Emmerdale legend hints at break from ITV soap after 24 years playing iconic character

AN Emmerdale legend has hinted at taking a break from the ITV soap after 24 years on screen.

The show has a wealth of characters who have been front and centre of the village drama for years.

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An Emmerdale legend has hinted at taking a break from the ITV soap after 23 years on screen[/caption]

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Charity has had a difficult year for numerous reasons[/caption]

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Emma Atkins has played Charity for 24 years[/caption]

One of these is Charity Dingle, played by Emma Atkins, who has had her fair share of affairs, feuds and most recently, a mental health breakdown.

Charity was left traumatised after shooting dead gangster Harry in a bid to save her partner, Mackenzie Boyd.

This came just weeks after she had been saved from the edge of a cliff when the car she was travelling in with Mack and his then partner Chloe Harris crashed.

Mack opted to save Charity over Chloe and she plummeted to the ground below, but survived.

The love triangle has been central to Charity’s storylines over the past year and while things have calmed down on that front, Emma admitted that after 23 years in the role, she is considering a break.

She told My Weekly: “I might take a year out at some point in the future – do some travelling, do some other jobs.”

But she was quick to reassure Emmerdale fans that her hiatus wouldn’t be happening any time soon.

She said: “At the moment, I’m here to stay. As long as they’re writing brilliant stuff for my character and I love playing her, I don’t feel the need to go off and do anything else.”

For now, Emmerdale fans are rooting for Charity to be the one who exposes Tom King’s abuse of her relative, Belle Dingle.

Charity has started to become suspicious that something is not right between the newlyweds, and in a recent chat with This Morning‘s Sharon Marshall, Emma teased that fans will be “screaming at the TV.”

She said: “She’s been there with historical abuse but she can’t be sure either, she’s playing a very dangerous game because as soon as you open the flood gates and you’re wrong…he’s so clever Tom, isn’t he?

“It’s why no one is picking up on these traits and behavioural changes.

“It’s difficult stuff to watch as well. We need to have these discussions happening in our own living rooms not just for women, but for men as well. It’s so important that we express that through the storyline happening at the moment.

“I think the audience are going to be screaming at the TV when Charity finally gets to have her moment with Belle”.

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Charity is suspicious of Belle Dingle’s husband Tom King[/caption]

Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.