The Tate family in Emmerdale: From Frank to Kim and Jamie, a history of the iconic dynasty
Frank and Kim were the original Tates
The Tate family have been a staple of Emmerdale for 35 years, bringing a touch of class and a lot of drama to the village.
During the past almost four decades, they’ve been at the centre of many of the show’s most explosive storylines.
The Tates came to the Dales in 1989, and their arrival signified a change in direction and feel for the ITV soap. The clan were headed by patriarch Frank, who became the lord of the manor at Home Farm
Frank had five children in total, two of which he knew nothing about.
From his first marriage he had son and heir Chris and daughter Zoe, and then son James, aka Jamie, with second wife Kim.
The Tate matriarch also was father to two sons, Liam Hammond and Caleb Miligan. Both were the products of extramarital affairs and their existence was only revealed years after Frank’s death.
It’s been 27 years since Frank slipped off the mortal coil, but the Tate presence remains strong in Emmerdale – with his grandchildren now flying the flag for the next generation.
Here is a look at who’s who in the brood and how they’re all related.
Head of the Tate family in Emmerdale: Frank Tate
Francis ‘Frank’ Ronald Tate, played by Norman Bowler, was the patriarch of the wealthy Tate family and Emmerdale’s first true villain.
He arrived in the village in November 1989 along with his two grown up children, Chris and Zoe, and became the new owner of Home Farm.
His second wife and former secretary, Kim joined them a month later.
Frank was previously married to Chris and Zoe’s mum Jean, who fell ill with cancer in 1984. It was revealed Frank had assisted in Jean ending her own life and was having an affair with Kim at the time of her death.
A successful haulage baron, Frank was rich and powerful, but deeply flawed. He drank too much alcohol and had a violent temper. Frank and Kim’s marriage was tempestuous and littered with affairs and betrayals.
They welcomed baby son James in 1996, but that same year Frank tried to have Kim murdered, only to end up killing her lookalike instead.
Frank suffered a fatal heart attack 1997 after Kim ‘returned from the dead’ and had Frank framed for her ‘murder’. He died on the living room floor at Home Farm, while cold-hearted Kim used her compact mirror to check he’d taken his last breath before reapplying her make-up.
Kim Tate
Kim Tate (nee Barker), played by Claire King, was Frank’s gold-digging second wife who successfully managed to go from being his secretary to spouse.
Decades younger than her millionaire husband, Kim craved excitement and found that in the affairs she had with gamekeeper Neil Kinkaid and Dave Glover, who perished in a fire at Home Farm.
Kim survived Frank’s abuse and his attempt to kill her, and had him framed for her supposed murder.
Two years after Frank’s death, Kim fled the village with their son James in a helicopter.
During her absence, she served five years in prison while James was sent to boarding school.
Kim made her triumphant return to Emmerdale in 2018 and reclaimed her rightful place as lady of the manor.
She is the only original member of the Tate family left in the village.
The Tate family in Emmerdale: Chris Tate
Chris Tate was born in 1963, and was the first child of Frank and Jean Tate. He was played by Peter Amory.
Once heir to the Tate fortune, Chris was the managing director of the family’s haulage firm.
But life dealt Chris a tragic blow when he was injured in the 1993 plane crash and left paralysed from the waist down.
Chris loathed stepmum Kim, and the feeling was mutual. Although in real life actors Peter Amory (Chris) and Claire King (Kim) were actually a married couple.
Chris had a total of three wives. His first marriage to Kathy Merrick ended after he cheated on her with Rachel Hughes.
Rachel fell pregnant and gave birth to Chris’s son Joseph in June 1995. Chris and Rachel wed in December of the same year, but it lasted less than a year.
In 2001, Chris married Charity Dingle, and the couple welcomed son Noah. But things turned sour when Charity cheated.
Chris then discovered he had an inoperable brain tumour and took in his own life in 2003. He framed Charity for his murder in a final act of revenge.
Zoe Tate
Village vet Zoe, played by Leah Bracknell, was the only daughter of Frank Tate. She was at the centre of several huge storylines.
She made history as the first lesbian character in a British soap when she came out in 1993.
In 1996, Zoe had a blessing ceremony with girlfriend Emma Nightingale, but then left her for Emma’s ex Susan Wilde. Zoe also had a memorable fling with Chris’s wife, Charity Dingle.
As well as dealing with the trauma of losing her father and brother, Zoe was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
She had a brief romance with Scott Windsor, which resulted in the birth of her daughter, Jean, who Zoe named after her late mother.
After standing trial for attempted murder, Zoe left the village in 2005. She took Jean and Chris’s son Joseph – and blew Home Farm up on her way out!
Liam Hammond
Two years after Frank’s death, Liam Hammond arrived in the Dales. He was revealed to be the late Tate’s illegitimate son.
