When Lexi Nicholls had an argument with her Carrie, she decided to cheer herself by going out on the town with her friend Chas Dingle. They went to an upmarket hotel, where they saw businessman Colin McFarlane, and decided to have a bet - who can sleep with him. The loser would have to pay for their room there. Lexi soon got drunk, and turned Colin off, but Chas made her move and the two went to his room. The following morning, Chas woke up in Colin's bed to find he died in the night. Panicking, she and Lexi agreed to make a run for it, fleeing back to Emmerdale. Chas was later brought in for questioning, and was furious to discover Colin's wallet was missing, realising Lexi was the culprit. Colin's wife Brenda later visited them and thanked them for killing her husband.
The character was credited as 'Colin McFarlane' although in subsequent appearances, other members of the MacFarlane family were credited as 'MacFarlane'.