How did Holly Barton die in Emmerdale? Heartbroken Moira marks the anniversary of her daughter’s death

EMMERDALE favourite Moira Barton is set for an emotional day in tonight’s episode as it will mark the three year anniversary of her daughter’s death.

Tragic Holly Barton will be referenced in this evening’s show – but can you remember what happened to her exactly and the impact it had on Moira? Let’s take a walk down memory lane.

Emmerdale’s Holly was the troubled daughter of Moira and John Barton. She was also sister to Adam and Matty Barton. She was half-sister to Isaac too, but sadly, she never got the chance to meet him.

Holly had a long history of drug abuse which started off with her occasionally taking cocaine.

Devastatingly, her drug use soon became frequent and she ended up getting thrown out of college because she failed to hand her assignments in on time – due to drugs.

Within no time, Holly’s drug use was soon out of control and she upset a lot of villagers with her behaviour. She stole ketamine from the vet’s, money from her friends and family and even babysat for Bob’s twins while she was high.

When her dad, John, realised the extent of Holly’s drug problem and her refusal to get help, he disowned her.

Holly then moved from cocaine to heroin.

With the support of her parents, she went on a methadone programme and got a job at the Sharma sweet factory.

Everything was looking up but then, in 2012, Holly decided to leave the village and move to London.

She returned in 2016, when she tried to steal Cain’s car and struggled to hide her addiction.

Again, she attempted to get clean, getting a job at Take A Vow and starting a relationship with Jai Sharma.

One afternoon, Moira suspected something was wrong when she noticed her daughter had not got up as usual.

She went upstairs to take Holly some tea to wake her and then realised her daughter was dead, surrounded by drug paraphernalia on the floor.

Moira struggled immensely with the pain of losing her daughter.

When she later
Moira was horrified when she realised that Holly was dead.

Holly was played by actress Sophie Powles and made her debut with the rest of her family in July 2009.

• Emmerdale is on ITV, weekdays at 7pm