Victoria Sugden - Storylines

Storylines

Victoria was born in March 1994 to Jack Sugden and his then fiancee Sarah Connolly. Victoria immediatelyade a big impact when, at just days old her cries brought her grandmother, Annie Sugden, out of the coma she had been in after being injured in the plane crash. In May, when she was two months old, Victoria's parents, Jack and Sarah, married. Weeks later, Victoria stopped breathing due to a hole in her heart and had to have an operation but made a full recovery.

In 1996, Andy Hopwood made friends with Victoria's brother, Robert, and the Sugdens adopted him. In 1999, the Sugdens were struggling financially so the family got a lodger, Richie Carter. Feeling neglected by Jack, Sarah didn't need much persuasion to begin an affair with Richie and eventually left Jack for him, moving into Pear Tree Cottage together. Jack refused to allow Sarah to see the children so she started legal proceedings, winning custody of Victoria so when she and her brothers returned from Spain, Victoria joined Richie and Sarah. Consequently finances were a real problem for Jack now so when he said the insurance money would be useful if there was a fire, Andy started one in the barn, unaware Sarah and Richie were inside. Richie escaped but Sarah died so he told the police that he'd seen Jack outside the barn, believing it at the time, so Jack was arrested and remanded in custody. The children stayed with Kathy Brookman and her niece, Alice Bates. Jack was found not guilty at his trial as Richie withdrew his statement, now aware that Andy was responsible. Jack continued to cover for Andy, claiming that the fire-starter was not known, souring Andy's relationship with Robert as he also knew the truth. He hated Andy for taking his mother away and quietly vowed revenge. In 2001, Kathy emigrated to Australia as she wanted to be close to Alice and the Sugden kids apologised for the stress they caused when she was looking after them.

In 2002, Victoria had an imaginary friend called Walter Todd and refused to go out unless he could come too but grew out of it, like many children. In 2003, she collapsed and was rushed to hospital, later diagnosed with a ruptured appendix. Jack was annoyed that Siobhan Marsden hadn't spotted it sooner. These years were difficult for the Sugdens but life was made easier by Jack's new relationship with Woolpack landlady, Diane Blackstock, who took over as Victoria's mother. When Diane had colon cancer, Victoria was her rock and told the congregation at Jack and Diane's wedding and was bridesmaid at Andy and Katie's wedding. Only months later, Victoria found Katie and Robert in bed together but Robert demanded she say nothing and Victoria took him at his word and refused to speak at all, but Diane persuaded her to open up.

Victoria was upset again when Robert left in October 2005, after Robert's anger at Andy boiled over when his plan to leave the village and take Andy's ex, Debbie, and their daughter, Sarah, with him. However, Debbie ruined that by arriving alone so he dumped her and determined to hurt Andy, drove straight at him, causing a car crash. Robert and Andy escaped with only minor injuries but Max King died instantly. Disgusted at Robert's behaviour, Jack insisted he leave the village immediately and never return. He also wanted to protect Robert from Tom King's anger.

Later, Victoria made friends with school pal, Kayleigh Crow. Realising Kayleigh's dad, Martin, was interested in Louise Appleton they helped them get together and were thrilled when Louise asked Martin and Kayleigh to move with her. Together, the girls were a handful, gatecrashing Jamie's rave and starting a campaign of terror against pensioner Edna Birch. They also told Aaron Livesy about Carl King's one night stand with Delilah Dingle. In 2006, Victoria visited her grandparents in Spain and returned later than expected as she'd lost her passport. Jack went to collect her but Victoria scared him and Diane by returning alone. She told them that she'd dated a local lad named Enrique. Appalled, Jack phoned Annie but Annie didn't know about it and Victoria said she'd lied but later told Katie that Enrique was not only real, but 16 years old, not 14. She also confided that she had a tattoo and showed it to her. Victoria asked her not to tell anyone, but she told Andy.

On 2 February 2007, Victoria and Kayleigh went out clubbing. Kayleigh went home but Victoria went to a nightclub and chatted up an 18 year old man. He took her round the back of the building and tried to kiss her. She struggled to stop him until Billy Hopwood scared him off by emptying bins nearby and took Victoria home but the brakes failed, and they crashed into a lake. Victoria was trapped and almost drowned, only escaping as Jack, Andy and Daz arrived. Furious, Jack blamed Billy until Victoria told him that Billy had saved her life. In July, Victoria and Kayleigh went on a school trip run by a hunky instructor, Christian Schwarz, and the girls wanted to impress him. Victoria refused to get into a canoe, terrified of water after the truck crash, and hit Christian when he tried to get her into the water. Victoria was suspended for 3 days and on her return, everyone thought she was cool for hitting a teacher.

