Actress Caroline Harker, who portrays the malevolent Dr Caitlin Todd in Emmerdale, has disclosed that her character's cruel behaviour mirrors certain global figures. Dr Todd has been relentlessly bullying trainee doctor Jacob Gallagher, played by Joe-Warren Plant, to the point where he breaks down in tears while confessing to his wife Sarah. When Jacob attempts to file a formal complaint, he discovers that his tormentor has preemptively submitted a dossier of incriminating evidence against him, including voice recordings.
Harker, 60, who joined the soap last year, stated she studied world leaders to refine her portrayal of a bully. She remarked: "She reminds me of certain world leaders. They say the unsayable, then do the unsayable. They have no fear of consequences and no empathy. They are used to getting what they want and will bully people to get it."
Drawing from Personal Experience
As an actress, Harker constantly stores experiences to draw upon for her roles. She added: "I have encountered bullies and stored them in my mental library. I attended a boarding school convent at age 10, and some nuns had cruel streaks. It all gets stored."
An Acting Dynasty
London-born Harker comes from a centuries-old acting lineage. Her mother, Polly Adams, played Mrs. Brown in the 1990s series Just William; her late father, Richard Owens, appeared in The Avengers and The Mayor of Casterbridge. Her sister, Susannah Harker, starred in Pride and Prejudice and earned a BAFTA nomination for House of Cards. Her great-grandfather Gordon Harker acted in 1920s and 1930s films; great-great-grandfather Joseph Harker was a child actor turned West End scene painter; and great-great-great-grandfather William was a theatre actor alongside his wife Maria.
Harker said: "On my mother's side, they go back generations. If your parents are actors, they seem to have such a good time. The people you meet through them are fun to be around. I could not imagine doing anything else."
Family Ties in the Industry
Married to actor Anthony Calf, whom she met on the set of the 1993 TV adaptation of Riders, Harker's two daughters, Cecilia and Anemone, are also in the business—one as a theatre designer, the other in an agent's office.
Despite her impressive pedigree, Harker was nervous when she first joined Emmerdale. She said: "It was like the first day at school every day. I felt a need and desire to be good at my job—I put myself under pressure."
Dr Todd's Manipulation
As a senior doctor at Hotten General Hospital, Dr Todd not only bullies Jacob at work but also rents a property near his home to torment him further. Harker explained: "She is like a cat with a mouse. It is bullying at its worst, and she knows how to reel him in and then hurt him again."
Dr Todd has another victim in her sights: Charity Dingle, played by Emma Atkins. Threatening to expose that Jacob is not baby Leila's biological father, she blackmails Charity. Harker said: "It is a power game. She knows some information about Charity, so she will give it a go. She is not afraid of anyone."
A New Kind of Role
While Harker has played confident women before—such as Coronation Street lawyer Alicia Davenport, who prosecuted Frank Foster in 2012, and the White House Chief of Staff in The Agency with Richard Gere in 2024—this is her first role as a bully. She described working with Gere as "exciting" but loves playing Dr Todd. She said: "You have to be brave. You cannot be a shadow of the character. She is unpredictable. That is the thing about these very nasty people; their energy for doing bad is enormous."
Emmerdale airs on ITV and STV weekdays at 8pm.
