Richest Emmerdale stars’ net worths – with unexpected highest earner
Emmerdale has been on screens for over 50 years, and its biggest earner is making over six figures
Emmerdale is responsible for some of the UK’s richest soap stars.
(Image: ITV )
Emmerdale first aired on ITV in 1972, and throughout the years, long-time fans have seen a revolving door of actors land roles in the beloved village alongside the longtime favourites who have held roles for decades. As a result, some actors have become best recognised for their TV portrayals and are handsomely rewarded for their dedication to the role, making them some of the highest-paid soap stars on British TV.
As for those in the Dales, they are paid with weekly pay packets, and the amount can vary from seniority and tenure on the show, the storyline importance and screen time, and the popularity of their character and contract negotiations with ITV. On average, Emmerdale actors can earn between £400 and £2000 per episode, and as the soap airs between five and six episodes a week, their total annual wage is likely to be a significant amount. The Emmerdale wage also depends on what type of actor they are, and it can differ from a guest star appearance, supporting cast or a main cast member.
Lucy Pargeter – £170,000
Lucy Pargeter kicks off the Emmerdale rich list with a hefty six-figure wage of £170,000 for her iconic role as Emmerdale’s beloved Chas Dingle.
The actress, who joined the soap in 2002, reportedly has a net worth of approximately £3.9million, which includes pay from other lucrative deals outside of the soap.
In January 2006, she appeared in the reality singing competition Soapstar Superstar and finished in third place.
In 2013, the actress threw herself into the Australian outback for a series of I’m A Celebrity and was reportedly paid £50,000.
(Image: ITV)
Jeff Hordley – £200,000
Emmerdale’s long-running star Jeff Hordley has starred as Cain Dingle since 2000 and is reportedly paid £200,000 annually for his dedication to the role.
Away from the cameras, the actor has also ventured into music with side hustles, such as becoming a DJ for radio stations such as Plymouth and Oldham.
As a result, the Cain Dingle star is said to have amassed a whopping net worth of over £3,000,000.
Hordley opened up about his radio work and said on ITV’s Lorraine: ” That has been my out-of-work acting job – we were talking just earlier about being an actor, you always need something else. And DJing was always mine.”
(Image: ITV)
Emma Atkins – £200,000
Hordley is said to be joined by another member of his Dingle family, Emma Atkins, who famously stars as troublemaker Charity Dingle.
The 48-year-old reportedly earns £200,000 a year on the show, which comes after she first arrived in the village in 2000 and was there before taking a break in 2005.
After reprising her role in 2009, the actress took a sabbatical in 2015 to give birth to her son, Albert, 10. It was then that Atkins portrayed other characters and starred on other shows, including Dalziel and Pascoe, I’m with Stupid, New Street Law, Doctors, Casualty and Heartbeat.
(Image: ITV)
Chris Chittell – £200,000
Chris Chittell is a long-time fan-favourite on Emmerdale, after landing his role as Eric Pollard in 1986.
He holds the record as the longest-serving cast member in the soap’s history and is also reportedly worth around an incredible £7 million, which is no wonder when he reportedly earns £200,000 a year.
In July, the actor signed a new deal with Emmerdale, extending his decades-long run on the soap into its milestone 40th year.
Despite the numerous exits, a source said: “Chris is Emmerdale and there was no way he wasn’t going to make it to 40 years in the village.
“It’s such a big achievement, and he loves being on the show just as much as he did when he first joined. There are big things coming for Eric well into next year.”
(Image: ITV)
Claire King – £230,000
Claire King is the biggest-ever earner and is one of the highest-paid soap actresses in history for her role as the fierce Kim Tate, which she first portrayed in 1989.
Although she initially lasted 10 years, King eventually returned to the Dales in 2018.
In addition to her role in the soap, the actress explored reality TV, as she featured on Strictly Come Dancing in 2006, where she was paired with Brendan Cole.
King was also cast in the star-studded Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, but left the Channel 4 reality series early to receive medical treatment.
As well as starring in Emmerdale, Claire has also appeared in Bad Girls, Hollyoaks and rival ITV soap Coronation Street .
(Image: ITV)
