As with any big storyline announcement, the reaction from fans has been mixed. There’s certainly no doubt that long-serving star Emma Atkins, who plays Charity, will knock it out of the park with another award-worthy performance – as she always does when exploring sensitive subject matter.
It’s also an interesting move for the show to explore female-on-female assault, which is a topic that hasn’t been covered much in the big soaps before this. Choosing a popular character like Charity is arguably a perfect way to raise awareness and ensure an emotional anchor for the audience.
Looking back, there have also been subtle signs of what was to come – Dr Todd has a recent history of abusing power dynamics, and her behaviour around Charity has bordered on creepy before this.
Other fan feedback has raised some valid questions. We’ve seen the show sensitively explore the issue of sexual violence with Charity before, in her well-received story with evil DI Bails.
There’s always a danger that the best-loved characters in soaps can have too much misery thrown their way, which can sometimes be exhausting to watch. Think of how EastEnders‘ Ben Mitchell burned out as a character after issue-based storylines every single year, or how Alison King needed a break from her role as Coronation Street‘s Carla Connor after years of being at the centre of the biggest dramas.
Another risk is that Dr Todd’s latest horrendous act could undermine the stories that came before. Her return to Emmerdale was initially announced for a workplace bullying plot with Jacob Sugden, but this is still unresolved and seemed to disappear from the narrative when she abruptly took early retirement a few weeks ago.
Elsewhere, the inevitable revelation that Charity has been lying about Leyla’s biological parents will surely play out on screen completely differently now.
It was billed to us as a classic soap secret set to be exposed in dramatic fashion, with the potential to destroy Charity’s marriage to Mack and tear the Dingles apart. Fans expected a juicy soap bombshell that they could relish, with all the hysteria and histrionics we’ve come to expect from a soap reveal episode.
After what happens to Charity this Sunday, though, there’s likely to be very little viewer appetite to see her facing backlash from her family. The audience will want to see her seeking support, not receiving condemnation, so how will the soap navigate this?
It’s a difficult line for the writers to tread, but as always, it’s too early to judge until the episodes hit our screens. The show has a strong history of tackling difficult issues and they’ll definitely have felt the pressure to get this one right.
