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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte Tutton

Emmerdale characters in the 90s: From Zak Dingle and Eric Pollard to Kim Tate

Emmerdale fans can get their fix of past village happenings on ITV3 on weekdays, and there's some blasts from the past.

Tuning in for the first time, you may not recognise half the village as the soap is currently airing episodes from 1995.

There are some familiar faces from this period though who are no longer on the show, including Jack Sugden, David Glover, Frank Tate and Kathy Bates.

Then again, there are some classic residents including the Dingles who are still on the show decades on.

From Zak and son Sam, to Eric Pollard and villain Kim Tate, here's what your village favourites looked like back in the 90s.

Zak Dingle, Eric Pollard and Sam Dingle in 1995 on Emmerdale (ITV)

Sam Dingle

Emmerdale: Sam Dingle in 2020 (ITV)

Sam Dingle is played by actor James Hooton.

He's been on the soap since 1995, and was one of the original Dingles.

Sam is obviously a lot younger in the episodes from the 90s, while he doesn't look that different.

Kim Tate

Kim Tate in 1995 on Emmerdale (ITV)
Emmerdale's Kim Tate returned in 2018 (ITV)

Villain Kim Tate was a soap legend in the 90s, until her dramatic exit in 1999.

So it's no wonder fans were excited to have her back in 2018, and she's still on the soap now.

Actress Claire King has played the blonde bombshell since her debut in 1989.

Zak Dingle

Zak Dingle has aged with the ITV soap (ITV)

Dingle matriarch Zak Dingle recently returned to the Dales after a 6-month break.

But Zak has been on the show since 1995, like son Sam.

Since then the famous family has expanded, and are one of the biggest families in soap land.

Zak looks almost the same, asides the grey hair and beard.

Eric Pollard

Zak, Eric and Sam have been on Emmerdale for decades (ITV)
Emmerdale's Eric looks very different (ITV)

Eric Pollard was always up to no good back in the day, up to a scam or two.

He's now a much nicer and family orientated character, but that's not the only thing that's changed.

Eric looks totally different since the 90s and his arrival in 1986, while he's still sporting similar hair.

Victoria Sugden

Emmerdale: Baby Victoria Sugden in the 90s (ITV)
(ITV)

In the episodes being screened on ITV3 at the moment, Victoria Sugden is just a baby.

Born to Jack and Sarah in 1994, the character is now one of the longest serving village residents.

Actress Isabel Hodgins is now in the role and has been since 2006, while the character was previously played by two other actresses.

Mandy Dingle

Mandy Dingle first arrived in Emmerdale in 1995 (ITV)
Emmerdale's Mandy Dingle returned in 2019 (PA/ITV)

Mandy Dingle, played by actress Lisa Riley, was one of the first Dingles in the village.

She arrived in 1995, young and care-free, before all the drama kicked off in true Dingle fashion.

Mandy left in 2001, before making a huge comeback in 2019 with her stepson Vinny.

Elsewhere, Kim's son Jamie Tate was born a year later - while he too is now in the village with his family.

The Dingle clan also extended in 1996, with the arrivals of Lisa and Marlon Dingle, while Paddy Kirk joined the following year.

Then there was the birth of Belle Dingle in 1998.

Emmerdale airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm on ITV.

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