# Donald De Souza

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Fictional character from Emmerdale

Soap opera character

Donald De Souza Emmerdale character Portrayed by Michael Jayston Duration 2007–2008 First appearance 28 October 2007 Last appearance 20 November 2008 Created by Kathleen Beedles In-universe information Occupation Businessman Wife Christine De Souza (backstory) Nicola Blackstock (2007–2008) Sons Miles De Souza Daughters Anna De Souza

**Donald De Souza** is a fictional character in the [British](/source/Television_in_the_United_Kingdom) [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_network)) [soap opera](/source/Soap_opera) *[Emmerdale](/source/Emmerdale)*, played by [Michael Jayston](/source/Michael_Jayston). Appearing between 2007 and 2008, Donald arrives as the husband of [Nicola Blackstock](/source/Nicola_King) ([Nicola Wheeler](/source/Nicola_Wheeler)), although their marriage quickly falls apart. During his year in the programme, Donald falls out with both his children, [Anna](/source/Anna_De_Souza) ([Emma Davies](/source/Emma_Davies_(actress))) and [Miles](/source/Miles_De_Souza) ([Ayden Callaghan](/source/Ayden_Callaghan)), before he dies of a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction).

## Storylines

Donald makes his first appearance in Emmerdale village when he is on [life support](/source/Life_support) in hospital after a [brain haemorrhage](/source/Cerebral_haemorrhage). His second wife, [Nicola Blackstock](/source/Nicola_King) ([Nicola Wheeler](/source/Nicola_Wheeler)), returns to Emmerdale, claiming to be a widow. [Jasmine Thomas](/source/Jasmine_Thomas_(Emmerdale)) ([Jenna-Louise Coleman](/source/Jenna_Coleman)), an aspiring local journalist, is annoyed that Nicola is flirting with her boyfriend, [David Metcalfe](/source/David_Metcalfe) ([Matthew Wolfenden](/source/Matthew_Wolfenden)), and discovers that Donald is in a coma in hospital. In late December, Donald regains consciousness and is aware that Nicola only married him for his money.

When Donald's alcoholic son [Miles](/source/Miles_De_Souza) ([Ayden Callaghan](/source/Ayden_Callaghan)) - who Jasmine had tracked down - discovers Nicola's affair with David, he tells Donald, who demands a divorce. However, Nicola agrees to end the affair and he comes home from hospital, moving into Holdgate Farm. He hires an actress, [Cindy Burton](/source/List_of_minor_Emmerdale_characters_(2008)#Cindy_Burton) (Tiffany Chapman), as his "nurse", annoying Nicola, who tries to murder Donald repeatedly, hoping people will blame Cindy. David ends his relationship with Nicola when Donald offers him a position in the business, and tells him about Nicola's attempts to kill him. However, he takes her for a picnic on the moors and confronts her, giving her the opportunity to push him off a cliff. He even taunts her by pushing his wheelchair near the cliff edge and almost falls. Nicola can't do it, however, so they return to the village and he throws her out but refuses to tell the police about her behaviour. The subsequent divorce battle sees Nicola try to get as big a settlement as she can. His final offer is £20,000, which she accepts days before his death.

A successful businessman, Donald's company, "De Souza Enterprises", takes over the refuse collection contract from the Kings and persuades Carl to join him. Miles De Souza, after numerous arguments with his father and ending his relationship with Jasmine, leaves the village in August 2008.

In July, Donald's daughter [Anna](/source/Anna_De_Souza) ([Emma Davies](/source/Emma_Davies_(actress))) arrives in the village, having lived in [Dubai](/source/Dubai) for years after arguing over a man Anna was in love with. However, they reconcile and she gets a position in the company - coming into conflict with Carl King. Carl later betrays the De Souzas when he gives a contract to his brothers. Donald then buys Carl out and determined to get revenge, Donald and Anna agree on a plan - she will ingrain herself with the Kings so she can get the details on important contracts and steal it. However, she finds herself falling in love with [Matthew King](/source/Matthew_King_(Emmerdale)) (Matt Healy), and cannot betray him as planned. Donald is furious about this and attempts to break them up. When Matthew and Anna get engaged, they have a dinner party to celebrate. Hoping to make amends, Anna invites Donald - but he is disruptive, saying Anna only wants Matthew for his money. After he leaves, Matthew visits Donald at Holdgate Farm and during a heated argument, Donald has a heart attack. Matthew withholds Donald's pills until he agrees to come to the wedding and put Anna back in his will, but Donald dies due to Matthew not giving him the medication. Matthew leaves and does not tell anyone what happened. A [coroner](/source/Coroner) later rules Donald died from a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction) and he is buried in the village.

