Lawrence White

[Perdita]

Emmerdale introduces a new era for Home Farm next week as Edna Birch's former love rival Lawrence White purchases the iconic estate.

Lawrence (John Bowe) joins the village with his eldest daughter Chrissie (Louise Marwood) and grandson Lachlan (Thomas Atkinson), while show returnee Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) will also be moving in with them as he turns out to be Chrissie's fiancé.

Here, Emmerdale's series producer Kate Oates speaks about bringing in the new family - revealing details of their background, secrets and the storylines to come.

What can you tell us about the background of this new family?
"We already know Lawrence from his backstory with Edna. When Lawrence came out of prison, he turned his life around and decided that he was going to make the best of this awful thing that had happened to him. He decided that he was just going to live a regular and successful life, which is why he married and had kids. He turned his back on his past, which had been really troubled. Lawrence is very driven and has made a lot of money that way.

"Lawrence's eldest daughter Chrissie rebelled against that a little bit when she was younger, which is why she owns her own chain of businesses as well. She decided that she was going to graft and build that up, so she's got a chain of salons on the side but has now come back into the family fold.

"Robert has worked for Lawrence, initially as a successful salesman until he got together with Chrissie. Lawrence suddenly thought, 'I'm not so keen on that element!' That's where the bad things have started brewing…"

Are there more family members who we haven't heard about yet?
"Lawrence has another daughter called Rebecca, but I couldn't possibly comment on when she's going to arrive! We're going to get the others settled in first as there's some nice dramas to play with them. We'll explore those first before we bring in Rebecca."

Why doesn't Lawrence like Robert?
"Initially Lawrence really did like Robert. When Robert came to work for Lawrence, he was absolutely the golden boy. We do know that Lawrence went to prison for homosexuality when it was illegal, so Lawrence has this within his character - he has had relationships with men in the past. With Robert being a bit of a golden boy, maybe there are several layers to that relationship.

"When Robert got together with Chrissie, Lawrence realised that it was nice to have him in the office and he'd always liked being his boss, but he likes it less when Robert is marrying his daughter! He now thinks maybe Robert is a bit of a gold-digger. Lawrence even faked a heart attack when they were about to get married, so that was pretty low! Well, Chrissie thinks that he did really have a heart attack but Robert is convinced that he faked it to stop the wedding. So Lawrence will definitely try anything."

Does Lawrence want revenge against Edna?
"Lawrence actually handles the Edna situation quite sensitively. What Lawrence recognises with Edna is that despite the traumatic time that he spent in prison, he's fared better since. Edna has been weighed down with this guilt and she's never been in a relationship. She's actually got quite a lonely life, while Lawrence looks at his own life and what he's built up with his family and thinks, 'I won - I did better than you'.

"Initially when Lawrence sees Edna he feels anger and resentment towards her, but as he reflects, it shows the layers to Lawrence. He can be ruthless and he can treat Robert quite badly, and equally Robert will treat him badly sometimes in return! But Lawrence can also be very compassionate and change his mind."

Is Lawrence in the market for a new relationship?
"Yeah, it's definitely something that we can explore. Lawrence's family know about his backstory, I think if you're a modern person and quite liberal, then you might just think, 'Everyone experiments in college'. Sadly for Lawrence that came at a point where it was punishable by a really horrible time in prison.

"From Chrissie's point of view, she sees that her parents were solid and she had a very good upbringing. She doesn't have any reason to think that her dad isn't straight - she thinks he just had a bit of a dabble when he was younger."

What is Lawrence looking for now?
"We'll have to wait and see! At the moment he's looking to get rid of Robert! One of the things we spoke about around the writing table was whether Lawrence got married just because he felt he had to and was determined 'to not be gay anymore' because of what had happened.

"I think there was an element of that, but his love for his wife was genuine. That's where the children came from and why the marriage had longevity. So it's complicated and not straightforward."

Lawrence and his daughter Chrissie arrive in the village
© ITV
Lawrence and his daughter Chrissie arrive

What can you tell us about the casting process for the new family?
"When we were talking about the character of Lawrence, we just wanted John. We didn't ask him to come in and read for the part - we just asked him and he said yes, so that was that! I'd met Ryan before for another part and really liked him, so he was very much in our heads for the role of Robert.

"I hadn't met Louise before, but we liked her immediately. In the audition, Louise just spun a few lines in the script very differently and totally changed the meaning of them. She was the only person who did that and it made me see the script in a different way, so that's why we were excited about her. I think they've all gelled together really well."

