Emily Kirk in Emmerdale
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Emily Kirk’s dramatic journey in Emmerdale: From Butch to Paddy

Could Emily ever return to Emmerdale?

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Quirky Emily Kirk in Emmerdale was at the centre of many dramatic storylines in her time in the village. And she was right at the heart of the Dingle family, being married first to Butch Dingle and then to Paddy Kirk, the ex-husband of Butch’s cousin Mandy Dingle.

So what did Emily get up to, why did she leave Emmerdale, and what’s her link to Debbie Dingle?

Emily Kirk and her arrival in Emmerdale

Emily Wylie, as she was known when she first arrived in the village, had led a very quiet life with her protective single father.

Read more: Who was Shadrach Dingle in Emmerdale?

When she got a job working with Viv Hope in the Post Office, though, she started to make friends and get to know the villagers.

Emily and Butch Dingle

Emily caught the eye of Butch Dingle and the pair initially struck up a firm friendship. The sweet couple developed strong feelings for one another but Emily’s strict dad, John Wylie, didn’t approve.

Emily and Butch Emmerdale
Butch rescued Emily from a car wreck (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

He tried to keep them apart and even lashed out, attacking Emily when she’d been with Butch. And then he spread rumours that Butch had been the one to hit the sweet-natured young woman.

There was a confrontation between the couple and John, ending in a dramatic car chase. But when John’s Land Rover was involved in a car accident, Butch was the one to bravely drag him and Emily from the wreckage.

With the village now aware that it wasn’t Butch who hit Emily, the cute pair started a proper relationship. Aww.

But their happiness didn’t last long. Butch was involved in a bus crash in the village and gravely injured.

Emily Butch deathbed wedding Emmerdale
Emily and Butch tied the knot in a touching deathbed wedding ceremony (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

Knowing he was going to die, Butch proposed and he and Emily tied the knot in a tearjerking death-bed wedding.

Emily and Paddy Kirk

After Butch’s death, Emily struck up a firm friendship with Paddy Kirk, finding common ground with him because they had both married into the Dingle family.

Emily Kirk and Paddy Emmerdale
Emily and Paddy got married (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

The pair spent the night together, and fell in love. They got engaged and ended up getting married unexpectedly when Marlon Dingle’s wedding to Tricia was called off at the last minute.

Fostering Debbie Dingle

Paddy and Emily Kirk in Emmerdale both wanted to be parents so they decided to become foster carers.

When troubled teenager Debbie Jones came to stay with them, they grew very close to the youngster.

And when it was revealed that Debbie was actually the daughter of Cain Dingle and Charity Dingle, poor Emily was devastated to lose her foster child. Though she and Debbie stayed close friends.

So close, in fact, that when Daz Eden found Debbie in labour in the woods, having concealed her pregnancy, it was Emily he asked for help.

Emily, who by now had split from Paddy after he cheated with Viv, saved the life of Debbie’s baby girl – named Sarah Charity. Though Emily had planned to leave the village, she decided to stay and help Debbie.

Emily Kirk and Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale
Debbie begged Emily to take baby Sarah (Credit: ITV)

Teen mum Debbie found motherhood hard, and Emily did most of the caring for little Sarah. Cain wasn’t impressed though, and tried to get Emily to leave. Debbie begged Emily to take Sarah with her and Emily did.

Emily Kirk’s return to Emmerdale

When Emily returned, she gave baby Sarah to her dad, Andy Sugden. But the village were annoyed that she’d taken the tot and she was called a ‘child-snatcher’.

In desperation, Emily tried to take her own life by filling her pockets with stones and walking into the river, but she was saved by Sam Dingle.

Later, Emily fell in love with vicar Ashley Thomas, who didn’t feel the same way.

Ashley’s wife Laurel tried to set Emily up with the bishop but intead of Emily developing feelings for the man, he actually helped her realise she wanted to train to be a vicar.

Jonny Paul Emily Kirk in Emmerdale
Emily returned for Jonny and Paul’s wedding ceremony (Credit: ITV)

Emily left the village and went to live in Manchester, returning a couple of years later for the civil partnership ceremony of Paul Lambert and Jonny Foster.

We’d love to see Emily back in the village. Or would three Emmerdale vicars be too many? What do you reckon? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.


Kerry Barrett
Freelance Soap Writer