Emmerdale fans are in for an emotional rollercoaster as Sarah Sugden faces heartbreaking news in the forthcoming episodes.
Sarah, the daughter of Debbie Dingle and Andy Sugden, has been living with her grandmother Charity Dingle since her parents departed from the village. Debbie exited in 2021, while Andy left in 2016.
Back in 2011, it was revealed that Sarah was grappling with a rare genetic disorder known as fanconi anaemia, necessitating a bone marrow transplant to save her life.
Sadly, her health took a turn for the worse when she quickly developed leukaemia. Upon discovering they weren’t a match for Sarah, Debbie and Andy decided to have another child in the hope that the baby could be a potential donor.
Professional organiser Dilly Carter learns ‘life-changing’ skill
Once pregnant, the worried parents found out their baby Jack was a match, allowing doctors to carry out the transplant for Sarah upon his birth. Heartbreakingly, a few years later, Sarah was diagnosed with throat cancer and had to undergo treatment, reports Leicestershire Live.
Her health battles didn’t end there, as in recent times, Sarah was diagnosed with heart failure due to severe rare side effects from her chemotherapy, leading to a heart transplant.
In upcoming scenes, Sarah is set to face more heartache as she discovers she has the early stages of cervical cancer, a revelation she receives alone.
A distressed Sarah struggles to absorb all the consultant’s information but is relieved to learn she may still be able to conceive amid her plans to have a child through IVF.
Left reeling from her shattering news at the doctors, she seeks solace in former flame and medic Jacob Gallagher, whose stark response only adds to her turmoil.
At a recent press event, Katie Hill, who portrays Sarah, opened up about her character’s solo status in the village and whether she’d welcome the return of on-screen parents Debbie and Andy.
Katie, 22, enthused: “Oh 100%, funnily enough I never met Kelvin Fletcher who plays my dad in the show. I’ve never actually met him in real life.”
She continued with hope: “Obviously it would be great if he came back and we got a chance to explore their relationship, and again Charley [Webb, who plays mum Debbie], she was my person here for so many years.
“She really took me under her wing when I joined the show so it would be so nice to work with them both. I’d like that.”
This sentiment echoes the feelings of soap fans who are eager to see either Debbie or Andy make a comeback as Sarah faces heartache.
Social media is abuzz with viewers expressing their wishes, with one fan tweeting: “Debbie needs to come back… #emmerdale”, another pleading: “Debbie needs to come back to the village with son Jack. #Emmerdale @emmerdale” and yet another pondering: “Should Debbie come back? #Emmerdale.”
