Bernard McAllister, played by
Brendan Price, made his debut screen appearance in December 1993. Bernard and his family move to Beckindale, so he can set up a new
doctor's surgery. Shortly after their arrival, Bernard has his work cut out for him when a
plane crash occurs in the village. Of his first year in the village, Victoria Ross of
Inside Soap said "If Dr Bernard McAllister moved his family to Emmerdale for a quiet life, he picked the wrong village! In just one year tending the sick and needy, Bernard has patched up plane crash casualties, bandaged the victims of an armed raid and seen his only son framed for murder."
Kathy Tate (
Malandra Burrows) comes to Bernard for advice after discovering her husband has been cheating on her and Price said she develops a crush on him. The actor called it "a
Fatal Attraction type of thing" and said Kathy misunderstands Bernard's medical concern for something more and she falls in love with him. When Kathy's mother see Bernard comforting her daughter, the scandal spreads throughout the village. Despite Bernard's attempts to resist Kathy's advances, he has a tough job proving it to his wife. Price explained "Bernard is in love with his wife, but he is a little attracted to Kathy – after all, she's a lovely looking young woman!" Price added that he would not like the McAllisters to be torn apart, calling them a lovely family. Bernard moves to Beckindale with his wife
Angharad (
Amanda Wenban) and their two teenage children:
Jessica (
Camilla Power) and
Luke (
Noah Huntley). Bernard sets up a doctor's surgery and Kathy Tate develops a crush on him, following the end of her marriage. Luke gets in a fight with
Ben Dingle (Steve Fury) at a rave and Ben dies. This leads to a feud with the Dingle family. The doctor who examines Ben's body is a friend of Bernard's and he concludes that Ben died from a heart defect. The Dingles start to believe that the McAllisters have destroyed evidence and try to make the family's lives as difficult as possible. Bernard and Angharad become fed up and leave the village for London. Luke stays behind to finish his A Levels and he begins a relationship with Ben's sister,
Tina (
Jacqueline Pirie). They get engaged and Bernard refuses to attend the wedding. Luke dies after a car accident and Bernard plans for him to be buried in London, so he does not have to set foot in the village again. ==References==