List of Emmerdale characters introduced in 2007

Catherine "Cathy" Hope is the daughter of Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) and Viv Hope (Deena Payne). She first appeared in February 2007.

Since Bob and Viv's remarriage in 2006 they had both wanted a child together. However, plans changed when Bob's daughter Dawn Woods (Julia Mallam) died in a show home explosion in July 2006. On the day of Dawn's funeral, Viv collapses and was found by her daughter Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth). At the hospital, doctors revealed that Viv was pregnant. News spread quickly as Donna tells her brother and Viv's son Scott Windsor (Ben Freeman) and her husband Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Scott tells Dawn's ex-husband Terry Woods (Billy Hartman). Both Terry and Scott told Bob while his ex-wife Jean Hope (Susan Penhaligon) with Terry and Dawn's son T.J. Woods (Connor Lee) was inside. In August 2006, Viv was ready to have an abortion when Bob, Jean, Scott and Donna stopped her.

In February 2007, Viv went into labour, and gave birth to twins. Bob helps deliver a daughter while her twin brother is delivered by Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt). Having been born in a shed on the moors, Viv and Bob decide to name the children Cathy and Heath, with their actual names being Catherine and Heathcliff.

Cathy and Heath are baptised in May 2007, with nine godparents; Terry, Donna, Marlon, Paddy, Paddy's ex-wife Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor), Bob's two children Jamie Hope (Alex Carter) and Roxy Lockhart (Chloe Procter), Bob's brother Eddie Hope (Nigel Betts) and Viv's stepdaughter Kelly Windsor (Adele Silva). In July 2007, they are entered in a "Cute Kids" competition, which Heath wins.

In 2008, Viv begins raising money for children's charities, however, the man she entrusts with the charity money takes it and vanishes. By a series of mishaps, Viv implicates herself and is charged with conspiracy to defraud. With the help of a private investigator, she finds the man, but he threatens Cathy and Heath and gets away. In August 2008, Viv pleads guilty in court and is later sentenced to three years imprisonment. Her voice is later heard on a recording she makes of a bedtime story for Bob, Cathy and Heath.

In July 2009, Viv is released but is heartbroken when Cathy and Heath don't recognise her. Viv soon reveals that she had not been in touch with Bob, Cathy and Heath because she had been appealing against the length of her sentence. In January 2011, Viv, Cathy and Heath are inside the Post Office when it is set on fire by Nick Henshall (Michael McKell). Bob rescues Cathy and Heath and makes it out alive and Terry attempts to rescue Viv. The Post Office explodes and Viv and Terry are killed.

In late 2012, Bob starts dating Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop), who buys a part of the café and later moves in with them. Cathy and Heath develop a bond to her and the whole family struggles when in March 2013, she is diagnosed with a brain tumour. In March 2015, Bob's daughter Carly Hope (Gemma Atkinson) arrives in the village. In August 2015, Cathy and Heath stay with Brenda when Bob is sent to prison for fraud. However, he is released in September 2015, when Carly admits the truth about how she was fully involved in the fraud crime.

In December 2017, Brenda is devastated to find out Bob has been cheating on her with another woman. However, she decides to put it aside during Christmas for Cathy and Heath's sake. After Christmas Brenda tells Cathy and Heath that she and Bob are splitting up but decides to leave out the reason behind it so they won't hate their father. However, they overhear that he cheated on her and refuses to speak to him.

Despite the affair, Bob and Brenda reconcile and Brenda accepts when Bob proposes to her. After the wedding ceremony in May 2018, Brenda leaves Bob realising she won't settle for second best and Bob moves out of their home whilst Cathy and Heath stay with Brenda. However, Cathy is convinced they'll make up and questions Bob about returning home. Bob explains he isn't as he has done a selfish thing and Brenda deserves better. When Brenda realises Bob is still with Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy), she informs Cathy and Heath of her and Bob's relationship. Bob tries to explain himself to Cathy and Heath and says he is sorry. The next day, a furious Cathy insults Laurel.

In May 2018, Cathy and Heath set fire to a pile of Bob's belongings. When Bob confronts Brenda, thinking she was responsible, Cathy admits she and Heath did it. Bob sits them down and reminds Cathy and Heath that he loves them but states if they ever do anything like that again, they will be in a whole heap of trouble but Cathy and Heath walk out. Brenda finds them at the playground and Cathy expresses that she believes Bob no longer loves her and Heath. Brenda promises them that he does and assures them it is okay to be angry and upset but states it is never okay to start fires. Bob soon suggests it is better Cathy and Heath stay with him and Laurel. Despite Cathy and Heath's refusal to leave Brenda, Bob insists they'll just have to get used to it. In June 2018, Cathy and Heath continue to act up as they adjust to the new living arrangements and miss Brenda.

In November 2018, Cathy and Heath move back in with Brenda as Bob and Laurel's relationship starts to break down. Approaching Christmas 2018, Bob struggles to get enough money to buy Cathy and Heath their Christmas presents, disappointing them when he buys the wrong video games. In late January 2019, Bob's financial troubles gets so bad that he has to spend the night outside on a bench. He is found the next day and taken to hospital, suffering from severe hypothermia. He soon gets discharged and moves back in with Brenda, Cathy and Heath.

In March 2020, Cathy and Heath make a vegan cake in school which Brenda decides to give out to customers in the cafe in an attempt to stay on top of trends and not lose customers to the outdoor pursuits. However, she is horrified when the cake gives Dan Spencer (Liam Fox) an allergic reaction as he is allergic to almonds and Cathy and Heath reveal they used almond flour. They manage to sort things out but afterwards when Brenda tries the cake she is impressed by how good it is.

Over summer 2021, Cathy gets jealous of all the attention her niece April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) is receiving on her memorial page for Donna. Cathy trolls April on a social media account about Donna and spreads her phone number all while pretending to be on April's side by giving her support. In September 2021, Cathy starts to regret her actions, but it's too late as other children have also started to troll April. Cathy confesses what she has done to April, and after a frosty reception from April, Cathy spends the night in the Cricket Pavilion. The next day Cathy is found by Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry), who has found out about the bullying, Rhona forces Cathy to confess to Bob and Brenda, which leads to a scuffle between Rhona and Brenda, in which Brenda is pushed to the ground.

For her role as Cathy, Dowling was longlisted for "Best Young Performer" at the 2024 ''Inside Soap'' Awards.

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