Sarah Sugden

Sarah Sugden is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Katie Hill since January 2017. She is the daughter of Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) and Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb) and has appeared since June 2005. Her storylines in the series have included her diagnosis of Fanconi anaemia, her subsequent health struggles following her diagnosis and being involved with drug dealer Danny Harrington (Louis Healy). Casting Having been played by Sophia Amber Moore from toddler-hood up to age 11 in 2016, the producers opted to recast the role in late 2016 to an older actress, "due to the nature of the storyline of the character". Storylines When Sarah's mother, Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), discovers she is pregnant at age fifteen, she conceals it and plans to leave the baby at the hospital after birth. Sarah is born in a shed with help from Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor) and is named Sarah Charity after her grandmothers Sarah Sugden (Alyson Spiro) and Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins). Debbie decides that she cannot raise a daughter and persuades Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor) to take Sarah when she leaves the village. Emily returns Sarah after Ethan Blake (Liam O'Brien) convinces her that Sarah should live with her father, Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher). Debbie's step-grandmother, Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox), tries to get Debbie to bond with Sarah, but she refuses and suggests that Andy's ex-girlfriend, Jo Stiles (Roxanne Pallett), adopts Sarah; however, she does not sign the papers. When Andy goes to prison, Sarah and Debbie start to bond. Upon his release, he starts abusing Jo and at nursery, Sarah bites another child, resulting in her suspension. Andy moves out, leaving Sarah in Jo's care but is permitted supervised access. When Jo leaves the villages, Sarah is reluctantly left with Debbie's family. Sarah and Debbie become closer, but she refuses to take custody. Sarah spends a night at Andy's house following the funeral of his father, Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby). Debbie and Andy fight for custody of Sarah, which is awarded to Debbie after Andy withdraws his application. Sarah begins to bruise and tire easily, worrying her parents, who believe someone is hurting her. After consulting a doctor, Sarah is diagnosed with Fanconi anemia (FA), which develops into leukemia. Sarah needs a bone marrow transplant and when a donor withdraws, her parents consider a saviour sibling.