| Perdita Hyde-Sinclair | |||||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Georgia Slowe | ||||||||||
| Duration | 2006–2008 | ||||||||||
| First appearance | 3 March 2006 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | 22 July 2008 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Kathleen Beedles | ||||||||||
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Perdita Hyde-Sinclair is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Georgia Slowe. Slowe joined the main cast alongside Christopher Villiers as Perdy's husband Grayson Sinclair. She made her first appearance in the lead up to the wedding between Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) and Grayson's brother Alasdair Sinclair (Ray Coulthard), which was broadcast on 1 March 2006. Perdy received immediate comparisons to Sadie, and an Inside Soap columnist pointed out that just like her, Perdy also "loves money, men and getting her way." Slowe bemoaned her and Villiers' slow introduction to the show, saying they had nothing to do for the first six months as producers let viewers get used to their characters.
Perdy is characterised as the stuck-up, stoic, obeying wife of Grayson. She has a "gutsy get-up-and-go attitude", as well as "a taste for the finer things". On the surface, it appears Perdy and Grayson are a perfect match, but Grayson is secretly bisexual and his many affairs have hurt Perdy and strained their marriage. Shortly after her introduction, Perdy has a flirtation with veterinarian Hari Prasad (John Nayagam) and a one-night stand with Matthew King (Matt Healy). It also emerges that Perdy has had difficulty in conceiving a child and she suffers a series of miscarriages, before undergoing a hysterectomy. Perdy has a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law Rosemary Sinclair (Linda Thorson), who blames Perdy for not giving her grandchildren.
Further storylines for the character include Rosemary's attempts to make Perdy appear insane, an affair with Matthew, and the break down of her marriage. Perdy and Grayson also accept Katie Sugden's (Sammy Winward) offer to become their surrogate, but Katie and Grayson soon begin a relationship, which leaves Perdy worried about her involvement in her child's life. Perdy also blackmails Grayson over his plot to frame Matthew for Rosemary's murder. In May 2008, it was announced that Slowe was leaving the show at the conclusion of the surrogacy storyline. Her character was written out as part of a cast clear-out by the show's new series producer. Perdy's exit scenes aired on 22 July 2008, as she is persuaded by Katie to take the baby and start a new life.