Robert Sugden
Robert Sugden is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. The character originally appeared on the show regularly between 22 April 1986 and 3 October 2005. During that time he was first played as a baby by Richard Smith between 1986 and 1989 before the role was taken over by Christopher Smith from 1989 until 2001. In 2001, Karl Davies took over the role in order for the character to become involved in more adult storylines, as he grew older. Davies briefly reprised his role as Robert for one episode, airing on 10 February 2009, when he returned for the funeral of his father and Emmerdale longest-running character, Jack Sugden. The character returned on 23 October 2014, with actor Ryan Hawley taking over the role. Robert made his return to the show on 28 May 2025.
During his first stint, Robert has embarked on a longstanding feud with his adoptive brother Andy Sugden after discovering he started the fire that killed their mother Sarah Sugden. Their rivalry led to the events of Robert having an affair with Andy's wife Katie Sugden, whom he later cheated on by sleeping with her rival Sadie King, and culminated with him causing the tragic death of Max King after the pair tried to kill each other by running the other down in their own vehicle. Robert subsequently left the village to avoid going to prison for Max's death, but came back briefly for Jack's funeral in February 2009. The character returned to the series on 23 October 2014, and became the show's main antagonist throughout 2015. During that year, Robert had an affair with Aaron Dingle, which led to the events of Robert accidentally killing Katie on the day he married Chrissie White ; embarking on a feud with Aaron's mother Chas Dingle and Paddy Kirk ; getting beaten up and blackmailed by Chas' brother Cain Dingle ; and being shot by Ross Barton in the "Who Shot Robert Sugden?" storyline, in the light of his affair with Aaron and role in Katie's death both being exposed.
Following his shooting, Robert became one of the show's major protagonists as his relationship with Aaron dominated the events of the series. This long-running story arc involved Robert supporting Aaron upon discovering that he was sexually abused by his father, Gordon Livesy, as a child; becoming engaged to Aaron and later surprising him with an unofficial wedding between them in 2017; bonding with Aaron's half-sister Liv Flaherty, and temporally becoming her guardian after Aaron is arrested and sentenced to 12 months in prison – which involved Robert struggling to cope with Aaron's drug use amid serving his prison sentence; their marriage having a breakdown after Robert ends up sleeping with Chrissie's sister Rebecca ; and the pair remarrying in 2018 after Robert and Aaron manage to reunite and reconcile over their differences.
During this time, Robert's storyline with Andy and the Whites concluded with him and Andy making amends after the pair nearly killed each other in a car-game of chicken; Robert clearing Andy's name after Chrissie framed the latter for shooting her father Lawrence, with the culprit being her son Lachlan ; his one-night stand with Rebecca that results in her getting pregnant and giving birth to her son Sebastian; his scheme to con the Whites in a revenge plot; kidnapping Sebastian when he found out that Rebecca and her family were planning to emigrate with Sebastian without his knowledge, which led to the events of Lachlan causing the deaths of Chrissie and Lawrence in a road collision; being held hostage by Lachlan after he and his girlfriend, Cain's half-sister Belle, discover that Lachlan had killed their friend Gerry Roberts and allegedly murdered his false uncle Paul Tozer for discovering that he caused the deaths of his mother and grandmother; helping Rebecca from her trauma of being kidnapped by Lachlan for months and later allowing her to leave the village with Sebastian to start anew with Ross, her new boyfriend ; and supporting his sister Victoria after learning that she had been raped by car salesman Lee Posner. In the latter storyline, Robert ends up killing Lee after hospitalising him in retaliation for denying to have perpetuated Victoria's rape ordeal – which sparks the events of the character's impending departure from the show when Robert, after being detained and later pleading guilty to Lee's attack prior to his death, goes on the run to avoid going to prison for the murder he unintentionally committed.
