List of Emmerdale characters introduced in 2017

Gerry Roberts, played by Shaun Thomas, made his first screen appearance on 5 January 2017. He is introduced as the cell-mate of established character Lachlan White (Thomas Atkinson). Gerry's death won the accolade for "Most Devastating Soap Death" at the 2018 ''Digital Spy'' Reader Awards.

Gerry first appears as the cell-mate of Lachlan. He gives Lachlan a black-eye, which makes Lachlan's mother, Chrissie (Louise Marwood), feel sorry for her son, so she gives Lachlan a Porsche when he is released, to make him feel better. When Lachlan visits Gerry in prison, he thanks Gerry, as Chrissie will give Lachlan anything as she feels sorry for him.

When he is released, Gerry turns up at Home Farm. After making up a story to Chrissie, saying that his family are either in prison or in rehab, she agrees to let him stay at Home Farm for a few days. After Lachlan tells him about his virginity, Gerry arranges for him to have sex with a prostitute, for experience for when he sleeps with his girlfriend, Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper). However, Lachlan refuses to go through with the plan.

Doug Potts (Duncan Preston) lets Gerry move into the B&B for a while. However, after an incident with Gerry handling illegal fireworks on Bonfire Night, Doug throws Gerry out. Gerry then starts to sneak into the B&B regularly, but is caught eating Doug's food in a covered corner. Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) agrees to let Gerry stay at Mill Cottage, after being persuaded to by Aaron's sister and Gerry's good friend, Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele). Gerry eventually finds out that Lachlan caused the car crash that killed Chrissie and Lawrence. Although he swears to keep the secret, Lachlan grows paranoid and fears that Gerry cannot be trusted, and as a result, Lachlan murders him in the B&B while repairs are underway. Provided by Wikipedia