# Sandy Thomas

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Fictional character from Emmerdale

For the army commander, see [Walter Babington Thomas](/source/Walter_Babington_Thomas). For those of a similar name, see [Sandra Thomas](/source/Sandra_Thomas) and [Alexander Thomas (disambiguation)](/source/Alexander_Thomas_(disambiguation)).

Soap opera character

Sandy Thomas Emmerdale character Portrayed by Freddie Jones Duration 2005–2018 First appearance Episode 4197 6 November 2005 (2005-11-06) Last appearance Episode 8074 19 February 2018 (2018-02-19) Introduced by Keith Richardson In-universe information Occupation Retired Royal Navy Deck Officer Father Sir Michael Thomas Wife Dorothy Thomas (backstory) Sons Ashley Thomas Luke Thomas Grandsons Arthur Thomas Granddaughters Jasmine Thomas Gabby Thomas Dotty Thomas Other relatives Laurel Thomas (daughter-in law, 2005–2013, 2016–2017) Karen Thomas (daughter-in law) Thomas Tate (great-grandson)

**Sandy Thomas** is a fictional character from the [British](/source/Television_in_the_United_Kingdom) soap opera *[Emmerdale](/source/Emmerdale)*, played by [Freddie Jones](/source/Freddie_Jones). Sandy was introduced as the father of [Ashley Thomas](/source/Ashley_Thomas) ([John Middleton](/source/John_Middleton_(actor))). He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 6 November 2005. The character originally departed in March 2008, but returned to the show in February 2009. On 6 February 2018, it was confirmed that Jones had filmed his final episode and he made his final appearance as Sandy on 19 February 2018.

## Casting

On 19 August 2005, Kris Green of [Digital Spy](/source/Digital_Spy) reported that actor [Freddie Jones](/source/Freddie_Jones) had been cast as Sandy, the father of established character [Ashley Thomas](/source/Ashley_Thomas) ([John Middleton](/source/John_Middleton_(actor))). He was to join the regular cast, but would initially appear for three months worth of episodes, before returning if and when he was needed.[1] Series producer [Kathleen Beedles](/source/Kathleen_Beedles) told Green, "We are delighted to welcome Freddie to the cast."[1] Jones made his first appearance as Sandy in November 2005.[1] Jones announced his decision to quit in January 2008, remaining on-screen until March, however in October 2008, 7 months after deciding to quit, it was announced that he was to return to *[Emmerdale](/source/Emmerdale)*.[2]

On 6 February 2018, it was confirmed that Jones was to leave the role of Sandy on 19 February 2018. Jones played Sandy for the last 13 years, and his decision to quit was down to Middleton's (Ashley Thomas) leaving in 2017. He was offered an extension on his contract but declined as he felt it was the right time to leave.[3] On 28 January 2020, it was announced Sandy would die off-screen in early February, after Freddie Jones' death in July 2019.[4]

## Storylines

Sandy arrives in Emmerdale on his son Ashley Thomas's wedding day to [Laurel Potts](/source/Laurel_Potts) ([Charlotte Bellamy](/source/Charlotte_Bellamy)). Ashley and Laurel find him in their bedroom and Ashley introduces him as his father. Ashley and Sandy were estranged, due to Sandy helping Ashley's and Luke's mother and his wife Dorothy, who had a [terminal](/source/Terminal_illness) cancer illness, end her life in 1982. However, Ashley's new wife and Sandy's daughter-in law Laurel and Sandy's granddaughters, [Jasmine Thomas](/source/Jasmine_Thomas_(Emmerdale)) ([Jenna-Louise Coleman](/source/Jenna-Louise_Coleman)) and [Gabby Thomas](/source/Gabby_Thomas_(fictional_character)) (Annelise Manojlovic), are pleased to have him around. Sandy makes friends with [Daz Eden](/source/Daz_Eden) ([Luke Tittensor](/source/Luke_Tittensor)), [Len Reynolds](/source/Len_Reynolds) ([Peter Martin](/source/Peter_Martin_(actor))), and [Shadrach Dingle](/source/Shadrach_Dingle) ([Andy Devine](/source/Andy_Devine_(actor))), but makes an enemy of [Edna Birch](/source/Edna_Birch) ([Shirley Stelfox](/source/Shirley_Stelfox)). He was wrongfully accused of kidnapping [Belle Dingle](/source/Belle_Dingle) ([Eden Taylor-Draper](/source/Eden_Taylor-Draper)) after she goes missing.

