Dingle minded
EMMERDALE FAMILY TREE: THE DINGLES, OLDER AND WISER
ITV, 7pm
FAIR play to ITV, the channel is doing its best to fill the gaps left by a lack of six episodes a week of our favourite soaps. Hot on the heels of Corrie Icons, we’re now crossing the Pennines for a look at Emmerdale’s favourite families. Narrated by former resident Megan Macey – aka Gaynor Faye – future episodes will look at the Sugdens and the Tates. But for tonight, and next week, it’s all about the Dingles. Yep, they get two episodes all to themselves. Well, there are blooming loads of them to be fair, and they’ve also had more ups, downs, romps and dramas than pretty much anyone else.
Ever since Zak and his first wife Nellie came to the village in 1994, the Dingles have been at the heart of things.
The likes of Cain, Charity, Chas, Marlon and Mandy have become local legends. Known for their love of a scam – and their almost complete incompetence when it comes to carrying them out – they’ve provided most of the soap’s funniest moments over the last two and a half decades, whether it’s setting up a medieval theme park or convincing people they’ve found a statue of Elvis that cries.
They’re also a randy bunch, and have no problem keeping it in the family. The expression ‘kissing cousins’ was practically invented by this lot.
Fond of a fist fight and a spot of kidnapping, they’ve also dealt with their fair share of tragedies. But through it all, they’ve got each others’ backs – because that’s what Dingles do.