Creation and Development
The character of Robert Sugden was introduced as the son of Jack (Clive Hornby) and Pat Sugden (Helen Weir). He made his first on-screen appearance on 22 April 1986 as a baby. Initially played by Richard Smith, after three years on the show the character was recast and Christopher Smith took over the role. Christopher Smith remained in the role for twelve years between 1989 and 2001, making him the longest actor to play the character. However, when Smith played the character throughout the 1990s, he was only involved in small storylines, including his decision not to work on his father's farm and his stepmother Sarah's (Alyson Spiro) in 2000.
In May 2001, Christopher Smith was axed from the role after twelve years. ITV announced that they were casting an older actor in the role of Robert in order to involve him in more adult storylines. The character returned in August 2001, now played by Karl Davies. In September the same year, Smith sued Yorkshire Television for unfair dismissal from the role of Robert. However, Davies's reign as Robert Sugden increased the character's popularity as well as establishing the character as a sex symbol. Much of Davies's time on Emmerdale centred upon his long-standing feud with adoptive brother Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher), which was used by Emmerdale producers to compete with rival soap opera EastEnders. His popular relationships with Donna Windsor, Andy's wife Katie Sugden and Debbie Dingle, established him as a bad boy, but the storyline which saw him leave his love interest Elaine Marsden for dead in a car accident, led to him being described as "an out-and-out villain" by critics. ITV announced that either Robert or Max King (Charlie Kemp) would be killed off after it was announced both Davies and Kemp had decided to quit the show. Robert's affair with Debbie Dingle, the mother of Andy's daughter Sarah Sugden Jr, led to his departure, when he tried to flee with Debbie and Sarah. However, Andy thwarted Robert's plans, and eventually led to Robert inadvertently killing Max King. Robert was then forced to leave the village. His departure was a result of Karl Davies's decision to leave the show.
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