Jimmy King (Emmerdale)
| Jimmy King | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Nick Miles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2004– | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 19 February 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Steve Frost | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances | Emmerdale: The Dingles, For Richer for Poorer (2010) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
Businessman (1989–2016) Haulage driver (2010–16) Barman (2010) Pub landlord (2010) Full-time parent (2016–) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home | Victoria Cottage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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James Frederick "Jimmy" King is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Nick Miles. He made his first appearance on 19 February 2004 and has appeared on the show ever since. Introduced alongside brothers Matthew, Max and Carl, as well as his father Tom, Jimmy has evolved from a hard, cold businessman to a devoted husband and comedy character. This personality transformation followed the deaths of all his brothers in 2005, 2008 and 2012 respectively, his father's demise in 2006 and a marriage to Nicola Blackstock.
Jimmy's storylines have included his various business dealings, a feud with the Sugden family, being stabbed by Daz Eden following an arson attack which he started, the breakdown of his marriage to Sadie, his relationship (and later marriage) to Nicola, becoming a father in later life, suffering from amnesia following a blow to the head by Kelly Windsor, money troubles and discovering he had a son following sperm donation.
Storylines
Backstory
Born when his father was building up his empire, Jimmy didn’t have the same privileges as his brothers - and it shows. He began working for his father at fifteen, after Tom bought his boss's failing factory. Charles Maguire was a thorn between Jimmy and Tom for some time, as an idealistic Jimmy disputed his father's business tactics.
2004–
For many years, Jimmy was an awkward, dippy man, stumbling through business and a disastrous marriage. The closest enemy he had, apart from himself, was his brother Matthew, who coveted and eventually won Jimmy's place in the business and Sadie King's bed. As time passed, Jimmy and Matthew became closest in the family and Jimmy found love with Kelly Windsor. Kelly, along with the arrival of their half-sister, Scarlett, made him a more caring individual.
His and Sadie's marriage seemed perfect. She was a stunning blonde, determined to see him succeed. Sadly, they disagreed on one issue - he was desperate to be a dad but Sadie had no intention of getting pregnant. When Jimmy found out, he was horrified. Worried about her marriage, Sadie changed her mind but her determination to get rid of Charity ended their marriage for good. Sick of being made a fool of by Sadie and his family, Jimmy fell into Charity's trap. Sadie had told Tom that Charity was cheating on him so she got revenge and cleared her name by sleeping with Jimmy and videotaped him telling her about Sadie's lies. She blackmailed Jimmy for £200,000 not to show the tape to Tom and Jimmy paid her but she played the tape regardless. The results were catastrophic. Sadie dumped Jimmy and Tom disowned him so he joined forces with a rival businessman - but this didn’t last. Tom soon forgave him and welcomed him back into the fold.
Relations between Jimmy and Sadie, however, descended into war and this was further inflamed by Jimmy hiding his assets so Sadie's settlement was reduced. Angry, she bought land that Tom needed to get back into King & Sons. Jimmy was horrified and made it clear that the divorce was still going ahead, moving on to village vixen Kelly Windsor. They enjoyed a brief romance but Sadie ruined it by finding proof of Kelly's career as a glamour model. She told Jimmy so he ditched her, hoping to pull Woolpack barmaid, Toni Daggert, who hoped to become his PA, but Paddy Kirk ruined that so he concentrated on the business. Jimmy wanted to make Tom proud after Matthew walked away, leaving Jimmy in charge of King & Sons. Matthew and Sadie, however, plotted to ruin Jimmy and their scheming cost him a deal with Don Clough. Furious, he threw himself into launching the Kings River development but Matthew and Sadie paid Cain Dingle to damage the show home, which he did. Jimmy had the damage assessed but wanting to open the show home on time, he had the damage patched up and planned to get it repaired properly later. Unfortunately no one noticed that the gas pipes had been damaged and the house exploded on the day of the opening, killing 3 people and injuring others, including Jimmy. His injuries were serious enough to send him to a convalescent home for a few weeks and when he returned, he found that Tom was involved with Rosemary Sinclair. He and his brothers tried to tell Tom that Rosemary was a nasty piece of work but he wouldn't listen. Their wedding was planned for Christmas Day and Tom even signed Home Farm Estates over to Rosemary but the day ended in tragedy when Tom fell out of his bedroom window.
The King brothers were among the suspects in Tom's murder, and were suspicious of each other. The lack of certainty about who was responsible ensured Tom's killer was never found but Rosemary was sure that one of her stepsons was responsible. Matthew and Jimmy were horrified when they learned Carl was responsible and relations between them were strained. After the funeral, Jimmy and his brothers were shocked to find out Tom had had an affair with their mother's nurse, Carrie Nicholls, and they had a half sister, Scarlett. Matthew wanted to buy her out of the family firm and Carl ignored them. Family man Jimmy embraced his new sister, becoming a surrogate father in Tom's place.
