Emmerdale’s Katie Hill questioned time on soap due to killer character

By Rachael Popow, Press Association

Emmerdale star Katie Hill said she questioned whether her days on the ITV soap were numbered after learning that her character Sarah Sugden was going to be a killer.

Hill took over the role of Sarah Sugden in 2017, and in recent weeks, viewers saw her character accidentally kill Dr Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker) during a heated confrontation.

The incident took place after Hill’s character discovered that Dr Caitlin had been sexually assaulting her grandmother Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) – who has since taken the fall for Sarah.

Hill said: “I was a bit speechless at first. And then I kind of thought ‘Do I go to prison?’

“(Producer Sophie Roper) immediately said, ‘Don’t worry, you don’t go to prison’. I was like, ‘okay, and breathe – I’ve still got a job’.”

Once she was reassured she was not being written out, Hill was thrilled to be part of such a juicy plot.

The 23-year-old actress said: “I was just honoured to be trusted with the storyline. This is the biggest storyline I’ve had.”

In the wake of the accident, Hill reflected on how living with what she has done will take a huge toll on Sarah.

She said: “You know, it changes everything, it completely rocks her world. But obviously, it was by accident.

“We all know Sarah as a character, she doesn’t have that in her. So, it comes as a massive shock.

“I think when it first happens, she just doesn’t even know how to process it. She can’t comprehend that this has happened…

“It’s sort of transitioning Sarah from being this innocent, happy young mum… to then this massive moment in her life that will change her forever.”

Hill has been at the centre of the drama in Emmerdale village this year, and her character recently welcomed daughter Leyla, who Charity carried for her as a surrogate.

However, Sarah is unaware that the baby is not biologically hers and is instead the result of a fling her grandmother had with Ross Barton (Michael Parr).

Hill explained that she is struggling to understand how, biologically speaking, Sarah is actually Leyla’s niece rather than her mother and said: “Honestly, I didn’t even think about that for a long time.

“Then someone said to me, ‘Sarah’s breastfeeding her auntie’, and then I couldn’t get it out of my head. I was like ‘this is really, really weird’.”

Discussing the potential fallout if and when the secret is revealed, Hill said she thinks her character will still consider Leyla to be her baby.

It's a massive thing, because, obviously, she’s raised this baby since she was born. That love can't just go away like that. The biological side of things has changed, but you don't just stop loving a child that you've raised

She said: “It’s the type of thing we won’t know until we know.

“It’s a massive thing, because, obviously, she’s raised this baby since she was born. That love can’t just go away like that.

“The biological side of things has changed, but you don’t just stop loving a child that you’ve raised.”

Hill went on to say the revelation could alter her character’s feelings towards her grandmother, adding: “Charity’s given her the best gift she ever could have asked for.

“So, for that to be taken away from her, it’ll definitely cause issues with their relationship.”

Emmerdale is on at 8pm on weeknights on ITV1 and STV or from 7am on ITVX and STV Player and YouTube.