DOB: Not known
Marital status: Married to Diane
Address: Annie’s Cottage
Occupation: Farmer
First arrived
19 January 1980. Jack’s been a fixture in the village for 28 years and has gone from being the black sheep of the family to the person who keeps the Sugdens functioning. Jack’s the eldest son of Annie and Jacob and is the father of Jackie (deceased), Robert, Victoria and the adoptive father of Andy. Actor Clive Hornby died on 3rd July 2008 after a long illness - he was 63.
Character reference
Made money out of writing a novel – called Tares In The Field – and had aspirations to be a full-time scribe. But Jack has spent most of his life running the inherited Emmerdale Farm. Brother Joe expected the farm to be passed on to him and for the next 20 years the brothers bickered.
Their epic rows have threatened to tear the Sugdens apart. Fast forward, to the modern age and Jack was eventually forced to sell the farm to his old enemies at Home Farm, where he briefly worked as estate manager. He now helps son Andy on Butler’s Farm, land which is rented from the Kings.
Love life
Jack started out as a ladies’ man. His childhood sweetheart had been Pat Harkin whom he married in October 1982 but their marriage hit a rocky patch and he had an affair with Hotten Market manager Karen Moore at the end of 1984. Pat uncovered the secret and issued an ultimatum and the pair stayed together to have a son, Robert, in 1986. Tragedy struck later that year when Pat was killed in a car crash.
Jack was on his own for the next three years, but had brief affairs with Marian Wilks and school teacher Barbara. He met Sarah Connolly in 1988 and she moved in back in 1990. But Sarah did not want to be a farmer’s wife and they didn’t wed until a few months after the birth of their child Victoria in 1994.
Jack still couldn’t keep his trousers on and had a short affair in 1998 with his brother’s stepdaughter Rachel. In retaliation, Sarah had an affair with lodger Ritchie and decided to leave Jack. After a court battle over the children, Sarah realised she had made a mistake and tried to leave Ritchie. In the farm barn, Ritchie tried to talk Sarah round but disaster struck when the barn went up in flames, killing Sarah. When it was discovered that the fire was arson, Jack was arrested for Sarah’s murder.
Jack is now married to pub landlady Diane who recently suffered from colon cancer and was nearly killed in the house collapse in 2006. Since then Diane believes life is too short and has been gambling and drinking. Jack has found her behaviour over-the-top and puzzling but she seems determined not to let anything – or anyone – hold her back. Her wayward behaviour tested Jack's love for his wife when in 2007 Diane admitted to having feelings for Billy Hopwood.
Memorable moment
When Jack was accidentally shot by Andy.
The actor who plays him
Clive Hornby was not the original Jack Sugden. The character was played by Andrew Burt between 1972 and 1976. When Jack then went to Italy to pen his novel, the character wasn’t seen in the series again until 1980 when Clive clinched the role.
