyre iron, advancing on Michael, who cowered into a corner. The result of the incident was not revealed. Eric returned to Emmerdale alone, appearing at edge and nervous, telling Val that he had given Michael a lift to the station.

In fact, he hadn't dropped him off at the station but he wasn't dead either and turned up on 4 January to confront Eric again. Eric said that he couldn't have any more money and Val told him that he had probably seen the coroner's report that stated his mother was killed by falling debris and that it was time to give up blaming Eric. He agreed and after a calm discussion, Eric persuaded Michael to take the money for looking after himself. Michael then got in a car and drove out of the village into the night.

Peter Whiteley

Peter Whiteley was the son of Pete and Lynn Whiteley and appeared from 1990 to 1994 during the first four years of his life. He was born on the same day of the funeral of his father, Pete, who had been run over and killed by his lover's mother Kate Sugden. Lynn began to raise Peter as a single mother. On the night of the plane crash, Lynn left Peter with a babysitter whilst she went to The Woolpack and Whiteley's Farm was hit by falling debris from the plame and set on fire. The babysitter managed to get out of the house and save Peter and he was later reunited with his mother, although their home was destroyed. Peter left the village with his mother to live with her new lover, a Swede called Olsen, in Australia in August 1994.