Duration 1977–91 Last appearance 15 August 1991 Spouse Matt Skilbeck | First appearance 22 February 1977 Classification Former; regular | |
Portrayed by Katharine Barker (1977–1979)
Jean Rogers (1980–1991) Book appearances Whispers of Scandal
Shadows From The Past
Lucky For Some Similar Matt Skilbeck, Sandie Merrick, Amos Brearly, Annie Sugden, Henry Wilks | ||
Dolly Skilbeck (née Acaster) is a fictional character from the popular soap opera Emmerdale, played first by Katharine Barker from 1977–1979 and later by Jean Rogers from 1980 until the character's departure in 1991.
Character history
Dolly Acaster arrived in Beckindale from Darlington to serve as a barmaid in The Woolpack. Dolly soon fell for Matt Skilbeck and they married on 29 June 1978.
Having had a miscarriage in May 1980 after eight months (announced the pregnancy in September 1979), Dolly began work at the village playgroup. A healthy son, Samuel David Skilbeck, was born on 23 December 1982 but Dolly miscarried again in November 1985. Later it emerged that Dolly had a son by Richard Roper in the mid-1960s and gave him up for adoption. Her illegitimate child, Graham Lodsworth, came to find her in 1986.
In late 1987, Matt discovered that he had inherited Crossgill Farm from the previous owner. Dolly wanted to move out of Emmerdale but Matt refused and they began to grow apart, resulting in her affair with timber consultant Stephen Fuller in 1988. Fuller was killed by a falling tree in November 1988 and Dolly arranged his funeral. Dolly left Matt and began divorce proceedings in November 1989 and left the village in 1991, having had an abortion after an affair with crooked councillor Charlie Aindow. Dolly and Sam moved to Norfolk to join Matt.
Dolly and Matt remarried off-screen in 1992.