Jimmy and Kelly reconciled just before Christmas. Originally, Kelly told her family she planned to bleed Jimmy dry in revenge for Dawn's death but this didn't happen as she fell in love with him. After initially dumping her when he discovered her original plan, Jimmy realised Kelly really did love him and they reconciled. She supported him after Tom died, even giving him an alibi when she thought he might have killed Tom. Jimmy and Kelly got engaged. While planning their wedding, Kelly discovered that she was pregnant. Initially she seemed happy to have the baby, asking her agent how her career would be affected by her taking a year off but her agent, realising the implication, told her that her career would be over if she took time out to have a baby so reluctantly she had an abortion, thinking she and Jimmy could have children later. Scarlett went with Kelly and noticed her reluctance, suggesting that they leave if Kelly was unsure, but she went ahead. Scarlett told Carrie about Kelly's abortion about Carrie found a leaflet about abortion in Scarlett's pocket. Carrie angrily confronted her, disgusted by her deceit. Kelly pleaded with her not to tell Jimmy and Carrie agreed, providing Kelly stayed away from Scarlett. On 9 October 2007 - Jimmy and Kelly's wedding day - two revelations emerged so Jimmy jilted Kelly. In the church, Jimmy saw Eli Dingle looking at Kelly as she walked up the aisle so Jimmy went for him and Eli admitted kissing Kelly but insisted it hadn't gone any further because she was so upset about her abortion. Despite Kelly's obvious regret, Jimmy couldn't forgive her. Donna and Paul did their best to reunite them but nothing worked. Kelly went to Home Farm and heard Jimmy tell Carrie that he would never forgive her. Heartbroken, she left but left Jimmy a letter, telling him she would be staying at a local hotel if he wanted to talk but Carrie destroyed it and Kelly left. As Carrie Nicholls pursued him while engaged to Kelly, Jimmy gave in and they had a brief affair. However, things went sour when Carrie told Jimmy she loved him and he couldn't say the same, leaving her feeling humiliated. She realised that Jimmy had slept with her on the rebound and emigrated to Canada with an old flame while Scarlett chose to stay in Emmerdale.
However, financial problems built up and in December 2008, King and Sons were declared bankrupt and they were evicted from Home Farm, thanks to Donald De Souza. On Matthew and Anna's wedding day, Carl learnt what Donald had been doing and that he had left Anna an interest in De Souza Enterprises, meaning Matthew would benefit as her husband. Feeling that Matthew had stitched his brothers up, he ruined the wedding and that caused a massive fight between Matthew and Carl, ending in Matthew's death. Jimmy was devastated at losing everything but Carl was too embittered and stunned to help so Jimmy turned to drink and was drunk at Matthew's funeral. When he learned that Tom's grave had been defaced, he verbally attacked the congregation before Scarlett dragged him out. That night, Jimmy saw Matthew's grave hadn't been filled in so, weeping, Jimmy did it himself. The next morning, Carl found him passed out next to the grave. The next day, Katie told Jimmy (thinking he already knew) that Rodney and Jamie Hope had arranged a shoot on Home Farm. Jimmy and a guest named Richard, realised Rodney was sleeping with his wife and went after Rodney, finding him at the B&B. Richard had a gun, and as Richard and Jamie struggled, Richard accidentally shot Jimmy. Fortunately, only his pride was seriously injured but this snapped him out of his grief. He and Carl began working together to restart the business and got a large settlement from Richard in exchange for not going to the police.
In February 2009, Nicola and Jimmy drowned their sorrows together and ended up in the back of a Emmerdale Haulage van. They kissed and events progressed further. The next morning, they woke up naked and on their way to Hull. Nicola was horrified; Jimmy was amused. Nicola felt she was too good for Jimmy and rebuffed his attempts at a relationship. A few weeks later, she asked him to go with her to Home Farm, as she thought the new owners, the Wyldes, wanted a sexual relationship with her. Jimmy was uneasy about returning to Home Farm and got drunk. When the Wyldes realised what Nicola had thought, they laughed and she spent the night with Jimmy. Nicola dumped him again, but when her father suggested that Jimmy might have some money hidden away in Switzerland (where he was going on a business trip), Nicola was suddenly interested. Carl told Jimmy that Nicola was only interested in his money and when Nicola proved Carl right, Jimmy humiliated her by wining and dining her before telling everyone that she was a gold digger and left her at the roadside.
