Eric Sutherland

Eric Sutherland is the father of Kirk Sutherland and Maria Connor. He first appeared on 19th May 2000, when Jack Duckworth and Tyrone Dobbs were looking to mate Tyrone's greyhound Monica with one of the studs from his Kennels.

Eric reappeared in 2005 to let Kirk know that he and Dot were retiring to Cyprus, and Kirk went out to visit him for several weeks after Eric had injured his back.

He returned on 20th October 2008 to console his daughter following the death of her husband Liam. He carried the coffin at Liam's funeral after Tony Gordon had to comfort a grief-stricken Carla. This caused Liam's mother Helen to be unhappy, as Eric didn't know Liam.