After falling out with his son, Sandy also made friends with [Alan Turner](/source/Alan_Turner_(Emmerdale)) ([Richard Thorp](/source/Richard_Thorp)) and [Betty Eagleton](/source/Betty_Eagleton) ([Paula Tilbrook](/source/Paula_Tilbrook)). Father and son reconcile, but Sandy stays with Alan and Betty. Sandy leaves Emmerdale for a while in March 2008 to visit his son, Jasmine's father, Karen's husband, and Ashley's brother Luke in [India](/source/India), but he returns to the village in February 2009 and reveals that Jasmine had visited him when she left Emmerdale. He and his lady friend helped Jasmine find a flat, but she went on the run again. Jasmine tells Sandy that she killed [Shane Doyle](/source/Shane_Doyle) ([Paul McEwan](/source/Paul_McEwan_(actor))) after he attacked her, and that [Debbie Dingle](/source/Debbie_Dingle) ([Charley Webb](/source/Charley_Webb)) is on remand for his manslaughter. She feels guilty and wants to confess, but Debbie and Sandy insist she go on the run. However, she later goes to Debbie's court hearing and confesses. Jasmine is charged with [manslaughter](/source/Manslaughter) and later sentenced to four years in prison.

Sandy stays at the vicarage, but overcrowding mean he and Laurel's father [Douglas Potts](/source/Douglas_Potts) ([Duncan Preston](/source/Duncan_Preston)) have to share a room. Sandy tries blackmailing [Nicola King](/source/Nicola_King) ([Nicola Wheeler](/source/Nicola_Wheeler)) to move out, and he and Doug later write her a love letter, apparently from [Jimmy](/source/Jimmy_King_(Emmerdale)) ([Nick Miles](/source/Nick_Miles)) inviting her to move into Mill Cottage. She accepts, easing the overcrowding, but Ashley throws Sandy out after his preoccupation with Jasmine led to Gabby Thomas (Annelise Manojlovic) damaging the computer in Café Hope. Ashley is furious when Gabby says that she thought if she was naughty, she would be sent to prison and could ask the governor to let Jasmine go because it was making her grandfather very sad. Debbie finds Sandy sleeping in her garden shed. Sandy and Ashley reconcile, but Sandy asks [Diane Sugden](/source/Diane_Sugden) if can move into The Woolpack and she agrees.

Sandy moves back to the vicarage, after Laurel and Ashley's marriage ends for a while, so he can support his son. and Ashley and Laurel reconcile, but Ashley learns she has been having an affair with [Marlon Dingle](/source/Marlon_Dingle). Laurel chooses to stay with Ashley, but he becomes unhappy and takes his anger out on Sandy. Ashley violently attacks Sandy on numerous occasions, but is soon caught out by [Rachel Breckle](/source/Rachel_Breckle), Gabby and Laurel, who throws Ashley out. Edna reports him to the police, but Sandy refuses to give a statement. Ashley admits what he has done, leading him and Sandy to rebuild their relationship.

Sandy also befriends teenager [Sean Spencer](/source/Sean_Spencer_(Emmerdale)) ([Luke Roskell](/source/Luke_Roskell)), after Betty moves to Australia and Edna dies. Ashley is diagnosed with [vascular dementia](/source/Vascular_dementia) and later dies at home. Sandy continues to live with Laurel and the family. With his old age and need to see more of the world, Sandy decides to leave the village for Australia. After leaving the village, Sandy bids farewell to his friends and family during a video-call to The Woolpack. A couple of years later, Betty informs Laurel that Sandy has died.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Green_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Green_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Green_1-2) Green, Kris (19 August 2005). ["Issue #4: Signings Special"](https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a23652/issue-4-signings-special/). [Digital Spy](/source/Digital_Spy). Retrieved 11 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Green, Kris (29 October 2008). ["Sandy to make 'Emmerdale' return"](http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a133980/sandy-to-make-emmerdale-return.html). *Digitalspy.co.uk*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121022224015/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a133980/sandy-to-make-emmerdale-return.html) from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Who is Freddie Jones? Tributes paid to Stoke-on-Trent actor who landed 100s of film and TV roles and appeared in 579 episodes of Emmerdale"](https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/freddie-jones-emmerdale-sandy-thomas-3077031). *[Stoke Sentinel](/source/Stoke_Sentinel)*. [Reach plc](/source/Reach_plc). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Harp, Justin (28 January 2020). ["Emmerdale's Arthur Thomas to confess his guilt after sad death news"](https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a30682163/emmerdale-spoiler-arthur-thomas-confesses-guilt-sandy-dies/). Digital Spy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200128152347/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a30682163/emmerdale-spoiler-arthur-thomas-confesses-guilt-sandy-dies/) from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.

## External links

- [Sandy Thomas](https://web.archive.org/web/20180224204537/https://www.itv.com/emmerdale/sandy) 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 [Sandy Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Thomas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Thomas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.