Debbie Dingle (also Jones and Barton) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Charley Webb. Webb has taken maternity leave three times, with the first time being in 2010, and the second in 2016, with Debbie departing on 1 January 2016. She returned on 24 January 2017, and then went on maternity leave for a third time in 2019, with Debbie leaving for Scotland on 13 August 2019. She returned for a short stint on 25 December 2020, and made her final appearance on 11 February 2021.
Debbie was introduced as the foster child of Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) and Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor) before being revealed as the daughter of Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley). She has featured in many storylines on Emmerdale, including her relationships with Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) (which lead to her pregnancy at the age of 15), Jasmine Thomas (Jenna-Louise Coleman) and Scott Windsor (Ben Freeman); her daughter Sarah being diagnosed with a blood disorder; her disastrous relationship with Cameron Murray (Carl King's, Alex Moss's, and Gennie Walker's real killer) (Dominic Power), which sparked the 2013 week of episodes known as "The Woolpack Siege"; a relationship with Pete (Anthony Quinlan), who she later marries, and her affair with Ross (Michael Parr); a relationship with Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), and being conned by him; accidentally having Ross as the victim of an acid attack; learning Sarah suffers from heart failure and needs a transplant; and dealing with the false revelation that Cain killed Joe.
Development
Characterisation
Webb told Gemma Graham from TV Buzz that the reason she "loves" playing Debbie is that she has always been a fighter. "Nothing will knock her down and if it does she'll get back up again". Webb said that she would not pick a fight with Debbie because she would win "any day".
In one storyline Debbie takes part in a jewellery heist with the help of Chastity Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Lexi Nicholls (Sally Oliver). Lexi is given a bracelet at a sale and pretends she has stolen it to impress Debbie. Oliver told Kris Green of Digital Spy that Debbie thinks that stealing jewellery must be easy. Debbie thinks of a "big master plan" and they attend a party at Home Farm. The three females "dress up-the-nines" in "camp costumes". Debbie gets Chas and Lexi to cause a diversion while she steals an expensive necklace. Oliver said that over the following episodes viewers found out what really happened with the necklace and what they plan to do with it. Debbie's attitude causes Lexi to become suspicious; Oliver said that Lexi "wants the necklace straight back, it's not the sort of thing she's going to take lightly." Debbie starts plotting to sell the necklace and keep the proceeds for herself. Oliver said Debbie swaps the necklace for a fake and makes Chas and Lexi think she has lost it. The production team did not use real diamonds in the storyline and opted for plastic glass. Oliver said that she did not think they would get away with the scam.
Temporary departure In June 2015, Webb announced she was pregnant with her second child and took her maternity leave later that year. Debbie departed on 1 January 2016 and it was confirmed in December 2016 that Webb will make her return in January 2017. Her return scenes aired on 24 January 2017.
Maternity leave and departure (2019, 2021) In 2019, it was announced that Webb would be taking maternity leave for a third time; her return scenes aired in December 2020. Her exit scenes aired in February 2021; Webb's husband Wolfenden has stated that she would only reprise her role once the COVID-19 pandemic protocols in place on the soap were retired, but confirmed that she had no plans to return. Later that year, Wolfenden was accused of mimicking the accent of a mixed race actress on set. An investigation into the accusations was launched and Webb was reported to have sided with Wolfenden. Webb subsequently made the decision to leave Emmerdale permanently.
Storylines Upon arriving in Emmerdale in December 2002, Debbie was fostered by Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor). When Debbie shows Sam Dingle (James Hooton) a photograph of her biological mother, he recognizes the young woman as his cousin, Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins). They eventually meet and she gets close to her stepfather, Chris Tate (Peter Amory), but after meeting her biological father, Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), the trio become a family and Chris is sidelined. This affects him extremely, resulting in him cancelling plans to adopt Debbie.
