High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Emmerdale is a British soap opera first broadcast on 16 October 1972. The following is a list of characters that first appeared during 2012, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show`s then series producer, Stuart Blackburn. Ed Roberts made his debut appearance in February, followed by Declan Macey`s half-sister, Megan shortly after. Robbie began appearing from May, while Kerry Wyatt arrived in July. Steve Harland, Vanessa Woodfield, Dominic Andrews and Gemma Andrews all made their debuts in December.