Storylines
1986–2009
Robert Sugden was born on 22 April 1986 to Jack and Pat Sugden. He is their youngest child and has three older siblings, a brother Jackie, a half-sister Sandie Merrick and a half-brother Tommy Merrick. When Robert was four months old, his mother was killed in a car crash and his brother, Jackie, was killed in a shooting accident when he was three. Sandie also leaves the village for Scotland, and Robert loses contact with his maternal family. After Pat's death, Robert stays with his father who brings him up alone for the next two years but gets a new mother figure in Sarah Connolly, whom Jack starts dating in 1988 and later marries in May 1994. Robert's half-sister, Victoria, is born the same year.When Jack and Sarah start having marriage problems after Sarah gets a new job and Jack wrongly believes she is having an affair with her boss Professor Andrew McKinnon, causing major rows between the couple, Robert feels neglected and runs away from home. He befriends Derek Simpson a former soldier who lives alone and Derek allows Robert to stay with him. Eventually, Robert returns home and Jack and Sarah both promise him things will be better from then on.
In 1996, Robert befriends Andy Hopwood, a boy the same age in the care of the local authority whilst his father Billy is in prison for robbery and manslaughter. Robert takes Andy to a local quarry where Andy traps his foot under a rock. Robert runs to get help and Biff Fowler rescues Andy. When Andy's grandmother dies, Jack and Sarah foster him so he moves in with the Sugdens. Andy and Robert take Donna Windsor joyriding in Leeds, causing a feud between the Sugdens and Windsors. After a while, Robert begins to resent Andy's presence and is unhappy at having to share his home and belongings. Despite this, Robert defends Andy when he is bullied by Donna and punches her. Donna's friend Chelsea Campbell, who had been encouraging her to bully Andy, convinces her to get revenge on Robert and gets Donna to help her beat Robert up in the school playground. Chelsea is expelled from school and Donna is temporarily suspended and warned it will be permanent if she does it again. She makes amends with both Robert and Andy after this.
In 1997, Robert's life is rocked when he discovers that his father is having an affair with Rachel Hughes. Robert catches Jack and Rachel kissing. When the affair is discovered, Jack and Sarah stay together for the sake of the children.
In 2000, Jack grows disappointed in Robert as he doesn't want to work on the farm and shows an interest in computers. During an argument over this and Andy's adoption, Jack hits Robert. The same year, Sarah has an affair with Richie Carter, and leaves Jack for Richie, taking Victoria with her. Robert sides with Sarah over his father but Jack wins custody of him, as Sarah is not his biological mother. Robert stays with Kathy Glover and tells her that he intends to leave home when he is sixteen. On 16 November 2000, Robert returns to the farm to collect some belongings and discovers the barn is on fire. Sarah is inside and subsequently dies. Jack is arrested and stands trial for Sarah's murder and is acquitted. Robert discovers that Andy started the fire and disgusted by this, he goes to Spain in May 2001 to stay with his grandmother Annie Brearly, and her husband Amos.
Robert, returns in August 2001. Wanting rid of Andy, Robert starts taunting him about his love life. He tries to cause problems between Andy and his girlfriend Katie Addyman but is unsuccessful. In September 2001, Robert and Andy go on a night out in Leeds with Katie, Donna, Ollie and Marc Reynolds, and Eve Birch. When Andy is refused entry to a nightclub, the teenagers miss their bus home and Andy steals a car to drive home. On their way back, they run over and kill their headmistress Barbara Strickland. Robert suggests they cover their tracks and subsequently burn the car. The truth eventually comes out, Marc is jailed and the other teenagers receive community service.
After Andy taunts him over not having a girlfriend, Robert loses his virginity to Nicola Blackstock, a 24-year-old woman, a few months after his sixteenth birthday. Nicola dumps him the following day when she invites him round to her house in order for him to discover her having sex with Syd Woolfe.
After leaving school, Robert gets a job working as a mechanic at Scott Windsor's garage. After having sex with her in the back of his car, Robert starts dating Donna, who is Scott's half-sister. He also starts secretly dating Elaine Marsden. Donna finds out about Robert's cheating and dumps him. Robert continues his romance with Elaine, but in September 2003, he and Elaine are involved a car accident while Robert is driving. Panicking, Robert flees the scene, leaving Elaine unconscious in the car. Robert lies his way out of trouble, as Elaine has no memory of how the accident happened. She later realizes the truth when she sees bruising from the seat belt across his chest, which suggests that Robert was driving, not her as Robert told everyone. In December 2003, Elaine and her family leave the village. Robert and Donna reconcile that month. Despite this, Robert begins an affair with Katie, now Andy's fiancée. Robert and Katie are caught by Andy's half-brother, Daz Eden, in January 2004 when he sees them kissing in the garage. Katie threatens Daz, telling him he will be put into care if he says anything. Daz tells Andy but Katie convinces him that Daz is lying and is too much for them to cope with so he is returned to foster care. Victoria also catches them together. Robert swears her to secrecy and Katie threatens her so she becomes too scared to talk and uses a puppet to speak through instead.
