Emmerdale‘s Charity Dingle will face a harrowing experience in tomorrow’s episode as her ordeal with Dr Caitlin Todd escalates.
In recent weeks, the villainous Dr Todd uncovered the truth about Charity’s baby after learning that the surrogate child she gave birth to for Jacob and Sarah was actually Ross’ biological child.
Following that discovery, Dr Todd has been blackmailing Charity, demanding £100,000 for her silence, while Charity has been trying to raise the money in various ways.
However dark the story has been so far, things are about to turn even darker, and the villain will sexually assault Charity in a new storyline that starts this Sunday, 7 June.
In Sunday’s episode, Charity helps Jacob set up Sarah’s 21st birthday party in the Woolpack, as Dr Todd sits across the room.
The inescapable presence of Todd reminds Charity that Sarah’s 21st birthday party could be the worst day of her granddaughter’s life unless she can somehow pay off her blackmailer.
In the first-look clip, seen below, Dr Todd issues a veiled threat to Charity, saying: “These birthday parties, they can cost so much.”
Speaking about the devastating issue-based storyline, Emma Atkins, who plays Charity, said: “This has been one of the most demanding and significant storylines I’ve had to navigate as Charity.
“We know her as a tough, resilient character, but this trauma will expose a deep, raw vulnerability that has been heartbreaking at times to play.
“I hope this storyline gives even one person the courage to speak out or helps others understand the quiet devastation of trauma.”
Show producer Sophie Roper added: “Charity’s storyline will explore the impact of sexual violence, and though this heinous act is fundamentally about power, we’ll explore the complexities of how Charity processes her trauma when the perpetrator is a woman.
“With little conversation surrounding female-on-female assault, we’ll explore the overwhelming feelings of isolation many survivors experience and will examine the disparity between the legal term sexual assault and the fact that many women in Charity’s position feel this minimises what’s happened to them, because they feel like they’ve been raped.
“Though difficult viewing at times, Charity’s resilience will inspire hope as she confronts what has happened to her.”
