Emmerdale’s Lorraine Chase talks to Soaplife about Steph’s emotional farewell to her father Alan Turner - and her personal farewell to actor Richard Thorp, who played the village’s old favourite.
What was it like coming back to Emmerdale?
“Wonderful. I adored playing Steph, but my family are in London, so when I was up in Leeds for four and a half years, it used to get stressful. I love Steph and the village and to be back was a joy. It felt as if I had never been gone, even though I’ve been away for seven years.”
What’s Alan’s funeral like?
“It was moving because everyone there knew the late Richard Thorp, who played him. He would have loved every bit of it - there were three young ladies who are part of it and what they do and who they are would have made him twinkle all day. They give him a terrific send-off. All these bikers turn up. When the hearse drew up we all got a bit teary.”
Had you planned to return to the show?
“It’s strange… Richard called me the day before he died and said, ‘Lorraine, I could really do with a bit of a storyline. Would you see if you could get a little storyline in prison?’ I promised him that I would. That night he was very poorly and the next day he was gone.”
What was it like being at the funeral in handcuffs?
“It meant there was a little bit of my dad there. He died the year before Richard and he was a naughty boy. He escaped from Wormwood Scrubs. When I was stood there with the handcuffs on, it reminded me of the times we saw my dad go to court.”
Does Steph behave?
“No! She tries to do a runner! The day isn’t about Steph, though; it’s about Alan and Richard. But I was pleased that they wrote me a little story so I didn’t end up just sitting there. I wish Richard had been there, but it was lovely to be back and keep my promise to him.”
