Emmerdale fans have been left speechless as soap favourite Chris Chittell marked a huge milestone. The 78-year-old actor is best known for his role as Eric Pollard in the ITV soap, a role he has played since 1986.
Chris is now the longest-serving actor in the history of the soap. Eric originally served as the show's villain, but has since become a beloved fixture in the iconic Yorkshire village.
Eric Pollard's six marriages
During his time in the Dales, Eric has been married six times; to Eileen Pollock (played by Arbel Jones), Elizabeth Feldmann (Kate Dove), Dee de la Cruz (Claudia Malkovich), Gloria Weaver (Janice McKenzie), Val Lambert (Charlie Hardwick), and Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton).
Eric notably left his grandson, Jacob Sugden (Joe-Warren Plant), speechless when he married Kerry on Christmas Eve 2025 in an effort to siphon cash for Jacob's future to her. Despite not being romantically involved, Kerry has continued to care for Eric, who suffers from Parkinson's.
Recent storylines and fan reactions
The drama hasn't stopped there, as Eric has recently been supporting Jacob, after he learned that his daughter, Leyla, wasn't biologically his. The baby is actually the child of Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and Ross Barton (Michael Parr), who have promised Jacob and his wife Sarah (Katie Hill) that they don't want to be the parents.
As the drama continues on screen, some eagle-eyed Emmerdale fans have noticed that Chris Chittell has marked his 40th anniversary in the Dales, making him the first actor to do so. Eric first appeared in the village four decades ago today (September 30).
This has led many fans to share their surprise at Eric's age. The character was born on the 11th of June 1945, making him 81 years old, while actor Chris is 78 years old.
One Reddit user wrote: "Today marks forty years since Eric Pollard first appeared on 'Emmerdale Farm' as the new manager at Hotten Market. The character is the first in the programme's history to achieve this."
"What's your favourite Pollard moment over the last forty years? He's had some great stories and memorable partnerships to go with it. For me anything that involved him scheming was always something I enjoyed. He's also racked up six wives (although five on-screen), each very different from the last. Congratulations to Chris Chittell on this achievement - a true legend of the show who hopefully will be around for many more years."
Another fan added: "It's crazy because the character was only 41 (the actor was only 38) when he was first introduced." A third said: "Eric and Ken [Barlow] meeting will always be my fave moment."
Fans reflect on Pollard's legacy
Someone else commented: "I have a little cry to myself as I realise 1986 was forty years ago." A fifth viewer echoed the sentiment, saying: "Eric and Val are one of my favourite couples from the show."
Emmerdale airs weekday nights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
