List of Emmerdale characters introduced in 1998

In February 1998, Jed had a heart attack and Lyn found him unconscious, so he was rushed to Hotten General Hospital.

As he is about to end the affair, she told him she was quitting her barmaid job in The Woolpack and was moving to Hotten with Kirsty and Lyn.

In 2002, Barbara makes it known that she doesn't approve of Emily Dingle and when they both stand up to her, she departs but continues to plague them with phone calls.

Pills were found near the body and Paddy believed that she had committed suicide until a coroner's report said it was natural causes.

[1] Lynn McPherson of the Sunday Mail described Laura as a "tough-talking character" who became a favourite with Emmerdale viewers when she broke up with Chris.

[1] The following year, McPherson reported Beattie had been inspired by Laura's job as a lawyer and had enrolled at a law school.

[2] Commenting on Michael's proposal speech, Tony Purnell of the Daily Mirror said "Mills & Boon must be supplying his script.

Patricia "Tricia" Dingle (also Stokes and Fisher) was the daughter of Steph Forsythe (Lorraine Chase) and the granddaughter of Alan Turner (Richard Thorp).

Tricia was a born tease, and immediately caught the attention of Terry Woods (Billy Hartman), especially after she took him breakfast in bed dressed in a skimpy nightie.

She felt terribly guilty about her treatment of Terry and was sorry when he came back to the village on Christmas Day only to discover the tragic news about his friend Vic Windsor (Alun Lewis).

Hollywood night went well, until a drag queen Marilyn Monroe impersonator turned up and caused a near-riot.

Paddy Kirk's (Dominic Brunt) cousin Jason (James Carlton) arrived in the village just before Christmas.

In December 2000, she married Australian Joe Fisher, the partner of her ex-boyfriend Jason, in a marriage of convenience so he could remain in the country.

Once she was ready to leave at New Year, just as a severe storm arrived, Diane Blackstock (Elizabeth Estensen) gave her the list.

As she reads through the letter whilst waiting in the bus stop and then in a phone box, she finally realised how much Marlon loved her and returned to the Woolpack.

Marlon followed suit in Diane's car and him, Steph and Alan arrived at the hospital, where the doctor informed them that Tricia had sustained massive internal injuries and was in a critical condition.

The occupants of the car include some of her pupils: Katie Addyman (Sammy Winward), Eve Birch (Raine Davison), Marc (Anthony Lewis) and Ollie Reynolds (Vicky Binns), Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) and Robert Sugden (Karl Davies) and Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth).

The driver, Marc Reynolds, is later sentenced to twelve months in prison for causing death by dangerous driving.

However, when the character was killed off, she was referred to as Barbara during the police investigation and in her funeral service.Stella Jones, played by Stephanie Schonfield, made her first screen appearance in December 1998.

Previous experiences have taught her people can get a bit funny about her being a Lottery winner and treat her differently as a result.

Guilt-ridden after an affair with Bernice's fiance Gavin (Robert Beck), Stella flees the village leaving a video message attacking those who tried to benefit from her wealth, also giving Bernice - the only person who refused to ask her for money - the deposit she needs to buy The Woolpack.

During a feature on the "wild women" of Emmerdale, a writer for the Daily Mirror said Stella "went behind the back of "best mate" Bernice by enjoying steamy romps with Gavin in a Jacuzzi, in the bushes and in her four-poster bed.

The hairdresser who tried to reinvent herself as the lady of the manor fended off the attentions of money-grabbing Eric Pollard and the more honourable intentions of Alan Turner.

"[8] Belle Dingle, initially played by Emily Mather, made her debut screen appearance on 25 December 1998.