List of Emmerdale characters introduced in 2009
The following is a list of characters who first appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale in 2009, by order of first appearance. Characters until March were introduced by executive producer Keith Richardson, with Steve Frost taking over as his successor from 16 March 2009.
Natasha Wylde
Mark Wylde
Tanya Callard
Tanya Callard was Debbie Dingle's cellmate. She appeared in 2009 whilst Debbie was on remand accused of the murder of policeman Shane Doyle.Tanya first appears on the day Debbie goes to court to hear what she is to be prosecuted for. When Debbie returns, having been told she will be tried for murder, Tanya asks her what happened, and Debbie tells her to mind her own business. A few days later, Tanya discovers a mobile phone given to Debbie by her solicitor and she refuses to give it to Debbie and stamps on it.
Tanya appears again on 21 April 2011, when Debbie's mother Charity Tate, arranges for her to go on a date with Nikhil Sharma. Charity reveals that Tanya now works as a sweet packer, implying that she now works for the Sharmas who run a confectioners. Tanya meets up with Nikhil, Charity and Nikhil's brother Jai in The Woolpack and is served by barman Bob Hope. During her appearance, Tanya and Debbie do not encounter each other and Charity seems unaware of Tanya's connection to her daughter.
Will Wylde
Will Wylde is the younger son of Mark and Natasha Wylde.Will arrives in Emmerdale in February 2009, a month after his parents have bought Home Farm. He leaves his school, where he had few friends, and soon makes friends with Belle Dingle after meeting her in the grounds and become good friends. He moves to a nearby private school and is bullied when he and his family appear in Horse and Hound magazine. After his parents worry about Belle's influence is having on Will and ban him from going to a "Emmerdale Explorers" sleepover. The following morning, he goes missing. The police investigate, but Will is found by Jimmy King hiding behind a bush in the estate grounds. In August 2009, Will is kicked by a horse and is rushed to hospital where he makes a full recovery. Ryan Lamb, who unbeknownst to Will was his half-brother, saves him and Will likes him, much to his mother's horror, as Natasha knew the truth about Ryan.
In January 2010, Natasha tells Will that Mark was married to Ryan's mother Faye Lamb and that Ryan is his half-brother. Will is traumatized but still believes his father will come back. Will attempts to bond with Ryan but his brother, Nathan, forbids him from doing so. In June, Cain Dingle, Belle's half-brother, tries blackmailing the Wyldes and when Natasha refuses to pay him, Will goes missing. Natasha believes that Cain has abducted Will but they later find him in the cafe. Cain had picked Will and Belle up from school and bought them ice creams.
In July, Will is devastated when his father's body is found on the estate grounds. Will is questioned by the police about when he last saw his father and a DNA sample is taken from the family members. When Nathan is arrested, Will believes he is Mark's killer and tells him that he hates him but Nathan convinces him of his innocence. Will is shocked when Ryan is wrongfully arrested and wrongfully charged with the murder. During Ryan's trial, Natasha sends Will to stay with a family friend. In October, Will finds out that Natasha killed Mark after Cain drives him and Natasha to a barn where he was confronting Nathan. Natasha told Will to stay outside and to stop Maisie torturing Nathan to make him tell her the truth, Natasha confesses but Will overhears and despite Natasha telling him that she loves him, Will responds that he does not want her to love him, he wants his father back. After Natasha is arrested, he stays with Maisie and Nathan at Home Farm until November, when he and Maisie find out that Nathan framed Ryan. Will is disgusted with Nathan's lies and he and Maisie move into Holdgate Farm with Maisie's former boyfriend Nikhil Sharma, rejecting Nathan. Maisie and Ryan later tell Nathan to stay away from her and Will. Nikhil and Maisie grow close much to Will's discomfort. Nikhil attempts to befriend Will and buys him gifts but Will rejects them. Nikhil later gives Will a letter from Natasha but Will loses his temper and tears it up saying that he never wants to hear from his mother again. Nathan later tries to call Will on his mobile phone and he breaks it in order to stop him. Nikhil then proposes to Maisie and she later accepts, wanting to give Will some stability but Will is angry and loses his temper with Belle when she tries to comfort him. He later speaks to Ryan and suggests that they be a family together and tells him that Maisie would want that but Ryan refuses, due to him and Maisie nearly sleeping together before they discovered that they were siblings.
