Eve Jenson
Encyclopedia
Eve Jenson is a fictional character
from the ITV1
soap opera
Emmerdale
, played by Suzanne Shaw
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 31 August 2001. The character was originally played by Raine Davison
from 2001 to 2006. In early 2010, series producer Gavin Blyth recast the role and Shaw took over. Eve was introduced as the granddaughter of Edna Birch
. In April 2011, it was announced that Shaw had quit her role of Eve and she departed on 2 August 2011.
who cast Raine Davison
in the role in 2001. Eve first appeared on the show on 31 August 2001 as the granddaughter of Edna Birch
(Shirley Stelfox
). She remained a series regular until her departure in 2002. Davison was seen again on the show in October 2006, when Edna was attended Eve's wedding to James Jenson.
that he auditioned 50 to 60 actresses for the role, one of them being former Hear'Say
singer and West End theatre
star Suzanne Shaw
who made the trip to Yorkshire from Manchester where she was playing Judy Haynes in the musical White Christmas
. The decision to cast Shaw was announced on 29 January. Shaw signed a year-long contract and debuted on 2 April 2010.
Suzanne Shaw has described Eve as "feisty and very flirtatious. She's been left with a lot of debt in France and she turns up in the Dales because she has nowhere else to go - she knows that Edna's a real soft touch and wouldn't leave her own family at the front door. Eve does lie to start with because she doesn't want anyone to know why she's actually there - she doesn't want to let everyone know that she's failed again. Edna finds out the truth, though, and demands to know why she lied. Because she's going through a break-up, she deals with it by flirting with the men of the village. She finds it easier to get on with guys than girls - she's quite sarcastic and to-the-point."
Discussing the audition proses Shaw said "I got asked before Christmas to audition for the part of Eve. I was asked to do a screen test, but it got snowed off because of all the bad weather over Christmas. I didn't hear anything for ages and I thought it wasn't going to happen, and then just a few weeks before I started filming they offered me the part. It was a lovely surprise.
They auditioned quite a lot of actresses for the role. I was up against some strong contenders so it was quite nerve-wracking when I went in, but Gavin Blyth, the producer, was so lovely and made me feel really at ease."
Discussing Eve Shaw also said "She's fun and feisty, and very, very flirtatious. Her husband has left her with a load of debt, so she's turned up in Emmerdale unannounced because she's really got nowhere to go.
I think people see Eve as a b***hy person, but I don't think she really is. She just loves to have fun, and because she's going through a big messy break-up with her husband I think she flirts with the boys. I think that's her way of getting through her marriage breakdown. We've got quite a list of men she goes through. I did my first kissing scene yesterday. It was very nerve-wracking!"
commeting on the storyline Shaw said "I was really excited when I found out Eve would be having an affair with Carl. But I quickly realised it would make me very unpopular with the majority of Emmerdale fans because everyone loves Carl and Chas together. So I’m preparing myself for all the trouble it’s going to cause. It’s a great storyline and I have no idea how it will all turn out. There’s also the small matter of Chas. It’s going to take some doing for Carl to keep it from her. It would be a brave or a stupid man who tests Chas but Carl seems determined to give it a go and Eve certainly isn’t one to hold back. One thing’s for sure, if Chas does uncover Carl’s dirty secret he’ll be wise to sleep with one eye open!"
She also said "It’s a really juicy storyline to have been given and there’s lots of naughtiness coming up. Eve never ceases to amaze me. She’s a great character to play as she can be so shocking. It’s been nearly six months since I joined Emmerdale and it’s just flown by. It’s hard work but I’m enjoying every minute of it and the soap is buzzing at the moment. There are so many huge storylines coming up and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out with Eve and Carl. But whatever happens you know that with Eve and Chas being at the centre of it all it’s going to be very dramatic. It’s not going to be an easy time for Carl at all. I know the affair goes on well into the autumn and there are going to be a few twists and turns before it all reaches a climax this Christmas."
