Linda Fowler
| Linda Fowler | |||||||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Tonicha Jeronimo | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 1994–97 | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 4 August 1994 | ||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 21 October 1997 | ||||||||||||
| Created by | Mervyn Watson | ||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Mervyn Watson | ||||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances | Revenge (1998) (Flashback) | ||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||
| Occupation | Veterinarian Receptionist | ||||||||||||
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Linda Jane Fowler (née Glover) is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale played by Tonicha Jeronimo, from 1994 to 1997. It was reported on 6 May 1997 that Tonicha had quit the soap after three years. The character was killed off in a car crash in October 1997, as part of the show's anniversary celebrations.
Casting
In May 1997 Tonicha Jeronimo announced that she was leaving Emmerdale because of the "grinding despair" working on series made her feel.[1] Jeronimo did not agree with the way her character was written out. This made the actress realise that she made the right decision.[2] Jeronimo told a columnist from the Daily Mirror that she believed producers killed her character as a punishment for quitting Emmerdale.[3]
Storylines
1994-1997
Linda arrived in Emmerdale with the rest of her family in 1994. She worked at the vets as a receptionist despite her father's objections when he found out that Zoe Tate was a lesbian.
Before finding true love with Biff Fowler, she had a relationship with Danny Weir, leaving her pregnant. Linda and Biff got married on 26 December 1996, the same day her brother Dave was killed in a fire whilst trying to save James Tate from dying in the blaze.
In 1995 Linda found out she was pregnant after sleeping with Danny and self-aborted, using drugs from the vets. This put her on the critical list at the hospital. She made a full recovery but lost the baby.
Linda was shocked to find a newborn baby girl in a box outside Zoe Tate's veterinary surgery. Two days later, after being admitted to hospital for haemorrhaging, 13-year-old Emma Cairns admitted to being the mother. The baby made Linda broody. When Biff's father, Ron Hudson, died of Huntington disease and Linda told Biff that she could be pregnant, Biff admitted that his father's disease could be hereditary. Biff's tests for Huntington's disease came back negative. However, heartbreak came when Linda miscarried.
On 16 October 1997 to mark Emmerdale's 25th Anniversary, Linda and other guests were invited to Kim Tate and Steve Marchant's engagement party. Linda was excited about the party at Home Farm. She had even laid her dress out. Biff would rather had gone to the Woolpackers event at the wine bar; he asked how much Linda's dress cost and was horrified to hear that she had spent £120 on it, and they rowed about it. Linda later arrived at the party, squashed in her mini, with the rest of her family. Biff complained to Steve that he was blocking the parking with his Porsche. He gave Linda the keys so she could move it. Linda was eager to dance as soon as she arrived at the party. Biff was not drinking because he was driving. Biff was jealous when Linda waved at Lord Alex Oakwell as they had lunch that day, and he was still bitter towards Kim. Meanwhile Linda was still dancing and drinking, she even coped, spending time with Chris Tate. When he talked to her, Biff looked on with rage.
Then Kim slipped into the bathroom so as not to be noticed she found Alex in there snorting cocaine. Kim was furious with Alex as she disapproved of drugs, and the fact that Alex spent his money on them. She later decided to cause some trouble and told Alex to go off with Linda for some fun, which Kim would later regret. She watched as Biff looked on while Alex asked Linda to dance. Linda and Alex were enjoying themselves so Tara decided to ask Biff to dance, but he snubbed her and barged through Alex and Linda. Alex then suggested that they go outside. Kim watched them disappear. Linda then suggested to Alex that they go for a drive in Steve's porsche, because she has still got the keys. Alex agreed to drive. Kim saw them leave Linda then suggested to Alex that they go for a drive.
Kim smugly told Biff that Linda had gone off with Alex and that he is "a bit of a lad". Biff rushed off. Linda was talking to Alex about Biff. He then pulled over in the car. Biff raced off in the mini. Alex got his cocaine out. Linda was shocked that Alex has taken some drugs and is driving again. He started to touch Linda, but she did not want him to and told him to stop. They then had a fight and Linda screamed just before Alex crashed the car into a tree. Alex was conscious after the crash. He saw that Linda was badly injured and moved her over into the driving seat, kissed her and ran off leaving Linda there to die. She was later pronounced dead on 21 October. Biff was trying to wake Linda; Kathy and Doug have stopped their car to help; Doug phoned for an ambulance using his mobile. Alex had sneaked back to Home Farm. The party was still going on. Tara found Alex washing his face in the bathroom at Home Farm, when Linda was taken away in an ambulance.
Biff had been breathalysed and was going to drive himself to the hospital as the Glovers left the party, Kim was furious with Alex she told Tara that she caught him taking cocaine. Alex claimed that he left Linda in a layby and that she drove off at speed. They all decide to stick to this story to protect the name of the business.
Linda was brought into hospital and was taken straight to the resuscitation room. Biff arrived moments later and was told that he cannot see Linda; the doctor asks about Linda's parents, Ned and Jan, who have arrived home and are in a frisky mood. They think that Biff and Linda must have gone off somewhere and are about to go up to bed when Biff phoned them from the hospital. Biff was feeling bad about the row he and Linda had at the party. He regretted his jealousy. Kathy and Doug tried to comfort him, but Biff blamed Kim as well for winding him up so that he chased after Linda and Alex. Tara was hurt by Alex's behaviour, but felt even worse when he tells her what really happened with Linda. Biff is told the terrible news that Linda has died from uncontrollable internal bleeding caused by a fractured pelvis and an ruptured spleen. Biff is shocked, he cries as he looks at Linda's body. He kissed her and told her that he will always love her.
References
- ↑ The Mirror (6 May 1997). "Tonicha is star No5 to quit Emmerdale". The Mirror. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
- ↑ The Mirror (12 January 1998). "I was killed off in a crash days after Di's death.. it was such bad taste; By EMMERDALE'S TONICHA JERONIMO". The Mirror. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
- ↑ The Mirror (13 January 1998). "Emmerdale bosses pushed me to the edge of madness; TONICHA JERONIMO ON HER BITTER SPLIT FROM THE HIT SOAP". The Mirror. Retrieved 2011-02-16.