James Nugent was the father of Emily Nugent. A retired Sergeant Major, he served seven years in India. After wife Agnes died in 1940, leaving him with six young children, he became a harder and stricter man.
James arrived in Coronation Street in August 1961 to have a chat with Leonard Swindley, Emily's boss and rumoured suitor. He started questioning Swindley about his intentions towards his daughter, although the reply he got was that he pushed Emily too much.
In February 1966, Emily left Weatherfield to take care of James in Harrogate after he had suffered a stroke. She returned to Weatherfield in the following January after persuading her selfish sisters that they had to take their share in the duties of looking after their father.
By 1972, James had passed away. In 1992, Emily reminisced fondly about her father while reading some old letters and remarked to Percy Sugden that James was a "good man", although years later she told Karen McDonald that she wished she had been closer to her father after her mother's death.
- The character was credited as "Mr Nugent" in his two appearances.