Name: Robert ‘Bob’ Hope
First appearance: 19 September 2000
Birthday: 11 December 1960
Spouse: Brenda Walker, Viv Windsor (deceased), Jean Hope (divorced), Barbara Hope (divorced), Vonda Lockhart (divorced)
Siblings: Eddie Hope
Children: Dawn Woods (deceased), Jamie Hope, Josh Hope, Carly Hope, Roxy Lockhart, Cathy Hope, Heath Hope
Grandchildren: TJ Woods, April Dingle, Billy Hope
Occupation: Café Owner
Lives: Connelton View
Milestones:
Sep 2000: Arrives in Emmerdale as a sales rep for Naughty Nylons. Despite being married six times, Bob and Viv begin a relationship
Feb 2001: Gets married to Viv
Bob’s daughter Dawn arrives and gets engaged to Bob’s friend Terry
2005: Divorces Viv but then they reconcile
Feb 2006: Has a double wedding with Viv’s daughter Donna and her groom, Marlon Dingle
Jul 2006: Daughter Dawn Woods dies in the King’s River house collapse
Feb 2007: Viv gives birth to twins Cathy and Heath
Aug 2008: Devastated when Viv is sentenced to three years for charity fraud
Brenda becomes a financial partner in the café to help Bob financially
Jul 2009: Has a one night stand with Gennie, Brenda’s daughter. When Viv is released and finds out what’s happened in her absence, she asks for a divorce
Jan 2011: Viv and Terry Woods are killed in a fire at Victoria Cottage, while Bob saves the twins
Buys a cottage in the village and moves in with Dan Spencer
Bob and Brenda re-open the café and name it Café Hope. Develops feelings for Brenda and they begin a relationship
2013: Brenda is diagnosed with a brain tumour and ends it with Bob. Supports Brenda as she undergoes surgery to remove the tumour
Plans to propose while Brenda organises a handfasting. They hold the ceremony surrounded by their family and friends and are married
Mar 2014: Step-daughter Donna returns to the village after five years away with Bob’s grand-daughter, April Windsor
Aug 2014: Donna dies in a police incident, which reveals she was dying of cancer
Mar 2015: Daughter Carly surprises her dad when she turns up in the village
Mar 2017: Discovers he had a grand child called Billy that died of cot death
Tony Audenshaw
In 1989, Tony appeared in Inspector Morse as a fast bowler for the Clarets cricket team in the episode ‘Deceived by Flight’. In 1995 and 1996, he had a brief appearance as PC Ian Coban in the Channel 4 soap Brookside. In 1996 he appeared as an unnamed South Yorkshire Ambulance Service officer in the TV drama Hillsborough.
His Emmerdale debut was in 2000 and he has been a cast member ever since. In December 2006 he appeared as himself alongside other members of the Emmerdale cast on a celebrity version of the TV show Family Fortunes. In 2009 he appeared in and won an episode of Celebrity Mastermind. His specialist subject was ‘British Birds’.
He is a keen marathon runner, competing in ten London Marathons – in the 2010 London Marathon he broke the Guinness World Record for fastest time set by a runner dressed as a baby.
He ran the Robin Hood Marathon in Nottingham on Sunday 12 September 2010 in 3 hours 54 minutes and 29 seconds. Tony often runs in fancy dress for the charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. On 17 April 2011, he ran the 2011 London Marathon in 3 hours and 18 minutes dressed as a fairy. He has presented a feature called Tony’s Trials in the weekly running podcast Marathon Talk in which he recounts a humorous anecdote from his week of training.
Tony has an active mind as well as an active body; he won an episode of Celebrity Mastermind in 2009. He is also the lead singer in a band called “White Van Man”, who collaborated with an acclaimed opera singer to release “Viva Englandia” in support of England’s 2010 World Cup campaign.
At the 2001 Inside Soap Awards, Tony earned nominations for Best Newcomer, Funniest Character and Best Couple, along with Deena Payne. In 2008, Tony and Deena were nominated for Best On-Screen Partnership at the Digital Spy Soap Awards.