'Emmerdale' has paid tribute to Annie Sugden after actress Sheila Mercier's death.
Isabel Hodgins
The soap legend passed away peacefully in her sleep last December aged 100, and last night's (13.10.20) touching episode saw Victoria Barton (Isabel Hodgins) take her grandmother Annie's ashes to Butlers Farm.
The character's will revealed Victoria has received a lot of the land on which Moira Dingle's (Natalie J Robb) farm sits.
Although Moira was worried that Isabel's alter-ego would sell to a developer, she realised that wouldn't be what Annie would have wanted with land which has always been the Sugdens' home.
Victoria hinted she might be interested in learning about farming herself, and told Natalie's alter ego that she was happy to keep things as they are.
She later took the urn containing Annie's ashes to the field and said an emotional goodbye as she welcomed her grandmother home one final time.
Actress Sheila's final 'Emmerdale' appearance came in 2009 to mark the death of Clive Hornby, who played her on-screen son Jack Sugden.
A decade later, Sheila - who appeared in the ITV soap's first episode in 1972 - passed away, with a show spokesperson paying tribute to her.
They said: "It’s always sad to hear of the death of an actor who played a significant part in Emmerdale’s success.
"Even more so when that actor was in the very first episode and around whose family the show was built.
"Annie Sugden embodied all the virtues of Yorkshire – she was hard working, resilient, determined, down to earth and didn’t suffer fools gladly.
"Sheila had many of those qualities too, putting the needs of the programme above her own and always delivering a great performance come rain or shine. She will be greatly missed."