<Tr> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> Present </Td> <Td> McCain's </Td> </Tr> <P> The thirteen actors who have appeared in the series for 20 years or more are listed in the table below . The longest - tenured actor is Chris Chittell who has played Eric Pollard for 31 years . The longest - tenured actress is Sheila Mercier, who played Annie Sugden for 22 years . </P> <Table> Longest - appearing Emmerdale actors (as of 2017) <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Tenure </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Chris Chittell </Td> <Td> Eric Pollard </Td> <Td> 1986--(31 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Richard Thorp </Td> <Td> Alan Turner </Td> <Td> 1982--2013 (31 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Clive Hornby </Td> <Td> Jack Sugden </Td> <Td> 1980--2008 (28 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Stan Richards </Td> <Td> Seth Armstrong </Td> <Td> 1978--2003, 2004 (25 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Steve Halliwell </Td> <Td> Zak Dingle </Td> <Td> 1994--(23 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Sheila Mercier </Td> <Td> Annie Sugden </Td> <Td> 1972--94, 1995, 1996, 2009 (22 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Jane Cox </Td> <Td> Lisa Dingle </Td> <Td> 1996--(21 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Mark Charnock </Td> <Td> Marlon Dingle </Td> <Td> 1996--(21 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Paula Tilbrook </Td> <Td> Betty Eagleton </Td> <Td> 1994--2015 (21 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> John Middleton </Td> <Td> Ashley Thomas </Td> <Td> 1996--2017 (21 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> Dominic Brunt </Td> <Td> Paddy Kirk </Td> <Td> 1997--(20 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Kelvin Fletcher </Td> <Td> Andy Sugden </Td> <Td> 1996--2016 (20 years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> James Hooton </Td> <Td> Sam Dingle </Td> <Td> 1995--1998, 2000--(20 years) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Tenure </Th> </Tr>

Who is the longest running actor in emmerdale