In September 2010 Shaw and Lister teased of the storyline Shaw said "Quite a bit. We don't quite know what's going to happen around Christmas time but there's something juicy coming up." also Lister said "It's all going well so far. I'm having a great time and I think it's going to play out a bit longer. We'll see whether he gets found out or not." Lucy Pargeter, who plays Chas hinted that her firebrand alter ego may react in a surprising way if she eventually rumbles the affair. she said "It's either going to be the usual Chas thing or we'll go against the grain and do something not necessarily expected, but who knows, we've got a long time to run it yet."
, and adopted son of Harold and Edna Birch. Peter, widowed, moved to France
due to work commitments. He fell for Jacqueline and they later married. When Peter and Jacqueline were going through a rough patch he became concerned about the effect that their difficulties were having on Eve, so he sent her to stay with Edna to do her A Levels in England. Eve was 16 and had been living in France
for six years.
Upon arriving in Emmerdale Eve became friends with the rest of the teenagers in the village. She set her eyes on Marc Reynolds, even though he was involved with Donna Windsor. Against Donna's wishes Eve pursued Marc and they became an item, later sleeping together.
In September 2001 while on a night out in Hotten, Eve, Marc, Andy Sugden
, Ollie Reynolds
, and Katie Addyman stole after missing the last bus home. They became involved in a hit and run accident
, which resulted in the death their teacher, Miss Strickland. Marc was the one driving the car, but Eve kept a cool head encouraged the gang to lie about the accident.
In 2002 Eve continued to keep the web of lies going, until Marc confessed. Eve’s true colours came to her grandmothers attention, when Eve kicked Edna's yorkshire terrier
Batley. Edna was shocked and sent Eve to live with her aunt, Lily Butterfield
.
In October 2006 Edna, with escort Tom King
, attended Eve's wedding to James Jenson. Edna confided in Tom that Eve was actually Lily's granddaughter, as Lily was Peter Birch's birthmother.
(Kelvin Fletcher
) and Katie
(Sammy Winward
) made it clear that Eve was not welcome by the locals, however, Eve showed up to Ryan Lamb
(James Sutton
) and Andy's house warming party, where she kissed Ryan just as a disgusted Katie arrived to witness it.
By May, Edna was frustrated with Eve's excuses for not being able to find work. Edna asked Moira Barton
(Natalie J. Robb
) if John had any work for Eve, leading to her employment at Butler's Farm as John Barton (James Thornton
)'s farmhand. Eve admitted to Moira that she was interested in John, much to Moira's annoyance. Moira confronted John about their new farmhand's outrageous flirting but John reassured his wife that he would never play. Eve and John were caught kissing by Cain Dingle
(Jeff Hordley
), who told Moira what he had seen. Moira confronted John and threw him out after he confessed to kissing Eve. In the summer of 2010 Eve begins an affair with Carl King (Tom Lister
) while he was with Chas Dingle
(Lucy Pargeter
). They both book a hotel and spend the night together. After a final showdown with Chas Dingle
, Eve then leaves to go and live in Mexico with Scarlett Nicholls
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
, played by Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw is an English actress, singer and television personality...
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 31 August 2001. The character was originally played by Raine Davison
Raine Davison
Raine Davison is an English actress known for appearing in many English Soap Operas such as ITV's Emmerdale as Eve Birch from 2001–2002. She reprised her role on Emmerdale at the end of 2006. As of April 2010, former Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw will be taking over the role of Eve.-External links:...
from 2001 to 2006. In early 2010, series producer Gavin Blyth recast the role and Shaw took over. Eve was introduced as the granddaughter of Edna Birch
Edna Birch
Edna Birch is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She is played by Shirley Stelfox.In a village marred by affairs, double-crossing and sin, widow Edna is a paragon of virtue. She first appeared on the show in 2000, but had been living in the village for many years...
. In April 2011, it was announced that Shaw had quit her role of Eve and she departed on 2 August 2011.
