Billy Hopwood
| Billy Hopwood | |||||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | David Crellin | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1997–1998, 2003, 2006–2007 |
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| First appearance | 3 July 1997 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | 19 October 2007 | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Mervyn Watson (1997) Steve Frost (2003) Kathleen Beedles (2006) |
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| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||
| Occupation | Mechanic | ||||||||||
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| Mother | Granny Hopwood |
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| Wife | Trisha Hopwood (deceased) |
| Sons |
Andy Sugden Daz Eden |
| Grandsons | Jack Sugden |
| Granddaughters | Sarah Sugden |
William "Billy" Hopwood is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, played by David Crellin.
Crellin first appeared in Emmerdale in 1997, when Billy was one of a host of new characters producers introduced into the series that year. He departed after one year and returned briefly in 2003. In November 2006, it was announced that Crellin had agreed reprise the role of Billy. Crellin told Digital Spy that the serial's producers contacted him six months prior asking him to return. Crellin had always found the role "enjoyable" so thought it was a great idea to return. Although he accepted straight away, his only reservation was Billy behaving in the same way previously did. Crellin also said that he would stay in Emmerdale until they became bored of the character or he was no longer useful in storylines.
Crellin told Digital Spy that Billy originally wanted to make money and live a "champagne lifestyle like everybody else has." He said that Billy perceives everyone else as having cars, houses and normal jobs. He thinks that they have not worked hard for these acquisitions. Billy "wants what they've got and does whatever he can to get it." Crellin said that Billy turns to robbery because he is not "very intelligent". In the character's back story, he took drugs, took part in business raids, sought involvement in an "inner-city gang", and carried firearms. Crellin said that if Billy had a different background then "he would have been a very different man". Billy is a "product of his environment" and just wants to live a life where he has his own house and possessions. Billy's desire for more and his lack of achievement force him to make "some ridiculous and monumental mistakes."
In December 1998, Billy commits a robbery at the local post office and which results in a struggle with postmaster Vic Windsor (Alun Lewis). Vic is killed during the struggle. Crellin said that Billy did not go out of his way to murder Vic. He "turned up unexpectedly and in the struggle he banged his head, he didn't actually deliberately murder him."
When Billy is released from prison, Crellin said that Billy just wants contact with his sons Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) and Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor). Crellin explained that Billy "gets a very mixed response due to his past behaviour, Andy struggles, he's bound to struggle, and I think he's going to struggle for a long, long time." Billy wants to "lay down some kind of roots" in the village because he has spent his life being a drifter or incarcerated. Billy is not a good father because he is from a dysfunctional family himself. It is "difficult" for Billy to be a parent because he was never given an example as a child.
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