Is it a risk to recast the role of Robert?
"We were really excited to cast Ryan. Robert has changed and I think that suits a recast. It's not something that me or any of the writers were worried about. Sometimes you worry characters are going to say 'Robert!' and the audience will say 'No it isn't!', but so much has changed. I think taking Robert out from the regular farming families, where he grew up, and putting him on the house on the hill is one of those occasions where a recast will really work well for us."

How will Andy and Katie react to Robert's return?
"From Andy's point of view, he's finally got what he wants. He's finally got his girl and it's been a really long time coming. Andy and Katie are planning to get married and it's all going to be brilliant, but then Robert turns up. It's really, really going to rile Andy and it initially throws Katie a curveball too. Katie knows that she should hate Robert and she does, but we all know about those fine lines! It will definitely ruffle their feathers."

The Home Farm open day doesn't go as planned
© ITV
The Home Farm open day doesn't go as planned

Is there still a lot of animosity between the two brothers?
"I think it's interesting how deep that history goes. Anyone with a complicated family history will know how certain things just stick with you forever and ever. Andy was the adopted brother and yet he was the favourite, and that really hurt Robert. I'm sure there are therapists up and down the country who'll say that those kind of things affect you for a really long time.

"Anyone who's watched the show will understand that, so sometimes Robert will behave really badly, but when you remember why and where that hurt comes from, you should be able to empathise with him a little bit."

So what will Robert get up to?
"I think Robert enjoys messing with Katie a little bit. From his point of view, he's won as he's got Chrissie and he's moving into the big house. Initially he doesn't want to move back to the village because there are too many ghosts there for him, but then he thinks that if he is going to be there, then he might as well live in the big house!

"I think Robert sees that he's moved on, while Andy and Katie have gone on the same little loop. Andy is actually really happy with that and that's where the two brothers are different. Andy can have happiness in a little terraced house in the village with the girlfriend he's always loved, while Robert is always clamouring for better. I think that probably means that Robert isn't the happier person.

"There will also be brawls between the brothers over time. We know that Andy's got a temper as well, which he largely has under control, but just sometimes when Robert pushes him too far… let's just say that make-up has got lots of blood on order!"

Andy punches Robert
© ITV
Andy punches Robert

Could Katie be envious of Robert's lifestyle?
"Katie's had that with Declan and it didn't work very well. There'll be a scene soon where we've got Andy and Katie at Home Farm and what we try to get across is that she really isn't envious of that place anymore. When Katie discovered that Declan had hidden the evidence of the body on the glamping site to protect the festival, she saw that as money over morals and she's not like that.

"Katie is the girl next door and she's got together with the guy she should have always been with, so I think the focus is on the emotions of when Robert comes back."

What can you tell us about Chrissie's son Lachlan?
"Lachlan is Chrissie's son from a previous relationship. When Chrissie was making a point to her dad by going off doing her own thing, she hooked up with an unsuitable guy and they had a very brief relationship.

"Lachlan is the apple of Chrissie's eye, but his problems are also what keep her up at night. He's one of those teenagers where you wonder if they're just going through a teenager phase or whether there's a chip missing! I think that if you are a parent of that kind of child, you hope it is a phase. That's one of the reasons why Chrissie wants to come to Home Farm - to have a new start for her boy.

"Lachlan has been in trouble here and there, and Chrissie just hopes that a new beginning where nobody knows them could be the best thing for all of them. We're going to be planning some big stories for Lachlan and that will be when you really get to know Chrissie and see what makes her tick. That will be on screen in a few months' time."

Robert is knocked to the floor
© ITV
Robert is knocked to the floor

What kind of reaction will the newcomers get in the village?
"I think people are always quite wary about new arrivals at Home Farm as it's the house of power. There'll be people who want to align themselves to the new family - people like Val, who's delighted that Robert is marrying into money!

"Of course Diane is Robert's stepmum and Victoria is his little sister. Robert does adore his little sister and it's nice to see that relationship because Isabel Hodgins who plays Victoria is such a fantastic actress. Victoria is going to be torn between the two warring brothers. Obviously she's lost both her parents and Diane is really important to her, but it would really make Victoria's life much nicer if her brothers could get along. The fact that they don't breaks her heart."