Character creation and casting
Eve Birch was first introduced by series producer Steve FrostSteve Frost
Steven "Steve" November is a British television producer, he is currently employed by ITV as the continuing drama producer.-Career:...
who cast Raine Davison
Raine Davison
Raine Davison is an English actress known for appearing in many English Soap Operas such as ITV's Emmerdale as Eve Birch from 2001–2002. She reprised her role on Emmerdale at the end of 2006. As of April 2010, former Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw will be taking over the role of Eve.-External links:...
in the role in 2001. Eve first appeared on the show on 31 August 2001 as the granddaughter of Edna Birch
Edna Birch
Edna Birch is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She is played by Shirley Stelfox.In a village marred by affairs, double-crossing and sin, widow Edna is a paragon of virtue. She first appeared on the show in 2000, but had been living in the village for many years...
(Shirley Stelfox
Shirley Stelfox
Shirley Stelfox is an English actress, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She is best known as Edna Birch in British Soap Opera Emmerdale....
). She remained a series regular until her departure in 2002. Davison was seen again on the show in October 2006, when Edna was attended Eve's wedding to James Jenson.
Recast
In January 2010, it was announced that Eve would be returning to the show after a nearly 4 year absence with a new actress in the role. Series producer Gavin Blyth stated in an interview with Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
that he auditioned 50 to 60 actresses for the role, one of them being former Hear'Say
Hear'Say
Hear'Say were a British manufactured pop group created in February 2001 from the winners of Popstars, an ITV reality TV show based on a New Zealand show of the same name. They enjoyed huge success with their debut single "Pure and Simple", helped by the publicity surrounding Popstars, the first of...
singer and West End theatre
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
star Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Shaw is an English actress, singer and television personality...
who made the trip to Yorkshire from Manchester where she was playing Judy Haynes in the musical White Christmas
White Christmas
A white Christmas refers to the presence of snow on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is most common in the northern countries of the Northern Hemisphere...
. The decision to cast Shaw was announced on 29 January. Shaw signed a year-long contract and debuted on 2 April 2010.
Suzanne Shaw has described Eve as "feisty and very flirtatious. She's been left with a lot of debt in France and she turns up in the Dales because she has nowhere else to go - she knows that Edna's a real soft touch and wouldn't leave her own family at the front door. Eve does lie to start with because she doesn't want anyone to know why she's actually there - she doesn't want to let everyone know that she's failed again. Edna finds out the truth, though, and demands to know why she lied. Because she's going through a break-up, she deals with it by flirting with the men of the village. She finds it easier to get on with guys than girls - she's quite sarcastic and to-the-point."
Discussing the audition proses Shaw said "I got asked before Christmas to audition for the part of Eve. I was asked to do a screen test, but it got snowed off because of all the bad weather over Christmas. I didn't hear anything for ages and I thought it wasn't going to happen, and then just a few weeks before I started filming they offered me the part. It was a lovely surprise.
They auditioned quite a lot of actresses for the role. I was up against some strong contenders so it was quite nerve-wracking when I went in, but Gavin Blyth, the producer, was so lovely and made me feel really at ease."
Discussing Eve Shaw also said "She's fun and feisty, and very, very flirtatious. Her husband has left her with a load of debt, so she's turned up in Emmerdale unannounced because she's really got nowhere to go.
I think people see Eve as a b***hy person, but I don't think she really is. She just loves to have fun, and because she's going through a big messy break-up with her husband I think she flirts with the boys. I think that's her way of getting through her marriage breakdown. We've got quite a list of men she goes through. I did my first kissing scene yesterday. It was very nerve-wracking!"
Relationship with Carl King
In 2010 it was revealed that Eve would have an affair with Carl King played by Tom ListerTom Lister
Tom Lister is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Carl King on the British soap opera Emmerdale.-Background:...
commeting on the storyline Shaw said "I was really excited when I found out Eve would be having an affair with Carl. But I quickly realised it would make me very unpopular with the majority of Emmerdale fans because everyone loves Carl and Chas together. So I’m preparing myself for all the trouble it’s going to cause. It’s a great storyline and I have no idea how it will all turn out. There’s also the small matter of Chas. It’s going to take some doing for Carl to keep it from her. It would be a brave or a stupid man who tests Chas but Carl seems determined to give it a go and Eve certainly isn’t one to hold back. One thing’s for sure, if Chas does uncover Carl’s dirty secret he’ll be wise to sleep with one eye open!"
