Emmerdale's Samson Dingle return explained as prison past causes fresh family drama
Samson Dingle has been in prison since 2024, and talk of his release is dividing the Dingles. Here is who he is, why he was jailed and why his return weighs so heavily on Matty and Moira.
Samson Dingle has not been seen in Emmerdale for more than two years, yet his name is causing friction in the Dingle family all over again.
With word that he could soon be released from prison, many viewers may be wondering who he is and what he did to end up behind bars.
Samson is the son of Sam Dingle and the late Alice Dingle. Viewers watched him grow up in the village, with Sam Hall playing the role from 2009 for around fifteen years. He is also a father, sharing a daughter, Esther, with Amelia Spencer.
His troubles began in 2024 when he fell in with Josh Cope, whose transphobia was aimed squarely at Matty Barton. The pair went on to rob The Hide and, during the confrontation that followed, Samson was stabbed. Rather than admit what had happened, he falsely claimed Matty had attacked him deliberately. The lie resulted in Matty being sent to prison for a crime he did not commit.
Samson's conscience eventually caught up with him and he told police the truth, clearing Matty's name. His friendship with Josh soon turned sour and, after being threatened by his former friend, Samson assaulted him. The attack left Sam and Lydia horrified. He was arrested, to Moira's obvious satisfaction, and in August 2024 was sentenced to four years in prison. His final scenes aired on 6 August.
Now, more than two years later, the wounds are clearly still open.
This week, Matty, who has been struggling to sleep at Emmerdale Farm because of baby Leyla's night time crying, accepts Moira's offer of a room with the Dingles. The problem is that it is the very room Sam and Lydia had set aside for Samson's return.
Once talk of his release begins, tensions quickly boil over. A heated row erupts between Moira, Sam and Lydia, as Moira refuses to forgive Samson for framing her son. Perhaps surprisingly, it is Matty who urges his mum to let go of the past.
The full story of how events unfold can be found in our Emmerdale guide for 11 to 16 October.
Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and ITVX. Images: ITV.