Sandy Thomas and Douglas Potts, who lived with Nicola, grew so tired of her that they wrote love letters in Jimmy's name, asking her to move in with him. Nicola genuinely did care for Jimmy and jumped at the chance of living with him. Jimmy was shocked to hear about letters he'd never written but his happiness at being with Nicola made him keep quiet. Unfortunately Sandy wrote a similar letter to Betty and she read it out in the Woolpack, which Nicola heard. Jimmy admitted that he hadn't written the letter as he wasn't very good at that kind of thing and Nicola insisted he write her a love letter anyway. He tried but was proved right and after another argument caused by Jimmy telling Nicola she was curvaceous, which she interpreted as fat, he ended it and Lexi insisted that she move out of Mill Cottage, persuading Laurel to let Nicola move back into the vicarage. In May 2009, Nicola discovered she was pregnant but decided not to tell Jimmy. Rodney told him instead and Jimmy wooed her into a reconciliation, planning to wait for her to tell him about the baby. When Nicola found out, she was furious and dumped him again and considered giving the baby up for adoption but Laurel made her realise she couldn't do it. Jimmy and Nicola bonded when they went for a scan and they decided to give things another go. Nicola returned to Mill Cottage and supported Lexi after her ectopic pregnancy and shock discovery that she was unlikely to conceive again without IVF. She and Carl agreed to go for IVF, paid for by Scarlett, but Carl told Jimmy (as Scarlett's trustee), not to release the money as he didn't want any more children. Horrified, Nicola told Carl to tell Lexi or she would so he told Lexi and she threw him out, leaving Nicola to comfort her. Unfortunately this led to a fight and Nicola fell down the stairs. Lexi and Carl called an ambulance and Nicola and the baby got the all-clear but Nicola blamed Carl for the fight and told him so, warning him to be honest with Lexi. On 6 August, Nicola gave birth prematurely to baby Angelica. She was in the special care baby unit for a few days but was fine. On the 13th, Nicola went for a shower and Lexi took Angelica up to the roof to show her the world. Although Jimmy, Nicola and Scarlett were terrified she'd harm Angelica, Lexi convinced Nicola to trust her and Carl finally admitted that he didn't want any more children and never had. She returned Angelica to Nicola and after a verbal and physical fight with Carl, she left him and Emmerdale for good.
In July 2010, Nicola and Jimmy bought the Woolpack from Diane Sugden. However, in September, Jimmy and Nicola pulled out to spend more time with Angelica. Nicola noticed that Jimmy was becoming distant but didn't know why and he didn't know how to tell her that he was meeting Kelly in Peterborough and giving her money. Kelly suggested they reconcile but still angry about the abortion, he refused and they argue. Jimmy asked Kelly to leave the van but she wouldn't and fearing that he was going to hit her, she hit him with a torch and knocked him unconscious. She panicked and fled the scene, leaving Nicola and Carl to worry about Jimmy's sudden disappearance. The police found the van in Peterborough but Jimmy had vanished. Jimmy was found in Nottingham and taken to hospital for treatment. However, when Nicola and Carl visit, Jimmy doesn't recognise them and it is clear that he has amnesia. Jimmy later returns to the village but doesn't remember anything or anyone, including his daughter. Kelly visits to apologise to Jimmy for attacking him and is shocked when he doesn't recognise her. Using this, Kelly convinces him that they were having an affair and that he was going to leave Nicola for her. Jimmy telephones Kelly and they arrange to meet in a cafe but these plans were cancelled so Kelly returns to the village and introduces him to her son, Elliot. Jimmy is stunned to learn that he is Elliot's father and Kelly shows him and Carl DNA test results, proving her claims. Jimmy asks Kelly to keep this between them to avoid causing any more trouble but Rodney tells Nicola, leading to a fight between Kelly and Nicola in the Woolpack until Jimmy takes Kelly home. Jimmy is further manipulated by Kelly and she tries to get Jimmy's memories back by taking him to the spot where he had proposed to her four years earlier. Jimmy rebuffs Kelly's suggestion of reconciling, saying that he doesn't want to hurt Nicola and Angelica and offers Kelly financial support for Elliot. Jimmy goes to church one day and remembers some of his and Kelly's wedding day, later telling Kelly that he remembered how much he felt for her at the time. Jimmy and Kelly sleep together, bringing back more memories but Jimmy feels guilty about hurting Nicola and Angelica but tells Nicola about their relationship and asks for a divorce. Jimmy moves Kelly and Elliot into Mill Cottage soon after, much to Carl's discomfort.
