Eric Sutherland was the husband of Dot Sutherland and father of Kirk and Maria.
Jack Duckworth and Tyrone Dobbs visited Sutherland's Kennels in May 2000 looking to mate Tyrone's greyhound Monica with one of Eric's studs. Tyrone caught the eye of Eric's daughter Maria and the pair began dating. Despite only being in a relationship for a few months, Tyrone asked Eric's permission to propose to Maria. Eric jokingly suggested a swap - Maria for Monica, and he was impressed when Tyrone agreed to these terms. Eric told Tyrone he was joking and gave his approval. Maria accepted Tyrone's proposal and in October, the Sutherlands were introduced properly to Tyrone's surrogate family, the Duckworths. The following May, Eric helped Maria move her belongings into 9 Coronation Street, much to the bewilderment of the Duckworths, who hadn't invited her to stay.
In May 2005, Maria, Tyrone, Kirk and his girlfriend Fiz Brown went for dinner at the Sutherlands' house as Eric and Dot announced they were retiring to Cyprus to run a donkey sanctuary and were signing the kennels over to their children. Kirk flew out to stay and help them with the sanctuary for several weeks later that year after Eric slipped a disc in his back.
Following the death of Maria's husband Liam Connor in October 2008, Eric and Dot visited Weatherfield to console their daughter. Eric took Tony Gordon's place carrying the coffin, as Tony had to comfort a grief-stricken Carla Connor, which upset Liam's mother Helen as Eric didn't know Liam.
Eric and Dot attended Kirk's wedding to Beth Tinker in January 2015. In October that year, Eric contacted Maria to inform her that her mother had broken her hip. Maria and her son Liam flew to Cyprus to help look after her.
List of appearances[]
2000
2001
2005
2008
2015