The ITV soap Emmerdale continues to see a wave of cast changes as 2026 progresses. Recent departures include Jimmy King (Nick Miles) and Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley), alongside the exits of four of the village's most villainous residents: John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths), Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and Dr Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker).
Temporary goodbyes have also been bid to Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) and Tracy Shankley (Amy Walsh), as both actresses are on maternity leave. Viewers are still awaiting Vinny Dingle's (Bradley Johnson) final scenes to air.
On the arrival front, the soap has welcomed back the devilish Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) and introduced Kim Tate's (Claire King) secret daughter, Thea Ramsden (Chelsea Edge). Here is the full rundown of who is returning, leaving and arriving in the village.
New arrivals: Thea Ramsden
DS Thea Ramsden, played by Chelsea Edge, arrived in the village, apparently to investigate Dr Todd's death. It soon became clear, however, that she had an ulterior motive, particularly concerning the Tates, and it was revealed that she is the daughter Kim gave up for adoption immediately after giving birth. With Thea plotting revenge on the Queen Bee, has Kim finally met her match?
Thea Ramsden arrived in Emmerdale on August 11, 2026.
Returns: Sadie King, Cathy Hope, Victoria and Tracy
Former Home Farm queen bee Sadie King will be returning to the village she once ran roughshod over. While the details of her comeback remain unclear, producer Laura Shaw has confirmed that much drama will follow: 'We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Patsy Kensit back to the cast and crucially to see the iconic Sadie King storm back into the village. Her return will be explosive and guaranteed to shock.'
Sadie King returned to Emmerdale on September 1, 2026.
Gabrielle Dowling, who plays Cathy Hope, has also left the soap but will be back. Recent storylines have included Cathy coming to terms with a PMDD diagnosis and dealing with the horrific death of twin brother Heath, played by Gabrielle's brother Sebastian, who passed away following a car accident. Metro understands that the star is just taking a short break and will return down the line. The date of Cathy Hope's return is currently unknown.
Victoria Sugden left the village in February to tie in with Isabel Hodgins' maternity leave. The actress announced on her Instagram last month that she has given birth to her first baby, called Georgie Grace. Vic's exit saw her leave for a new life in Portugal. She told Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) that she would return, though when exactly remains to be seen.
Amy Walsh recently left her role as Tracy Shankley, with the exit story facilitating her maternity leave. The star, who is married to Toby-Alexander Smith, recently gave birth to her second child. Tracy moved out of the village following a difficult year adjusting to life as a single mum, but she will return when her maternity leave comes to an end.
Possibly returning: Samson Dingle
Next week, the Dingles will share the news that Samson Dingle (Sam Hall) is due to be released from prison. Prior to his sentencing in 2024, Samson had fallen in with a bad crowd, which saw him attempt to rob The Hide. Matty Barton (Ash Palmisciano) thwarted the robbery with a knife in his hand and accidentally stabbed Samson, who was pressured to tell lies to the police, which ultimately saw Matty temporarily imprisoned.
This new storyline will cause some friction between Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) and Samson's parents Sam Dingle (James Hooton) and Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick). Plenty of people in the village would prefer it if Samson moved elsewhere following his release – could this happen? Or will Sam and Lydia insist he comes home?
Departures: Vinny Dingle
After a seven-year stint in the Yorkshire Dales, Vinny will be departing the village. Emerging as the son of Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley), he became central to various hard-hitting plotlines, including being abused by his step-dad Paul Ashdale (Reece Dinsdale), losing his wife Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele), struggling with his sexuality and an ill-fated marriage to Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham).
Vinny's axing is understood to be another casualty of ITV's cost-cutting measures. He is set to leave later this year.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8:00pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
