Created 12th August 2003
Updated: 30th January 2004

Phil Pearce

played by Peter Alexander
(Appeared August 1986-circa 1989)

Thank you to Will Foley for providing date info for this profile

the following (in this white box) is a profile in the book "The Emmerdale Family Album" (by Michael Heatly and Published by Boxtree Paperback - 30 June, 1995 ):-

PHIL PEARCE

If Joe Sugden ever had cause to ruc the way his life has run, then he could look at schoolmate Phil
Pearce and reflect that sticking to the straight and narrow isn't always a bad policy! Having left the Dales to find work in Brighton as a builder, Phil's return with wife and child in tow led to a number of unhappy incidents.

It wasn't long before Phil started seeing Sandie Merrick, who'd herself returned after giving up her daughter for adoption. Their affair was soon public knowledge - at least it was after the catfight that ensued when Lesley Pcarce confronted Sandie in the Woolpack! The two set up home togethcr at 3 Demdykc Row, with Joe as their live-in landlord.

Understandably, the arrangement didn't prove a happy one, and the pair started saving for a deposit to buy one of a pair of cottages at Connelton that Jack and Joe's company, Phoenix Developments, was converting from an old mill. Unfortunately the business hit hard times, and Phil couldn't keep his hands off the money - something Sandie only discovered whcn contracts were about to be exchanged.

Both business and love affair crumbled, and Pearce - at an understandably low ebb - was foolish enough to fall in with Eric Pollard, whose unscrupulous dealings were in a higher league than his own. He began to fake antiques for the crooked auctioneer to sell, and when he and Pollard tried to steal fireplaces from Home Farm at Christmas 1988 there was only one person who was ever going to take the rap after reluctant accomplice Nick Bates pointed the finger. Since he had dealt only with Pearce, Nick could prove nothing against Pollard. Phil went down; Eric walked - end of story.

There could well have been a far more tragic tale to tell earlier that same year when Phil's negligence was responsible for the burning down of Crossgill, the cottage in which Matt and Dolly Skilbeck had hoped to rebuild their lives. By burning rags indoors Phil endangered the life of Annie Sugden, who was trapped by the flames. He made amends by dashing inside and rescuing the Sugdcn matriarch, but Matt and Dolly's marriage hit the skids some months later; adding, along with Sandie Merrick, wife Lesley and daughter Diane, to the lives he'd blighted.

Thank you to Paul Berridge for the following info and picture