Jimmy and Kelly have a play fight with a cushion. During this, Kelly hits him on the head and Jimmy remembers that Kelly caused his injuries. He tells Nicola, who urges him to call the police but he refuses and visits Kelly, demanding she tell him the truth. Kelly admits that she attacked him and caused his memory loss. Jimmy tries to win back Nicola but, again manipulated by Kelly, ends up spending time with her and Elliot instead of Nicola and Angelica. Jimmy later buys Elliot new clothes and Kelly hugs him. Nicola sees this and storms off so Jimmy offers to buy Kelly a house and support Elliot and reminds Kelly that he doesn't want her back but Kelly refuses to take no for an answer. She deliberately goes to Mill Cottage with Elliot when Jimmy has Angelica and goads Nicola into attacking her. Knowing that Nicola is on probation, she threatens to call the police but Jimmy warns Kelly that if she reports Nicola to the police, he will report her and take custody of Elliot. Kelly backs down and Jimmy suggests to Kelly that it would be for the best if she left the village. Kelly agreed and gives Jimmy an ultimatum: leave Emmerdale with her and Elliot or never see his son again. Jimmy chooses to stay and bids a tearful farewell to Elliot, resigning himself to never seeing Elliot again and tries to make amends to Nicola but she struggles to forgive him for sleeping with Kelly, telling him that she wants to go ahead with the divorce. In September 2011, they prepare to divorce but they later get into an argument and end passionately kissing each other. Jimmy and Nicola later reunite and Nicola and Angelica move back into Mill Cottage.
In late 2012, Charity worms her way into Emmerdale Haulage by getting an important contract that the Kings' needed. She gives them the contract on the condition that they give her 20% of the business, which Jimmy and Carl reluctantly agree to. This led to Carl and Jimmy being unable to get on, due to Charity driving a wedge between them, resulting in Carl throwing Jimmy, Nicola and Angelica out of Mill Cottage. In October 2012, Carl is brutally murdered by rival Cameron Murray, leaving Jimmy the only King brother left. It is revealed in Carl's will that he left his estate to Jimmy.
In August 2015, Jimmy admits that he is in trouble and decides to sell his house. Although lawyer, Rakesh Kotecha (Pasha Bocarie), makes an offer, wanting to turn the house into luxury flats, another couple offer £325,000 for the house and he accepts. However Rakesh, claiming to be Jimmy's lawyer, says that he has had a higher offer and Jimmy is forced to accept Rakesh's offer, £265,000. Jimmy has the last laugh, due to the couple offering another £30,000, but Jimmy agrees to sell the house to Rakesh and not to report him for fraud, providing he signs his house, Victoria Cottage, over in part-exchange. When Nicola finds out what has happened, on her return, she is not amused, but eventually accepts the situation.
Development
Who Killed Tom King?
In October 2006, ITV announced plans for a fully interactive storyline, surrounding the death of Tom King, who was killed on Christmas Day 2006. The ensuing weeks were full of twists and turns as some of the show’s most popular characters were placed at the centre of the inquiry including Jimmy, facing fierce interrogation in the hunt for the killer - the police are determined to leave no stone unturned. It was later revealed it was Carl King who killed Tom.
Amnesia storyline
In January 2011 it was announced that Jimmy King is to lose his memory after being brutally attacked. Jimmy played by Nick Miles will stun doting wife Nicola (Nicola Wheeler) when he wakes up in hospital unable to recognise both her and their young daughter Angelica.
Nicola Wheeler explained: "At the hospital, Nicola rushes in and gives Jimmy a hug - but he doesn't recognise her at all. She thinks he must remember their daughter, Angelica, because she's part of him. But when Nicola shows Jimmy a picture of her, all he can say is that he thinks she's a pretty little girl. With everyone unaware as to how the attack happened, doctors tell Nicola that Jimmy has totally lost his memory of life up to and including the accident, leaving the young mum horrified at the prospect of life with a man who has no idea who she is."[1]
Being asked about the storyline Miles said: "A long time ago! Our late producer Gavin Blyth spoke to me about this in September (2010) last year. He was very cautious about it but very excited at the same time. So it's been quite a long time that I've known it was coming up. I think they referred to it for ages as the 'Jimmy Who?' story!" also asked about his reaction to the storyline he commented: "I was a bit like Gav, really - I was excited but also a little bit trepidatious. It's one of those topics that it's rare to do a story about. My main concern was that I did a decent amount of research and knew what I was doing."
However, the storyline has received mostly negative responses from viewers. Many claiming the storyline is 'cringe-worthy', 'hard to watch' and 'unbelievable' due to many fans enjoying the Jimmy-Nicola match. [2] [3]
See also
References
- ↑ "Emmerdale's Jimmy King gets amnesia after attack!". Unreality Shout. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
- ↑ "Nick Miles (Jimmy King, 'Emmerdale') - Emmerdale Interview - Soaps". Digital Spy. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
- ↑