Classic Emmerdale to air one of soap’s saddest ever deaths today – and we’ve got all the tissues ready

Alice Dingle takes her last breaths in Classic Emmerdale today, in what is one of soap’s saddest ever deaths.

When the episode was aired originally, back in the summer of 2006, it was quite controversial.

Here’s everything you need to know about Alice’s tragic death.

How did Alice die in Classic Emmerdale?

Alice was diagnosed with cancer shortly after finding out she was pregnant. The doctors advised her to terminate her pregnancy so she could start treatment, but Alice refused.

Instead, she waiting to start her chemotherapy until she had given birth to baby Samson in January 2006.

But by then the cancer was too advanced and Alice went downhill. As her suffering increased, she made the decision to end her own life.

With no treatment left that could cure her, Alice  came home to die – sleeping in the Dingles’ lounge with her family around her. But she could no longer walk, or go outside, and so she asked Sam to speed up her death.

Did Sam kill Alice?

Sam wasn’t in favour of helping Alice to die at first. He told Alice he couldn’t kill the person he loved more than anything else in the world.

But after a chat with Marlon – who’d lost his wife Tricia a few years before – Sam decided he would do as Alice asked.

Newcomer Eli Dingle got the drugs Sam needed, at Marlon’s request, and Sam helped Alice to end it all.

Alice slipped away in Sam’s arms, with little Samson beside her.

Sam arrested

Sam was briefly arrested for helping his wife die. But in typical Dingle fashion the family all stood together and each confessed to the crime. Eventually it was Cain who took the blame in order to stop social services stepping in and taking baby Samson away from his dad.

Was the Classic Emmerdale storyline controversial?

At the time, there had only been on other assisted death in soap. When Ethel Skinner was diagnosed with terminal cancer, in EastEnders, she asked her friend Dot Cotton to help her die.

Alice’s story, especially her being a young mum, was more controversial and it was debated in the media. But it proved a hit with fans and Ursula Holden Gill, who played Alice, was nominated for the Best Actress award at the 2007 British Soap Awards.

Since then there have been more assisted dying stories in soap. Hayley Cropper took her own life with the help of husband Roy in Coronation Street, and Aaron Dingle helped his boyfriend Jackson Walsh to die. Faith Dingle also ended her life by stockpiling her medication.

The storylines are always controversial, and very emotional! We’re still sobbing over Alice’s tragic death.

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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