## Reception

On 13 September 2008, the *[Daily Mirror](/source/Daily_Mirror)* reported that Michael Jayston and [Matthew Bose](/source/Matthew_Bose) - who plays [Paul Lambert](/source/Paul_Lambert_(Emmerdale)) - had both quit the soap. The article said that morale was said to be at "an all-time low" and the cast and crew "have slammed the show's tacky storylines and lack of direction since the arrival of producer [Anita Turner](/source/Anita_Turner)." An ITV spokesman confirmed the two were leaving but denied it was because of low morale.[1]

Writing on his "Soapland" [blog](/source/Blog) for the *Daily Mirror*, Tony Stewart wrote on 15 November 2008 that for an actor of Jayston's "calibre", the storyline of the Kings versus the De Souza was "dull" and rarely did "justice to his talents". However, he says that there "are flashes of passion as Donald makes his exit in a body bag".[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mirror1_1-0)** ["Exclusive: Emmerdale stars Paul Lambert and Donald de Souza quit"](https://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/2008/09/13/exclusive-emmerdale-stars-paul-lambert-and-donald-de-souza-quit-115875-20734864/). *[Daily Mirror](/source/Daily_Mirror)*. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mirror2_2-0)** ["Emmerdale: Donald's broken heart"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090131111814/http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/soapland/tag/donald%20de%20snooza). *[Daily Mirror](/source/Daily_Mirror)*. 15 November 2008. Archived from [the original](http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/soapland/tag/donald%20de%20snooza) on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2008.

## External links

- [Donald De Souza](https://web.archive.org/web/20081226132756/http://www.itv.com/Soaps/emmerdale/castandcharacters/atoe/DonaldDeSouza/default.html) at [itv.com](/source/Itv.com)

v t e Emmerdale characters Present characters Robert Sugden Eric Pollard Kim Tate Victoria Sugden Sam Dingle Mandy Dingle Marlon Dingle Paddy Kirk Belle Dingle Charity Dingle Cain Dingle Bob Hope Rodney Blackstock Nicola King Rhona Goskirk Gabby Thomas Laurel Thomas Chas Dingle Aaron Dingle Jimmy King Sarah Sugden Moira Dingle Jai Sharma Ross Barton Bear Wolf Mary Goskirk Former characters Louise Appleton Seth Armstrong Chloe Atkinson Adam Barton Holly Barton John Barton Edna Birch Bernice Blackstock Amos Brearly Lily Butterfield Leanna Cavanagh Graham Clark Danny Daggert Toni Daggert Marcus Dean Anna De Souza Donald De Souza Miles De Souza Alice Dingle Debbie Dingle Del Dingle Eli Dingle Lisa Dingle Shadrach Dingle Tina Dingle Zak Dingle Betty Eagleton Daz Eden Nell Fairfax Liv Flaherty Adam Forsythe Ella Forster Jonny Foster Biff Fowler Linda Fowler Alicia Gallagher Dave Glover Kathy Glover Roy Glover Marshall Hamston Leyla Harding Chloe Harris Ella Hart Jamie Hope Viv Hope Billy Hopwood Rachel Hughes Perdita Hyde-Sinclair Eve Jenson Ivan Jones Meena Jutla Carl King Lexi King Matthew King Rosemary King Sadie King Tom King Emily Kirk Jason Kirk Ross Kirk Pearl Ladderbanks Lizzie Lakely Faye Lamb Ryan Lamb Paul Lambert Declan Macey Steve Marchant Paul Marsden Siobhan Marsden Suzy Merton David Metcalfe Scarlett Nicholls Lord Alex Oakwell Sam Pearson Val Pollard Hari Prasad Len Reynolds Sean Reynolds Nikhil Sharma Priya Sharma Grayson Sinclair Dolly Skilbeck Matt Skilbeck Jo Stiles Steph Stokes Andy Sugden Annie Sugden Diane Sugden Jack Sugden Joe Sugden Katie Sugden Pat Sugden Sarah Sugden Chris Tate Frank Tate Zoe Tate Ashley Thomas Jasmine Thomas Sandy Thomas Tara Thornfield Alan Turner Terence Turner Brenda Walker Gennie Walker Jackson Walsh Naomi Walters Chrissie White Henry Wilks Shelley Williams Donna Windsor Kelly Windsor Scott Windsor Vic Windsor Dawn Woods Terry Woods Amy Wyatt Maisie Wylde Mark Wylde Natasha Wylde Nathan Wylde By year 1972–1973 1974–1975 1977 1978–1979 1982–1983 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Donald De Souza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_De_Souza) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_De_Souza?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.