Feeling guilty, Katie ends the affair the day before her wedding to Andy in February 2004, leaving him devastated. They resume the affair after the wedding, despite Robert's reconciliation with Donna. They intend to run away together but Robert insists they tell Andy the truth when he finds Katie's farewell note, leaving him distraught. Donna is also devastated by the revelation and feels betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend. The aftermath of the affair leads to Andy waiting in Robert's caravan with a shotgun, planning to kill them both. He accidentally shoots Jack instead, leaving him fighting for his life. Robert initially refuses to forgive Andy but when he realizes that he is responsible for the situation, they reconcile and embrace in the hospital. Jack survives the gunshot wound and sticks to the coverup story the boys told the police, but unable to see Andy unpunished for trying to do such a thing to Robert disowns him and he returns alone to Butler's Farm. Robert also continues his relationship with Katie. In early 2005, Robert proposes to Katie and she accepts, and the pair plan to marry later that year. He is seduced by Sadie King, a woman sixteen years his senior. Robert and Sadie embark on an affair and Robert thinks he can keep it a secret. Daz sees Robert kissing Sadie and he tells Andy who confronts Robert in the garage and attacks him. He tries to force Robert to tell Katie about his affair with Sadie, but Robert insists that Andy is lying. Katie eventually learns the truth when she finds erotic text messages on Robert's phone from Sadie. Heartbroken, Katie ends the relationship and Andy comforts her, leading to them sleeping together. Despite Robert begging her to stay, Katie leaves the village the following day. Heartbroken and enraged by Andy and Katie sleeping together, Robert vows to get revenge on Andy, and helps Jimmy King and Cain Dingle, set fire to the barn at Butler's Farm. Robert sees Jimmy and Cain beat up Andy and stops them. Daz accidentally stabs Jimmy with a pitchfork while trying to protect Andy. Robert and Cain take Jimmy away and Jimmy's brother, Max, patches him up at the vets. The truth soon emerges and Jack throws Robert out, disowns him and calls him a traitor. Robert and Andy's feud is reignited by this and Robert starts dating Debbie Dingle, the mother of Andy's daughter, Sarah. Robert and Debbie plan to go to London, along with Max who was leaving the village after poisoning cows belonging to the Briggs family for his father, Tom. On the day they plan to leave in October 2005, Andy finds out about Robert and Debbie's plan and forces her to tell him where she is going to meet Robert, he goes there and confronts him, and they start fighting. Max is forced to separate them and Robert tells Debbie that he doesn't care about her and was only interested in her because of Sarah and wanted to hurt Andy by taking his daughter away. Debbie leaves and returns to the village, heartbroken.
Max decides not to go with Robert and asks Andy to drive him to the railway station. Filled with rage, Robert turns the car round and accelerates, driving straight at Andy's Land Rover. Max panics and grabs hold of the steering wheel. The Land Rover goes off the road and rolls onto its roof. Robert parks his car, gets out and rescues Andy but the Land Rover explodes before he can rescue Max. Max is killed and Jack arrives just after the accident and Robert tells him what happened. Jack calls the emergency services and tells Robert to leave. Robert gets into his car and drives away. Robert is last seen at a service station, ordering some food and tells the waitress that he intends on travelling whichever direction his car is pointing.
Four years later, Robert returns on 10 February 2009, the day of his father's funeral. Robert visits Butler's Farm, and meets Natasha Wylde, who is on her horse and thinks Robert is an intruder. He explains that his father's funeral is taking place and watches from a distance, and Andy sees him. Andy tries to persuade Robert to stay and run the farm, but Robert tells Andy that he doesn't belong there any more, before driving off. Robert returns to the cemetery after nightfall, and lays a rose on his Jack's grave, before leaving.