Emily Kirk in Emmerdale was the quiet, mousy shop assistant who married Butch Dingle on his deathbed, won the heart of Paddy, stole Debbie Dingle’s baby and eventually turned to god!

Despite being a bit of a misfit who wouldn’t say boo to a goose, Emily had an inner determination that sometimes got her into complicated situations. Here’s the lowdown on everything she got up to in Emmerdale.
Butch and Emily had a deathbed wedding (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Emily and Butch – doomed romance

Emily Wylie was working with Viv at the post office when she fell for Butch Dingle. But Emily’s dad was strict and he did not like the idea of her taking up with a Dingle.

Despite the disapproval of Emily’s dad, she and Butch were determined to make a go of things. Emily’s dad left the village, and Emily dug her heels in and stayed. For a while it looked like they might get the happy ever after they both wanted.

But then tragedy struck! Butch was a passenger in the bus that was hit by an out-of-control lorry. He was badly hurt and it was clear he wasn’t going to survive. He and Emily said their vows as he lay dying in hospital. Sob!
Emily and Paddy got married and were happy for a while (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Meeting Paddy

As Emily gradually got used to life as a young widow, she hit it off with Paddy Kirk. The pair found they had a lot in common and their relationship got stronger and stronger.

Eventually they got married – in a surprise ceremony that had been arranged for Marlon and Tricia. When they called off their nuptials, Paddy and Emily tied the knot instead!

The pair wanted to start a family so they began fostering children. After a while a teenage girl called Debbie Jones came to live with them and they forged a close bond.

But then it was revealed Debbie was the biological child of Cain and Charity Dingle. Emily was bereft but she stayed close to Debbie.

Meanwhile, Emily and Paddy’s marriage was in trouble and Paddy began an affair with Viv Hope! Emily smashed up the post office in an uncharacteristic rage!

She decided to leave the village unless she was given a sign to stay…
Emily left with baby Sarah after Debbie begged her to take her baby (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Baby Sarah

Shortly afterwards, Daz Eden tracked Emily down in the middle of the night, begging her for help. It turned out young Debbie was in labour having been secretly pregnant. Emily helped deliver Debbie’s baby girl and saved the tot’s life.

She and Debbie grew even closer as the teen mum struggled to cope with parenthood. Emily, however, loved looking after baby Sarah.

The Dingles didn’t like Emily being so involved however and when Cain attacked Emily, she decided – once again – to leave Emmerdale.

Debbie was distraught at the thought of Emily going, and she begged her friend to take little Sarah with her. Emily did – she went to Ireland and though Cain tried to trace her, he didn’t find her.
Ashley was stunned when Emily made a pass at him (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

Emily Kirk returns to Emmerdale

After a year or so away Emily Kirk returned to Emmerdale, hiding out in house where she’d grown up, which was now abandoned.

She brought Sarah with her and gave the little girl to her dad, Andy Sugden. But Emily wasn’t welcomed back into the village – she was branded a child snatcher and faced the wrath of the Dingles!

She even tried to kill herself, though she was rescued by Sam Dingle, who later developed feelings for Emily. She didn’t feel the same way, however.

Gradually, Emily settled back into village life, though there was another awkward incident when she made a pass at vicar Ashley Thomas!

Emily became close to another man of the cloth – Bishop George Postlethwaite. Though rumours spread that they were romantically involved, in fact Emily was talking to him about training to become a vicar herself.

She left the village in 2007 to live in Manchester and become a vicar.

Emily returned briefly for Paul Lambert and Jonny Foster’s commitment ceremony, and she also went to Daniel Thomas’s funeral.

Who played Emily Kirk?

Emily was played by actress Kate McGregor. Kate shuns the limelight and has stepped away from television work since she left Emmerdale for the final time in 2008.

Kate has at least one child – her maternity leave was the reason for Emily’s departure from the village – but she has no social media and no recent acting credits, so it’s not known what she’s up to now.