Emmerdale star Katie Hill has confirmed that Sarah Sugden will not be sent to prison following the accidental death of Doctor Caitlin Todd. The actress revealed she initially feared her character would face jail time after Todd died in a confrontation, but producer Sophie Roper assured her otherwise.
Sarah pushed Doctor Todd during an argument weeks ago, in a move meant to defend herself and her grandmother Charity Dingle. Todd hit her head on a table and died moments later, leaving Sarah horrified by what had happened.
Katie Hill's reaction to the storyline
Speaking about her response to the plot, Hill said: 'I think I was a bit speechless at first! I was like, "Right, okay…" And then I thought, "Does she go to prison?" And you [Sophie Roper] immediately said, "Don't worry, you don't go to prison." And I was like, "Okay, and breathe, I've still got a job!" I was just honoured to be trusted with this storyline. It's massive.'
The actress described it as her biggest storyline yet, explaining that it transitions Sarah from being 'this innocent, happy young mum with Jacob to then this massive moment in her life that will change her forever'. She added that she was 'so excited and grateful' to have been given the role.
Producer Sophie Roper on the storyline's direction
Producer Sophie Roper said the storyline will test the bond between grandmother and granddaughter, given the secrets surrounding Leyla and the secret that now locks them together over what happened to Doctor Todd. She noted that two brilliant actors will 'keep us entertained and on the edge of our seats for a fair while to come yet'.
Roper also revealed the soap plans to explore in detail how the accidental killing will impact Sarah, including from a legal standpoint and in terms of how she views herself and struggles to confront the trauma. She said it is 'not a simple story of justice by any means' and that it will open up debate about the justice Todd deserved.
Legal consequences and unexpected twists
While Sarah will avoid prison, Roper confirmed there will be some legal consequences as the story progresses, adding that the show will 'skew expectations' and include unexpected developments to keep the story engaging.
'Ultimately, through soap, we will always try to find those consequences, those things that you might lose as a result of doing something "wrong", as the soap gods would call it. But I think this story is one that is driven by truth and emotion,' she said, adding that it is grounded in family and life and everything Sarah has to face.