She also said "It’s a really juicy storyline to have been given and there’s lots of naughtiness coming up. Eve never ceases to amaze me. She’s a great character to play as she can be so shocking. It’s been nearly six months since I joined Emmerdale and it’s just flown by. It’s hard work but I’m enjoying every minute of it and the soap is buzzing at the moment. There are so many huge storylines coming up and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out with Eve and Carl. But whatever happens you know that with Eve and Chas being at the centre of it all it’s going to be very dramatic. It’s not going to be an easy time for Carl at all. I know the affair goes on well into the autumn and there are going to be a few twists and turns before it all reaches a climax this Christmas."
In September 2010 Shaw and Lister teased of the storyline Shaw said "Quite a bit. We don't quite know what's going to happen around Christmas time but there's something juicy coming up." also Lister said "It's all going well so far. I'm having a great time and I think it's going to play out a bit longer. We'll see whether he gets found out or not." Lucy Pargeter, who plays Chas hinted that her firebrand alter ego may react in a surprising way if she eventually rumbles the affair. she said "It's either going to be the usual Chas thing or we'll go against the grain and do something not necessarily expected, but who knows, we've got a long time to run it yet."
Departure
In April 2011, it was announced that Shaw was to leave Emmerdale. Of her departure, Shaw said "Playing Eve has been a wonderful experience for me. I have had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented people and to learn from them. After much soul-searching we decided that as a family we wanted to be based in one place at this point in our lives. My family must come first and I have therefore decided to leave the show in the summer."2001–06
Eve is the daughter of Peter Birch, biological son of Lily ButterfieldLily Butterfield
Lily Butterfield is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first appearance on 3 November 2006. Lily is Edna Birch's estranged sister and the biological mother to Edna's son, Peter Birch...
, and adopted son of Harold and Edna Birch. Peter, widowed, moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
due to work commitments. He fell for Jacqueline and they later married. When Peter and Jacqueline were going through a rough patch he became concerned about the effect that their difficulties were having on Eve, so he sent her to stay with Edna to do her A Levels in England. Eve was 16 and had been living in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for six years.
Upon arriving in Emmerdale Eve became friends with the rest of the teenagers in the village. She set her eyes on Marc Reynolds, even though he was involved with Donna Windsor. Against Donna's wishes Eve pursued Marc and they became an item, later sleeping together.
In September 2001 while on a night out in Hotten, Eve, Marc, Andy Sugden
Andy Sugden
Andrew "Andy" Sugden is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Kelvin Fletcher.-1996–2007:...
, Ollie Reynolds
Ollie Reynolds
Ollie Reynolds is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, she was portrayed by Vicky Binns. She appeared between 1999 and 2003.-Storylines:...
, and Katie Addyman stole after missing the last bus home. They became involved in a hit and run accident
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
, which resulted in the death their teacher, Miss Strickland. Marc was the one driving the car, but Eve kept a cool head encouraged the gang to lie about the accident.
In 2002 Eve continued to keep the web of lies going, until Marc confessed. Eve’s true colours came to her grandmothers attention, when Eve kicked Edna's yorkshire terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England to catch rats in clothing mills. The defining features of the breed are its size, to , and its silky blue and tan coat...
Batley. Edna was shocked and sent Eve to live with her aunt, Lily Butterfield
Lily Butterfield
Lily Butterfield is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first appearance on 3 November 2006. Lily is Edna Birch's estranged sister and the biological mother to Edna's son, Peter Birch...
.
In October 2006 Edna, with escort Tom King
Tom King (Emmerdale)
Thomas "Tom" Albert King was a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He appeared in the show from February 2004 to December 2006. Ken Farrington played him during the character's run.Tom grew up in Emmerdale and was keen to return...
, attended Eve's wedding to James Jenson. Edna confided in Tom that Eve was actually Lily's granddaughter, as Lily was Peter Birch's birthmother.
