Donna Windsor
Donna Windsor | |
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Emmerdale character | |
Jean Tate |
Donna Windsor
Storylines
1993–2009
Donna arrives in the village in August 1993 with her family from London. She finds the move unpleasant at first. On 30 December 1993, the Windsors visit Kim Tate's (Claire King) stables to see the horses and Donna wanders off. When a plane crashes into the village, she has to be rescued when the stables catch fire as a result of being struck by falling wreckage.
In 1994, while being given a ride on tractor by
Donna is upset when Kelly runs away with her teacher Tom Bainbridge (Jeremy Turner-Welch) and more trouble comes when Andy Hopwood (Kelvin Fletcher) leads Donna astray and persuades her to bunk off school and go joyriding in Leeds with Robert Sugden (Christopher Smith) and himself. A feud between the Windsors and Sugdens ignites as a result. Donna and her school friend Chelsea Campbell (Elizabeth Ingram) begin bullying Andy at school, culminating in Robert, now Andy's adoptive brother, punching Donna in the face. Donna tries to blame Robert for the bullying but is unsuccessful. Chelsea is expelled and sent to a special needs school and Donna is warned if caught bullying again, she would suffer the same fate as Chelsea. When Vic is killed by Andy's father Billy (David Crellin), in a robbery at the post office on Christmas Day 1998, Donna is devastated and feels guilty as she had known Billy had been in the village and believes she could have prevented her father's death. Andy runs away from home in the aftermath and Donna enlists Kelly's help to track him down and convinces him to come home.
Donna begins a relationship with
When Viv remarries nearly three years after Vic's death, Donna has reservations about her new stepfather,
Donna forms an attraction to widower
Desperate to get their foot on the property ladder, the couple enter a competition to win the new show home on the King’s River development. They are successful and are delighted but shocked to discover they need a £10,000 deposit to clinch the prize. Viv, however, offers to help as she and Bob are desperate to have a baby and Viv asked Donna to be a surrogate mother and she would give them the deposit. A hesitant Donna agrees, knowing it is the only way she can get her own home, and eventually convinces Marlon. However, Marlon and Donna's house explodes on the day of the grand opening in July 2006 as a result of a gas leak. Three people are killed in the explosion and the body of murder victim
Donna later joins the police force which, draws ire from her in-laws, the Dingles but Marlon supports her.
When Viv is arrested for fraud after being framed by conman
After Ross reveals his feelings for Donna, they begin an affair but Shane, and later Ross's cousin
2014
Donna returns to the village with her four-year-old daughter,
Ross and Donna enter a sexual relationship, but Donna insists they keep it a secret. Marlon eventually realises that Donna is dying and confronts her, to which she reveals that she has lung cancer and only has months left to live, devastating Marlon. He informs his fiance,
Gary's final job for Ross is to retrieve photographs of him from a nightclub owned by another criminal, Stephen Banks. After obtaining a police uniform for Ross in order for him to pretend to be a police officer, he and Donna enter the nightclub with a search warrant. When the club manageress refuses to open the safe containing the photographs, Donna becomes aggressive with her, threatening her with her
Creation and casting
The character was introduced as part of the new Windsor family in 1993, by series producer Nicholas Prosser. Prosser cast Sophie Jeffery in the role. Donna is the only daughter of Viv (Deena Payne) and Vic Windsor (Alun Lewis). Donna was a little spoilt as a young child, often getting her own way but she was not as devious as her half-sister Kelly (Adele Silva), or as wild as half-brother Scott (Toby Cockerell; Ben Freeman). In 1998, series producer Mervyn Watson recast the role to Verity Rushworth.
Development
Departure (2009)
On 8 April 2008, it was reported that Emmerdale actors were heading for the exit after new boss Anita Turner took over. The report also stated that Verity Rushworth, who plays Donna Windsor-Dingle, had told show bosses she wants a break after nearly eleven years on the soap, along with Jenna-Louise Coleman is also reported to be eager to leave her role as Jasmine Thomas. An insider told The Sun: "Both stars are contracted until December but they've warned bosses they don’t see themselves staying. Their final scenes will air early next year." A spokesperson for Emmerdale responded: "Verity and Jenna both expressed an interest last year in taking a break. Nothing will be confirmed until we begin contract negotiations for 2009.".[4]
Both actresses told former series producer Kathleen Beedles separately last year that they would like to take a break from the soap. .".[5] It was reported on 20 April that Emmerdale producers were hoping to dissuade Verity Rushworth from taking an extended break from the show. An official statement from the soap earlier this month confirmed that the actress, who plays Donna Windsor-Dingle, may decide to take time off when her contract expires. "Verity has been playing Donna for more than ten years so she's thinking about taking an extended break," an insider told the Daily Star Sunday. "It's only something that she's thinking about. No decision has been made yet." She's got some really exciting stuff coming and her contract doesn't run out until the end of the year, so there's still time to persuade her to stay. She'd be a huge loss..".[6]
Return (2014)
It was announced on 8 January 2014 that Rushworth would reprise her role as Donna, making her return in March.[7] In an interview published by Digital Spy on 11 March 2014, Rushworth confirmed that she be appearing for five months and would depart again once the storyline has reached its conclusion.[8] It was later revealed that Donna was terminally ill.[9] She departed from Emmerdale for the final time on 15 August 2014.
Reception
The scene in which Donna filmed her emotional goodbye to April on a video camera was awarded "Spectacular Scene of the Year" at
References
- ^ "Emmerdale – Episode 6821". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ Emmerdale Org (11 March 2003). "Emmerdale's Original Donna Windsor". Emmerdale Org. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ Emmerdale Org (28 May 2004). "Emmerdale's Donna Windsor". Emmerdale Org. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (8 April 2008). "Emmerdale Cast Head For the Door". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- ^ Fletcher, Alex (10 April 2008). "No 'Emmerdale' exit for Rushworth, Coleman". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 April 2008). "'Emmerdale' chiefs worry over Verity exit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- ^ Brown, David (8 January 2014). "Emmerdale: Verity Rushworth to return as Marlon's ex-wife Donna". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 11 April 2014.