The character was played by actor Liam Powley. Liam was the product of an affair between Frank and an unnamed woman.
He was born two years before Chris’s birth, which meant he was the eldest of Frank’s kids.
In revenge for his father’s abandonment and his deprived upbringing, Liam kidnapped Chris and held him hostage. Zoe came to Chris’s rescue and ended up fatally shooting Liam.
She and Chris then destroyed all evidence of their half-brother’s connection to the family. They had Liam buried near Frank.
Caleb Miligan
Just when viewers thought they’d seen the last of Frank Tate’s offspring, along came Caleb Miligan.
The character, played by William Ash, turned up on Christmas Day 2022 and soon revealed himself to be Frank’s long-lost son.
Caleb was conceived during the summer of 1975 when his mum Faith Dingle had an affair with Frank. She gave birth to Caleb in prison and he was subsequently brought up in care.
Caleb viewed the Home Farm empire as his birth right. He set about trying to destroy Kim in a bid to avenge his father’s death.
Ultimately, Caleb‘s plan failed, but he’s got plenty more schemes up his sleeve.
James Tate
James ‘Jamie’ Tate is the only child of Frank and Kim Tate.
His early years were anything other than stable. His mother faked her own death, his father died when he was just a baby and he was then kidnapped by his nanny Jan Glover.
Jamie left the village in 1999, but spent most of his childhood in boarding school after Kim was sent to prison.
During his 10-year absence, Jamie trained to become a vet. He also married wife Andrea and became a dad to Millie.
The character returned to the Dales in 2019, played by Alexander Lincoln, and proved he was a chip off the old block with his affairs and general manipulative behaviour.
His one-night stand with Gabby Thomas resulted in the birth of his son, Thomas Tate.
After being exposed for poisoning Kim, Jamie followed in his mum’s footsteps by faking his own death.
It was later revealed he was still alive and had been living with Millie and her gran – meaning the door remains open for Jamie to come and cause some further carnage.
Joseph Tate
Joseph ‘Joe’ Tate is the son of the late Chris Tate and Rachel Hughes. He spent most of his childhood in boarding school after being shipped off there when he was just a young lad.
Joe returned to the village in 2017 (played by Ned Porteous) under the alias of Tom Waterhouse.
He seduced Debbie Dingle to get revenge on her mum, Charity, who he blamed for his father Chris.s death – but ended up falling for her in the process.
Joe then bought back Home Farm and set about restoring the grand country pile, while making an enemy of a lot of the locals.
In October 2018, Joe was presumed dead after being punched by Cain Dingle. Kim’s right-hand man Graham Foster was ordered to dispose of the body, but ultimately set him free.
Joe is still alive and well and living abroad somewhere off Kim’s money.
Jean Tate
Jean Tate is Zoe’s only child and Frank Tate’s granddaughter. She was born in January 2003.
She was the product of a one-night stand between Zoe and Scott Windsor. However, the circumstances of Jean’s conception were complicated – Zoe was in the grips of schizophrenia at the time and had no recollection of having slept with Scott.
Jean left the village in September 2005 when Zoe took her and her cousin Joe to live in New Zealand.
She hasn’t been seen since.
Nicky Miligan
Much like his half-cousin Joe Tate, Nicky chose not to reveal his true identity when he first arrived in the village. The male nanny, played by Lewis Cope, was secretly working in cahoots with dad Caleb to try and destroy Kim.
Part of that plan involved seducing Kim’s protegee Gaby Thomas. The couple were set to marry, but Nicky’s conscience kicked in on the wedding day and he told Gabby the whole thing was a sham and that he was in fact, gay.
Nicky remained in the village and has since had a romance with Suni Sharma.
Noah Dingle
Noah Dingle is the son of Chris Tate and Charity Dingle, born in 2004.
Following in a Tate tradition, Noah was born in a prison hospital when Charity was serving time for the murder of his father.
Zoe tried to adopt Noah, and renamed him Christopher after his father. But Charity reclaimed her son and the pair went off to live in Spain.
Noah returned in 2007 and has remained in the village ever since.
His teenage years have not been without drama though – Noah has overdosed on drugs and spent time in prison for a stalking offense.
Millie Tate
Millie is Frank Tate’s youngest granddaughter.
She’s the daughter of Jamie Tate and his ex-wife, the late Andrea Tate.
Millie’s mum Andrea died in a fire in October 2021 after being attacked and left to perish by murderer Meena Jutla.
The youngster currently lives abroad with Jamie and her gran, Hazel.
Thomas Tate
Thomas Tate is the youngest member of the family.
Like so many of the Tates before him, Thomas was conceived from a one-night stand. In this case it was between Jamie Tate and Gabby Thomas.
With Jamie’s current whereabouts unknown, Thomas lives at Home Farm with Gabby, and where Kim can keep a close eye on her grandson.
Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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