As Victoria got older, she was curious about her mother's death but no one would discuss it. Just before Mother's Day 2007, Jack gave Victoria money for a present for Diane but she put flowers on Sarah's grave, infuriating Jack. Billy told Daz about the flowers and he told Jack, who apologised but Victoria had questions she needed answering. Jack refused to discuss it again and ignored repeated warnings that she would take the facts better if she heard them from him. On Victoria's 13th birthday, Jack gave her a necklace of Sarah's and thought she had lost interest in her mother's death because she'd stopped asking him questions until Jasmine Thomas told him Victoria had asked for her help and showed him an article she'd found. Horrified, he insisted that Jasmine tell Victoria that she hadn't found anything but Jack's behaviour was just making Victoria suspicious so she investigated herself, finding the same article as Jasmine. She demanded answers from her father and he admitted standing trial for Sarah's murder but was innocent. Angry that Jack had kept secrets from her, she told him about Diane's affair with Billy and to ask Val if he wanted proof and Diane admitted having feelings for Billy. Jack told Andy and Daz about Diane and Billy's affair and Victoria told Billy that he had destroyed her family but he retaliated by saying that Jack wasn't a saint and asked if she knew what had happened to her mother. Victoria asked again if Jack had killed Sarah but Jack refused to discuss it, so she got drunk. Looking at newspaper clippings about the fire, the Drunken Victoria saw a picture of Richie Carter, who survived. Victoria visited him, demanding answers and he told her that Jack wasn't responsible but she didn't believe him, and returned to see Andy and Jack looking for her. She took a can of petrol from the garage, dousing their furniture and demanded answers from Jack and Andy, threatening to light it if they didn't tell her the truth. So Andy admitted that he was responsible for the fire and Sarah's death. Shocked, she ran upstairs but tripped and banged her head. Jack saw she was bleeding and lit the petrol when he wet a flannel under the hot tap and caused a massive explosion. Andy, Victoria and Jack had to escape through her bedroom window, assisted by Jonny Foster and Billy Hopwood. Billy and the Sugdens were taken to hospital but none had serious injuries but when questioned by the police, Victoria denied that she had started the fire, blaming Andy for not telling her sooner that he was responsible for her mother's death. Victoria was charged with threat to cause criminal damage by arson and was released on bail. Realising she hadn't intended any serious harm, she was sentenced to psychiatric care, who helped her deal with Andy's bombshell. After her sessions with the psychiatrist, Victoria told Diane that she was being bullied. Diane promised to help but Jo made sure that Victoria was left alone.

Andy was sent to prison for 3 years and Jack went to Spain as Annie was ill so Victoria, aided by Jo, reconciled with Diane and moved into The Woolpack. Prison changed Andy and on his release, abused Jo physically and mentally. Victoria was stunned when she found out and initially refused to believe it but was scared when she saw Andy attack Jo. This later turned to anger and she refused to speak to him or live with him, while Diane was away visiting her daughter, Bernice. She stayed with Val and Eric and only returned to the Woolpack after Andy returned to Butler's Farm. During the past few months, Daz and Victoria had been quietly growing closer than expected. Encouraged by Val to fight for the man she wanted as he had a girlfriend, Victoria did. She was thrilled with her success but Val was horrified to find them kissing one day in the bar and branded them freaks. She told Daz to stay away from her, reminding him that she was very young. Realising Val was right, he backed off, upsetting Victoria and when she complained, he told her she'd get over it. Wanting to win him back, she bought him a Christmas present but hid it when she saw Scarlett had also given him a chain. Daz found Victoria's present and wore it. They kissed again but he ran off when Val caught them. Later that day, Victoria took a bottle of vodka to the lake where Jake and Aaron were messing around. Daz and Scarlett arrived too and jealous, Victoria ripped Scarlett's chain from Daz's neck, throwing it across the ice in a rage and Daz went to retrieve it. When he got to it, he heard the ice crack under him and Victoria. She fell into the lake and trying to get out, she found the body of Shane Doyle.

On Boxing Day, Victoria told Daz that she had seen a body in the lake. Daz told Diane who called her psychiatrist, infuriating Victoria, so she said she had made it up. Diane wasn't convinced as Victoria was having terrible nightmares so on 30 December, she and Daz returned to the lake where they heard bubbling and saw a hand. Daz called the police and they took Victoria home, telling Diane what they'd found. Donna Windsor-Dingle identified the body as Shane Doyle. On 5 February 2009, Victoria found out that Andy planned to give up the farm and visited her mum's grave. Daz found her and she said that everyone in her life had gone. Daz said he would always be there for her, suggesting she visit Jack in Spain and she agreed. However, Diane had bad news - Jack had died of a massive heart attack. She went to Spain, bringing Jack and Annie back, and buried him on February 10. Victoria decided to live with Annie in Spain but Daz asked her to stay, saying he couldn't imagine life in the village without her. In January 2009, Val warned Daz to maintain a brotherly relationship with Victoria as she realised they were getting too close. Victoria's attempts to make Daz her boyfriend upset him, leading to attempts to distance himself. Daz and Victoria's became very close especially after the incident where she fell through the lake and saw the dead body of Policeman Shane,Victoria obviously became rather withdrawn and frightened after what she had seen and Daz became very protective of her and looked out for her which began to irritate his girlfriend Scarlet who didn't get on at all with Victoria and didn't like the growing bond between the two.

