Nicola King in Emmerdale: Businesswoman, liar, cheater and her sensational exit from the soap

Today’s episode of Classic Emmerdale (Wednesday, October 23 on ITV3) sees Nicola Blackstock leave the soap in an explosive exit from the village. This comes as Laurel lets slip that Nicola lied about sleeping with binman Ivan – leading to a shocking confrontation between Nicola and her friends and family.

Since her arrival in 2001, Nicola would go on to become one of the soap’s most iconic characters – an ambitious businesswoman, ruthless gold-digger, shameless cheat and eventual wife to Jimmy King.

Arrival in Emmerdale, personality change and explosive exit

Nicola first arrived as the estranged half-sister of Bernice Blackstock. Together with father Rodney, Nicola soon made herself at home in the village, initially growing close to her older half-sister.

However, their relationship soured after the affair between Bernice and Nicola’s man – chef Carlos Diaz. In the ensuing fallout – which included her pretending to be pregnant so as to not lose Carlos – the meek Nicola underwent a massive personality change. It was then that she became the nasty Nicola we all know and fear.

In 2002, she caused outrage by seducing a young Robert Sudgen, brutally dumping him the following year for builder Syd Wolfe. After her relationship with fishmonger Simon Meredith left her feeling bored, Nicola attempted to seduce brother Paul’s lover – bisexual binman Ivan.

He turned her down, but that didn’t stop Nicola from lying about them being together, only being caught out after admitting the truth to Laurel.

After her lies became public, Nicola decided to leave the village.

Why did Nicola Wheeler leave Emmerdale?

Actress Nicola Wheeler originally decided to exit the soap in 2006, so as to pursue other roles. It was announced the following year that she would be returning to the soap, reprising the role only eighteen months later.

When did Nicola return to Emmerdale?

A year later, Nicola returned to the village, eyeing up her old cleaning business – since purchased by David Metcalfe. Seducing David, Nicola was exposed for yet more lies – having tried to pass herself off as a widow.

Not true: husband Donald De Souza still lived, but was in a coma following a brain hemorrhage. After Donald regained consciousness, a horrified Nicola plotted to kill him for the inheritance money. The plan ultimately fell apart when she confessed, managing to convince Donald not to call the police.

Nicola flitted between jobs in the months which followed – scrubbing floors for David, driving Paddy around town, and even attempting to write a children’s book based on her father’s carnival exploits. Eventually, she obtained a job as Home Farm‘s estate manager.

How did Nicola meet Jimmy King?

Nicola began a relationship with Jimmy King, the eldest of the three King sons. Although he initially dismissed her as a gold digger the pair couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Soon afterwards, she fell pregnant with his child, and gave birth to their daughter Angelica later that year.

Things have hardly been smooth sailing for Nicola and Jimmy. In 2011, Jimmy suffered memory loss after a road accident and, in the ensuing confusion, was tricked into an affair with Kelly Windsor.

How many children do Nicola and Jimmy have together?

Although Nicola and Jimmy reconciled, his time with Kelly resulted in the birth of son Elliot, who he met for the first time in 2011. Jimmy fathered another child three years later during a mix-up with a fertility clinic – Carl Jr, who he shared with a woman named Juliette.

As these women left his life, Jimmy and Nicola remained with their family; with Nicola coming to view Elliot and Carl Jr as her own. In recent months, the family have struggled – with Angelica sentenced to time behind bars after driving the car which ultimately killed Heath Hope.

In Angelica’s absence, the family has found a new addition to its ranks – Jimmy’s nephew, Tom, who is staying with the family following the collapse of his marriage to Belle King. But with Tom secretly menacing Carl, things can’t stay quiet for long.

How long before Nicola starts to cotton on to Tom’s darker side?

Read more: Complete Emmerdale cast list 2024

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.

Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

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