Dolly Skilbeck
Encyclopedia
Dolly Skilbeck is a fictional character
from the popular soap opera
Emmerdale
, played first by Katharine Barker
from 1977-79 and later by Jean Rogers from 1980-91.
to serve as a barmaid in the Woolpack. Dolly soon fell for Matt Skilbeck
and they married on June 29 1978.
Having had a miscarriage
in early 1980, Dolly began work at the village playgroup. A healthy son, Samuel David Skilbeck, was born on December 23 1982 but Dolly would suffer another miscarriage in November 1985.
Later it emerged that Dolly had become pregnant by Richard Roper in the mid-1960s and gave their son up for adoption. Her illegitimate child, Graham Lodsworth, came to find her in 1986.
In late 1987 Matt discovered that he had inherited Crossgill Farm from the previous owner. Dolly insisted that they move out of Emmerdale but Matt refused. Dolly and Matt began to grow apart resulting in her affair with timber consultant Stephen Fuller in 1988. Fuller ended up being killed by a falling tree in November 1988 and Dolly arranged his funeral. Dolly began divorce proceedings from Matt in November 1989, then left the village in 1991 having had an abortion after an affair with crooked councillor Charlie Aindow.
Dolly & Matt remarried off-screen in 1992.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the popular soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
, played first by Katharine Barker
Katharine Barker
Katharine Barker is an English actress. She played Dolly Skillbeck in Emmerdale Farm from 1977 until 1980 when Jean Rogers took over the role. She also had a starring role in Hay Fever by the Oxford Stage Company....
from 1977-79 and later by Jean Rogers from 1980-91.
Character history
Dolly Acaster arrived in Beckindale from DarlingtonDarlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
to serve as a barmaid in the Woolpack. Dolly soon fell for Matt Skilbeck
Matt Skilbeck
Matthew "Matt" Skilbeck is a fictional character from ITV's Emmerdale from 1972-1989. One of the series' original characters, he was played by Frederick Pyne.- Character history :Matt married Peggy, Jacob and Annie Sugden's daughter in 1968...
and they married on June 29 1978.
Having had a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
in early 1980, Dolly began work at the village playgroup. A healthy son, Samuel David Skilbeck, was born on December 23 1982 but Dolly would suffer another miscarriage in November 1985.
Later it emerged that Dolly had become pregnant by Richard Roper in the mid-1960s and gave their son up for adoption. Her illegitimate child, Graham Lodsworth, came to find her in 1986.
In late 1987 Matt discovered that he had inherited Crossgill Farm from the previous owner. Dolly insisted that they move out of Emmerdale but Matt refused. Dolly and Matt began to grow apart resulting in her affair with timber consultant Stephen Fuller in 1988. Fuller ended up being killed by a falling tree in November 1988 and Dolly arranged his funeral. Dolly began divorce proceedings from Matt in November 1989, then left the village in 1991 having had an abortion after an affair with crooked councillor Charlie Aindow.
Dolly & Matt remarried off-screen in 1992.