How do you feel about introducing a whole new family to the show?
"Bringing in a new family like this is great because it re-energises everyone and it's like having new toys to play with when you're around the writing table. Bringing in and bedding in new characters can be hard because audiences are tricky - they'll make a decision very quickly on whether they like them or not. They can change their minds but it takes time and it's a process.

"What's nice about this is you've got some brand new characters, but then you've got Lawrence's link to Edna so there's already a story up and running there. You've also got Robert who has a really strong link to the village already. From that point of view, it's a really nice thing to work on."

[Perdita]

Emmerdale newcomer John Bowe has warned that there could be trouble ahead as his character Lawrence White tries to sabotage his daughter Chrissie's relationship.

Lawrence, who was introduced on-screen last month as a face from Edna Birch's past, is about to take over the ITV soap's iconic Home Farm estate as he moves in with his family.

Lawrence's daughter Chrissie (Louise Marwood) is engaged to Emmerdale returnee Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). As Lawrence doesn't approve of Chrissie's choice of fiancé, he is determined to thwart their plans to tie the knot.

Speaking of the drama to come, Bowe explained: "Lawrence is a man who does the wrong thing for the right reasons. A lot of the things that he does are because of his love for his family.

"Lawrence tries very different tacks to try to get at Robert and disrupt his relationship with Chrissie. One of the tacks will be through Katie, and one of the tacks will be through Andy.

"There are other things that Lawrence tries to use too. It may look awful, but he's doing it because he loves his daughter and he doesn't want her to marry this guy."

Lawrence was sent to prison many years ago after Edna reported him for having an affair with her husband Harold, when homosexuality was still illegal. Once Lawrence was released, he focused on becoming a successful businessman and also found love with a woman. He is now a devoted father to two daughters, but his wife has since died.

Bowe continued: "We didn't go into great detail about what happened when Lawrence was in prison, probably because the show goes out at 7pm, but in those days the aversion therapy was horrendous. How awful to think of what we were still doing then in the early '60s. We've come a long way since then, but Lawrence went through a tough time in prison.

"What appealed to me was that Lawrence is a complex and likeable man with this very extraordinary background. In spite of his relationship with Edna's husband and the ordeal he faced afterwards, he came out of prison and was determined to make something of his life.

"He met a woman who he fell in love with deeply and they had two beautiful daughters. Lawrence has never hidden his past from his family - he's been upfront."

Bowe previously starred on Coronation Street, playing Duggie Ferguson between 1999 and 2002. His other previous credits include roles in Prime Suspect, Silent Witness and DCI Banks.

Speaking of his new role as Lawrence, he enthused: "It's one of the happiest jobs I've done and I've only been here two months. The cast and crew are fantastic. It's a hard slog sometimes if you've got a big story running, and I was a little unnerved when I read the breakdown and saw that 11 people had died at Home Farm!

"This is very different to my role in Coronation Street. That was nearly 15 years ago and I was at a very different point in my career. Corrie was great, though it was a funny experience. When I discussed it with the producers, I was going to be there for four or five years, and after two years they pulled the plug. It was strange, but you can't ever bank on anything.

"What I loved about this role was that Emmerdale's producer Kate Oates sent me a really detailed breakdown of the character which ran over several A4 pages. That's what sold it to me, really, because the man is so complex. That's what attracted me - the complexity of Lawrence's character.

"The historical point that I brought up when I met Kate was, 'How many other actors have owned the Rovers Return and Home Farm?!' It's different but wonderful. I can't stress enough that it really is the most wonderful job and they're the most fantastic company."

Emmerdale introduces the new Home Farm family on Thursday, October 23 at 7pm and 8pm on ITV.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale bosses are planning to revisit the troubled history of Home Farm boss Lawrence White later this year.

Lawrence was sent to prison many years ago after Edna Birch (Shirley Stelfox) reported him to the police for having an affair with her husband Harold, when homosexuality was still illegal. Once Lawrence was released, he focused on becoming a successful businessman and also found love with a woman.

John Bowe as Lawrence White in Emmerdale
© ITV
John Bowe as Lawrence White

The wealthy newcomer's background was explored when he first arrived on screen last September. While Lawrence's storylines have since focused on his family life, the show will delve back into his past in future plots.

Lawrence's story will be topical as popular stars like Benedict Cumberbatch and Stephen Fry have recently been involved in a public campaign asking the government to pardon 49,000 men who were prosecuted for being gay.

Emmerdale's producer Kate Oates commented: "I really love John Bowe in the role of Lawrence and I think that character has got a great backstory, which we will visit again.