Debbie, Charity and Cain move into Pear Tree Cottage and live together until Charity is found guilty of Chris's murder, so she and Cain move in with the Dingles. When the house becomes over-crowded, she and Cain move in with Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) and Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor). Debbie's behaviour becomes erratic as she shows an interest in glamour and boys, resulting in her capturing Daz's affections. Debbie, however, prefers Andy and local curate, Ethan Blake (Liam O'Brien), who is engaged to Niamh O'Connor (Tracey Moore). Debbie loses her virginity to Andy and he tells her that he has a crush on her. They begin dating, until Charity and Cain find out. Charity accepts the relationship but Cain disapproves and blackmails Andy into ending it, unaware that Debbie is pregnant. Andy's wife Katie Sugden (Sammy Winward) had discover her affair with Andy and was pregnant with his child, causing angry at her and nearly divorce with him. Distraught, she hides it and plans to abandon the baby after giving birth but Daz sees her bump. Daz is with her as she gives birth and names her daughter, Sarah. Debbie and Andy reunite briefly but it is short-lived and his brother, Robert Sugden (Karl Davies), becomes romantically involved with Debbie. She, however, is unaware that he has an ulterior motive until he ends the relationship when Debbie tells him that she feels baby Sarah should stay with the Dingles while they go travelling. He then tells her that he wanted Sarah, not her. Feeling unable to cope with motherhood and knowing that Emily is leaving, she asks her to take Sarah. The Dingles are horrified so she moves in with Ashley Thomas (John Middleton), where she makes friends with Jasmine Thomas (Jenna-Louise Coleman). Debbie confesses her love for Jasmine and they date for a while until Cain deliberately tempts Jasmine into sleeping with him. Wanting to hurt her, he makes sure Debbie sees them together. Debbie and Jasmine break up for a while but reconcile when Debbie learns that Jasmine is pregnant and wants an abortion. Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) pays for her to go private and Debbie, knowing that Cain wants another child, tells him this, leading him to kidnap Sadie and Tom King (Ken Farrington) for financial gain to start a new life. Debbie tries to convince Cain to stay but he leaves and gives her money.
Emily returns Sarah to Andy and Debbie tells Andy that she does not want to be a mother. Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox) deliberately asks Debbie to visit when Sarah is there, hoping to create a mother-daughter relationship. She's successful and Debbie asks Andy for access but he refuses. Debbie briefly dates Scott Windsor (Ben Freeman). Debbie gets Eli Dingle (Joe Gilgun) to pose as Scott so she can get a bank loan. Debbie, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Lexi King (Sally Oliver) decide to stage a jewellery scam at Home Farm so they can steal a valuable necklace and share the proceeds. Debbie wants more money so she gets Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) to help scam Chas and Lexi but Lexi discovers the truth and the pair fight in the street, accidentally dropping the necklace down a drain.
When Andy is sent to prison, Jo Stiles (Roxanne Pallett), Andy's ex-wife, asks Debbie to look after Sarah, which Debbie enjoys. Debbie discovers that Andy is hitting Jo and worries about Sarah's safety. Debbie gives Jo money so she and Sarah can leave but Jo stays and allows Andy to see Sarah again, annoying Debbie. However, this does not last long as Jo leaves Sarah with Debbie and the Dingles as Debbie gets involved in the murder of PC Shane Doyle (Paul McEwan), Jasmine's ex-boyfriend. Jasmine is the real culprit as she killed him to save Debbie. She, Debbie and Eli attempt to conceal what they'd done but Jasmine wants to confess especially after Ross Kirk (Samuel Anderson) is charged with his murder. Debbie persuades her not to and they start dating again. They decide to run away together but the police catch Debbie and arrest her. With Jasmine on the run; Debbie is left to take the blame for the murder. Eli enlists Danielle Hutch to harm Debbie, so she is sent to hospital as part of a rescue attempt but Debbie refuses to go. At Debbie's court hearing, Jasmine arrives and admits murdering Shane. Debbie and Jasmine are found guilty and Debbie is released because of time served and her time in prison has made her realize that she wants Sarah back. Natasha Wylde (Amanda Donohoe), concerned about Andy's reputation now that he is dating her daughter, Maisie, pays for Debbie to sue Andy for custody. However, Maisie Wylde (Alice Coulthard) does not approve. Maisie and Debbie have a fight and Debbie thinks that she has ruined her chances but Maisie ends her relationship with Andy so she will not be involved. Cain helps by asking Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller) to help. Aaron is dating Andy's sister, Victoria, and he persuades her to play truant from school and steal from local shops. Cain reports Andy to social services, informing them of Victoria's behaviour and his past domestic abuse. The social worker is concerned about Andy's ability to run the farm and look after Victoria and Sarah even before Jo confirms the domestic abuse allegation so Andy withdraws his claim for residency and Debbie is awarded sole residency.
Debbie dates Michael Conway but he admits that he already has a girlfriend and they are due to marry within days. He insists that he loves Debbie so she tells him to call off his wedding but he cannot because his fiancée is pregnant. On attending the wedding, Debbie and Cain are shocked to discover that his bride is Charity. He calls the wedding off, wanting Debbie back, but she ignores him, choosing to build relationships with Charity and Noah instead until she catches Charity stealing Cain's money. Cain and Charity later reconcile but annoyed at their inability to get along, Debbie takes a job in Jersey. She returns months later and moves back in with her parents. Later she reveals that her boss tried to take advantage of her and she got revenge by humiliating him and stealing money. Debbie starts a new relationship with Cameron Murray (Dominic Power), a man she previously had an affair with in Jersey, and discovers she is pregnant but has a miscarriage and is annoyed that Cameron doesn't seem bothered.