This is not a drill – Paul Opacic is reprising his Steve Marchant role in Emmerdale after 27 years away.
The character originally appeared between 1996 and 1999, and was first introduced as the former university friend of Joe Tate’s (Ned Porteous) mother Rachel Hughes (Glenda McKay).
He and Kim Tate (Claire King) eventually got hitched, though their happy wedded life quickly began to fade. Facing financial troubles, Steve plotted to steal a horse from one of Kim’s business rivals – though in doing so, struck Kathy Bates (Malandra Burrows) with his car and later tried to smother her in hospital.
Steve hoped that he could flee the country before the police caught up with him, though at the airport, he was arrested for theft and attempted murder.
He later discovered that Kim was trying to frame him for their conspiracy plan and a vicious feud emerged. At the trial, Steve pleaded guilty, though Kim was insistent that she played no part in the crimes. She then left the village in a helicopter the night before the verdict was delivered, and it was announced without her being there.
She received a 12-month sentence, while he ended up being behind bars for 10 years.
In today’s (2 November) episode, Steve’s name was uttered for the first time in decades. DS Thea Ramsden (Chelsea Edge) wanted answers about her biological paternity, and Kim revealed that her dad is none other than Steve.
Forthcoming scenes will see Thea attempt to track her father down, though with only his name as a clue, it could be a difficult search. She has no idea whether he even knows that she exists, given Kim gave her up for adoption following his imprisonment.
Posing as a solicitor, she attempts initial contact and he’s drawn back to the village for answers. Can Steve build a relationship with his estranged daughter?
The ITV soap has confirmed that a romantic reunion with Kim is “out of the question”, however.
Speaking of his epic return, Opacic said: “Things were left rather bitter between Kim and Steve, so he’s very surprised when a solicitor contacts him out of the blue. He guesses something is afoot when Kim starts brandishing notes to keep him away.
“With the sniff of more cash to be made, Steve wonders what is going on. And soon Thea leaves him a jaw-dropping voicemail.”
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw added: “Determined to uncover the truth about her father, Thea devises a clever ruse to lure him into a meeting under false pretences.
“But will Steve fall for her deception, and does he even realise he has a child – or could he know secrets that even Kim isn’t aware of?”
Consider us intrigued!
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Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
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