"Obviously that's really timely at the moment, with Benedict Cumberbatch campaigning for everyone to be pardoned who was in that situation. It's quite ironic that we had that backstory and then all of this happens, so we couldn't have had better timing really!"

Discussing the introduction of the White family as replacements for the Macey clan, Oates added: "I think they've settled in really well. They really fit well in Home Farm, which is a difficult place to populate.

"I was really sad when Jason Merrells wanted to leave the show because I really liked Declan and I thought that him with Charity at Home Farm worked really well, but obviously if someone makes that decision to leave, it gives you a free reign.

"It was great to bring Robert back and it's nice that he's gone from being a Sugden core character member to basically owning the big house, albeit through his father-in-law!"

[Perdita]

Lawrence White won't be bowing out from Emmerdale anytime soon, as actor John Bowe has signed a new contract to stay on the show.

The 65-year-old first appeared on the soap last year, with the rest of his on-screen family joining shortly after.

Bowe told Inside Soap that he and his real-life family are now on the move, explaining: "I've just signed a new contract with Emmerdale so we are all going to be moving closer to Leeds, where it is filmed.

"We are a bit like a circus family, moving around all the time - but the kids are kind of used to it and we are loving it up here."

Bowe also heaped praise onto his on-screen family, adding that they have all become great friends.

He said: "I adore Louise [Marwood, who plays Chrissie] - she's like a real daughter to me, Tom [Atkinson, who plays Lachlan] is going to through exams at the moment just like my teenage son so I can relate to all the problems he is dealing with.

"And Ryan [Hawley, who plays Robert] is amazing. I have nothing but respect for the way that he has coped with the challenge of his storylines during the last year. They've thrown the kitchen sink at him.

"As the older man of the group, and having done jobs like this before, I have tried to take them under my wing. We all call ourselves 'Team White' and we have become great friends.

"Trust is such a huge part of acting, particularly working on something as fast-moving as soap. And we get on like a house on fire - all of us."

[maidmarian]

I hope they make more use of John Bowes
acting talent in his new contract!!
He could have done much more than he
has been given so far.!!


A small puzzle - when will Lawrences
other daughter join soap-I wonder.??
Were told "later on " and now from above
interview- all family have already joined
him. I thought she might be a bit fiery
and stir things up a bit!

[maidmarian]

Dupl

[Perdita]

I hope they make more use of John Bowes
acting talent in his new contract!!
He could have done much more than he
has been given so far.!!


A small puzzle - when will Lawrences
other daughter join soap-I wonder.??
Were told "later on " and now from above
interview- all family have already joined
him. I thought she might be a bit fiery
and stir things up a bit!

Maybe she will come to Emmerdale for a funeral??

[alan45]

Maybe she will come to Emmerdale for a funeral??

Hopefully Chrissie's

[Perdita]

There is more trouble on the horizon for the White family on Emmerdale when Lawrence is falsely accused of assault next week.

The story kicks off after Kerry Wyatt gives Connor - a man she thinks is a reporter - directions to Home Farm.

Once he arrives at the estate, Connor kicks a stable door off its hinges before regaining his composure and heading towards the house.

Lawrence (John Bowe) immediately becomes suspicious of Connor when he introduces himself as an odd job man, explaining that he heard about the Enterprise Awards and wanted to impress Lawrence with his enthusiastic attitude.

Things later take a darker turn when Connor arrives at Home Farm covered in bruises and tells Lawrence he was beaten up because he's gay.

Able to relate to his ordeal, Lawrence feels sorry for him and offers to clean him up. However, it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems when Connor leaves a blooded tissue in a waste bin as Lawrence takes pity on him and gives him £300 .

Later, Bernice Blackstock plucks up the courage to ask Lawrence if he's gay, but they're interrupted by the police and Lawrence is horrified to learn of Connor's accusations of assault.

A devastated Lawrence is surprised when Robert Sugden learns what has happened and vows to help him, but when Lawrence talks to his solicitor about the assault, he reiterates that the problem of his son-in-law still exists and needs sorting quickly.

With Lawrence's future looking increasingly bleak, Robert suggests that he could do some digging on Connor, but will Lawrence allow Robert to help him, and is Robert's help actually genuine?

Emmerdale airs these scenes next week on ITV.


Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s1...#ixzz3joIHDhhI

[tammyy2j]

I wonder is Connor working for Robert