In early 2009, Victoria started dating Chas Dingle's son, 16 year old Aaron Livesy. She bunked off school to spend time with him but Andy insisted she leave Aaron alone, angry that she was missing school. Daz agreed with him. Diane suggested leaving her alone, telling Andy that Victoria would only become stubborn if openly opposed. Daz and Aaron fought about it on a couple of occasions but Victoria dumped Aaron on discovering he was a virgin. Victoria promised Aaron she wouldn't tell anyone but Aaron told Daz that he'd slept with Victoria. When confronted, Victoria denied it, telling Daz that she loved him. Tension continued to build between Daz and Victoria. On Victoria's birthday, Daz said Scarlett was organising her present to be delivered the next day. On 1 April, a sports car was delivered and Scarlett planned that the three of them would test drive it but it was a two seater so Scarlett insisted Daz take Victoria. While out driving, Daz and Victoria got lost and stopped. She confronted Daz about their feelings for each other and Daz admitted being thrown by how he felt about her as she is meant to be his sister. They slept together and Victoria thought Daz would now dump Scarlett but was crushed when he asked her to keep sleeping together a secret. She agreed but warned Daz ominously that he wouldn't get away with what he'd done and began dating Aaron again and this time, she slept with him. Victoria was also rude to Scarlett, upsetting her and angering Daz. Just before Daz and Scarlett went to Dublin for the weekend, Victoria announced she was pregnant. On his return, Daz took Victoria for a drive and started talking about taking her to a doctor so she admitted she'd lied. Furious, Daz threw Victoria out of the car and drove off alone. Andy noticed that Daz and Victoria weren't getting on but when he asked what it was about, neither would tell him. Daz also moved back into Dale View with Jake.

Daz left the village after the truth about his and Victoria's relationship was revealed to Andy, Aaron and Scarlett. Victoria was saddened to lose another person she loved as her biggest fear is that everyone she loves will abandon her and this seemed to be confirmed with Daz's departure. She tried contacting him but he wouldn't take her calls. Since then, Victoria and Aaron's relationship has been very rocky as Debbie's father, Cain, used it to help Debbie win custody of her daughter, Sarah. Following losing Jo, Jack, Daz and then Sarah, Andy became clinically depressed. Katie and Paddy noticed that he was struggling to cope with the farm and on seeing for herself, how bad he was, Diane coaxed him into returning with her to the pub. She got him medical attention and unsure when he would be able to return to the farm, gave up the lease. The school were thrilled that Victoria was concentrating on her studies and she made friends with Hannah Barton, new tenant at Butler's Farm. Kayleigh, however, didn't like Hannah and was constantly nasty and made Victoria feel bad for even speaking to her.

Outside school, Victoria was happy to be friends with Hannah so eventually Hannah told her about the nasty text messages she was receiving. Victoria knew Kayleigh was responsible but insisted that wasn't her style and tried to stop her but Kayleigh ignored her and quoted Victoria in her next message. Hannah realised that Victoria knew and confronted her. Victoria admitted it but Hannah lost her temper, shoving Victoria's head down a toilet and flushing it. Debbie, Maisie and Charity pulled Hannah away but John, Hannah's father, demanded an explanation so Hannah admitted that Victoria knew she was being bullied, much to Andy and Diane's horror. Andy confiscated Victoria's phone and told the Bartons that Kayleigh was responsible when he compared the numbers. Initially Hannah and Victoria insisted that the school not be informed until Victoria came home bruised and admitted fighting Kayleigh after she insisted Kayleigh leave Hannah alone. Moira Barton insisted that the school be informed, leading Kayleigh and Victoria to be "internally excluded". They then had all their lessons in a separate room to everyone else and not allowed any contact with Hannah. Victoria then ceased to be friends with Kayleigh, who was written out of the show, and over time her and Hannah mended and strengthened their friendship.

Victoria met Amy Wyatt in late 2010, and the two girls soon became close friends. Since leaving school, Vic has worked for her step-uncle and aunt, and Amy's foster parents, Eric and Val, in their B&B. In 2011, Victoria met current boyfriend, Alex, who works with Andy at the farm and flat-shares with him. Alex and Vic squatted for a time in one of Declan Macey's cottages in the village, partly to get back at Declan for the stress he had given Alex's employers, The Bartons. In early 2012, Victoria got a second job, at the Vets covering for Pearl while she is away. Victoria starts working in the village shop in 2012. She buys Betty Egelton's house for 60,000, with Betty as a setting tennant.