On 11 January 2011, Will sits in the front seat of the Home Farm Land Rover and when Maisie goes to speak to him he reminisces about their father and asks Maisie why Natasha killed him. Later that evening, Maisie and Nikhil hold their engagement party at Home Farm and Nikhil tries to encourage him but Will loses his temper and shouts at Nikhil and bursts into tears.
After Maisie tells Nikhil that she does not love him and breaks off their engagement, she decides that she and Will should leave Emmerdale and decide to go and stay with their Aunt in Dartford. Will goes to say goodbye to Belle and gives her a games console as a farewell present. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and he leaves. As they prepare to depart, Ryan comes to say goodbye and tells Will to call him whenever he wants. As Will and Maisie leave in their taxi, Belle runs up and shouts to Will that she loves him and he shouts back that he feels the same way about her. Their taxi drives away, taking Will and Maisie to the railway station.
Maisie Wylde
Nathan Wylde
Faye Lamb
Lizzie Lakely
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Lakely was introduced as the first blind character in the soap opera. She is played by Kitty McGeever, and was later introduced as the cousin of established character, Lisa Dingle, who made her first appearance back in 1996. Lizzie's first on-screen appearance aired on 28 April 2009, and in 2011, Lizzie was devastated to learn that her love interest, Derek Benrose, had raped her cousin Lisa. Lizzie's last on-screen appearance was on 28 March 2013, but it is unknown whether the character is returning to the soap. McGeever died on 16 August 2015.Ryan Lamb
Eddy Fox
Eddy Fox is an old friend of Alan Turner. He is played by Paul Darrow, whose casting was announced on 23 May 2009. Upon casting, Darrow told The Sun: "I am delighted to be appearing in Emmerdale. My character Eddy's going to be great fun to play. I'll get to ride around the Dales on my trike in my leathers. I'll be like Marlon Brando." Darrow also revealed that he had worked with Thorp before: "I'm also really looking forward to catching up with my old pal Richard Thorp. We used to work together way back on Emergency Ward 10."Eddy arrives in the village looking for Alan, whom he befriended through their mutual love for motorcycles and whom he has not seen for many years. He tells Alan that he is about to start a new life travelling the world on his motorbike and asks Alan to come with him. Alan accepts, but later decides not to after speaking to Edna Birch. Edna's sister, Lily Butterfield, soon gets on well with him and she decides to go travelling with him. They leave the village together on 3 August.
Michael Conway
Michael Conway is a supplier to the Home Farm shop, appearing between July and October 2009.Michael first appears when visiting the shop to check the fridges he supplied are working properly. He lives in Durham. Later that day, he talks to Debbie Dingle in the cafe, and tries to chat her up. The following day, he takes his car to her garage, and they go out to lunch. He is surprised to discover that she is a single mother but introduces himself to her daughter Sarah when he sees her and Debbie going to play group. He asks Debbie out again but she says she has too much going on.
In early August, they begin dating and in early September, Michael admits that he has a girlfriend but still wants to see Debbie. Debbie agrees, providing she knows nothing about his other woman. However, later during a heated argument, Michael admits that he is engaged to the other woman. Debbie insists Michael choose—her or his fiancee so Michael chooses her. Debbie's father, Cain Dingle does not trust Michael and is proved right when he sees a text from the best man and it is revealed that he has not called off the wedding. Cain beats Michael up, warning him to stay away from Debbie but he returns, regardless, and tells Debbie that he was too scared to admit that he had not called the wedding off as the ceremony is the next day. His reason for not cancelling is that his fiancée is pregnant and he felt unable to abandon his child.
Debbie and Cain go to the wedding and discover he is marrying Debbie's mother, Charity Tate. They tell Charity about Michael's affair and tell Michael that Debbie is Charity's daughter, shocking them both. Charity and Michael initially agree to go ahead but Michael calls it off on discovering Charity is not pregnant. Michael later phones Debbie repeatedly but she does not take his calls, busy rebuilding her relationship with Charity and getting to know Noah.