2010–11
In April 2010 Eve returned to Emmerdale to stay with Edna at Woodbine Cottage after separating from her indebted husband. Edna discovered that Eve had slept with James's best friend and warned her not to take advantage of her grandmother's kindness. Andy SugdenAndy Sugden
Andrew "Andy" Sugden is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Kelvin Fletcher.-1996–2007:...
(Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Warren Fletcher is an English actor and model who has played Andy Sugden in the long-running television soap opera Emmerdale since 1996....
) and Katie
Katie Sugden
Katherine "Katie" Sugden is a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, and is played by Sammy Winward. She originally appeared between 2001 and 2005 and returned in 2006 and has remained in the show since.-Casting:...
(Sammy Winward
Sammy Winward
Samantha Kate Winward is an English actress, singer and model. She is best known for playing Katie Sugden in the ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
) made it clear that Eve was not welcome by the locals, however, Eve showed up to Ryan Lamb
Ryan Lamb (Emmerdale)
Ryan Daniel Lamb is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by actor James Sutton and made his first appearance in June 2009. In February 2011, it was announced that Sutton would be leaving the show in spring 2011...
(James Sutton
James Sutton (actor)
James Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
) and Andy's house warming party, where she kissed Ryan just as a disgusted Katie arrived to witness it.
By May, Edna was frustrated with Eve's excuses for not being able to find work. Edna asked Moira Barton
Moira Barton
Moira Barton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Natalie J. Robb. She made her first on-screen appearance on 17 July 2009.-Creation and casting:...
(Natalie J. Robb
Natalie J. Robb
Natalie J. Robb is a Scottish actress born in Bellshill, Glasgow on 3 December 1974.- Personal life :Born Natalie Joy Robb, she is the youngest of three children. As a child, Robb attended weekend drama groups in Glasgow, where she was discovered by director Alan Macmillan, later going to the Royal...
) if John had any work for Eve, leading to her employment at Butler's Farm as John Barton (James Thornton
James Thornton (actor)
James Thornton is an English actor and Voice-over artist.-Early life and career:Thornton was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He starred in the BBC One police series Holby Blue and currently appears as John Barton in the British soap opera Emmerdale...
)'s farmhand. Eve admitted to Moira that she was interested in John, much to Moira's annoyance. Moira confronted John about their new farmhand's outrageous flirting but John reassured his wife that he would never play. Eve and John were caught kissing by Cain Dingle
Cain Dingle
Cain Dingle is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He is played by Jeff Hordley.-Character creation:In 2000 series producer Kieran Roberts introduced three new members of the Dingle family. The new characters were introduced to the regular cast in 2000, who first arrived...
(Jeff Hordley
Jeff Hordley
Jeff Hordley is an English actor most notable for playing Cain Dingle in ITV's long-running soap opera Emmerdale.-Early life:...
), who told Moira what he had seen. Moira confronted John and threw him out after he confessed to kissing Eve. In the summer of 2010 Eve begins an affair with Carl King (Tom Lister
Tom Lister
Tom Lister is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Carl King on the British soap opera Emmerdale.-Background:...
) while he was with Chas Dingle
Chas Dingle
Chastity "Chas" Dingle is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Lucy Pargeter.-Storylines:...
(Lucy Pargeter
Lucy Pargeter
Lucy Kate Pargeter is an English actress. She is best known for playing Helen Raven in Crossroads and Chastity Dingle in Emmerdale.-Early years:Lucy trained at the Central Junior Television Workshop...
). They both book a hotel and spend the night together. After a final showdown with Chas Dingle
Chas Dingle
Chastity "Chas" Dingle is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Lucy Pargeter.-Storylines:...
, Eve then leaves to go and live in Mexico with Scarlett Nicholls
Scarlett Nicholls
Scarlett Mary Nicholls is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She is played by Kelsey-Beth Crossley and made her first appearance on 2 March 2007. It was announced on 8 May 2011, that Crossley was leaving the show. She made her final appearance on 28 July...
.