A BITTER PILL FOR SARAH

Lonely Sarah is headed for trouble when her badboy ex-boyfriend returns in Emmerdale, says actress Katie Hill

There’s a New Year surprise for Sarah Sugden with the arrival in Emmerdale of her jailbird ex Danny – and it could spell big trouble. It was Sarah who landed him in prison by informing on him after he conned her into selling drugs, but far from looking for revenge, newly released Danny claims he’s grateful to her. While lonely Sarah’s taken in, it’s not long before Danny’s up to his old tricks – and emotionally blackmailing the 15-year-old into helping out with another drug deal.

‘Sarah’s feeling lonely because Charity’s not paying her much attention,’ explains actress Katie Hill, who plays the troubled teen. ‘That’s her state of mind when Danny contacts her, and so she agrees to meet him. But when Sarah realises Danny is still selling drugs, he tells her that because of his conviction, he can’t get a job to pay off drug debts, and she feels bad for him.’

The week starts with Danny texting Sarah, asking to see her, before he confronts her in person. ‘She’s shocked and scared when he contacts her but also intrigued about what he wants,’ says Katie, 17. When Danny appears genuinely contrite for his past actions and grateful to Sarah for reporting him to the police, she believes him. But when she realises Danny has sold drugs to a stag party in the Woolpack, he makes her feel guilty and Sarah asks for one of Danny’s pills.

‘Because of everything that’s going on, and no one seeming to be caring about her, she’s thinking, “Let’s have some fun”,’ says Katie. But after landlady Chas believes the stag party are in possession of drugs, and calls the police, Sarah panics and throws her pill into the jacket pocket

of one of the stag group. ‘It’s a splitsecond decision,’ says Katie. ‘And though she knows she’s done something wrong, she’s not fully aware of how bad it could get for her.’

Katie joined Emmerdale in January 2017 after training at her local drama school in Leeds. ‘When I came into Emmerdale, I was playing Sarah as an innocent girl who was going through illnesses and in hospitals, so this side to her is definitely fun to play,’ she says. ‘I hope this storyline can make clear to young viewers that there’s nothing cool about

drugs and show the consequences that can come from them.’

Katie’s relishing her time on Emmerdale, saying, ‘We’re like one big family, and it’s great to be doing something I love.’ So she hated not being on set during lockdown. ‘I never thought we’d have to stop, so I’m very happy to be back filming,’ she says. As for the future, Katie remains devoted to the Dales. ‘At the moment I’m just enjoying being at Emmerdale and like seeing Sarah’s character develop and grow up.’ ■