Emmerdale icon Emma Atikins shares plan to 'take a year out' ahead of major milestone

ok.co.uk:

Emmerdale's Emma Atkins, famed for her role as Charity Dingle, has hinted at a possible sabbatical from the iconic soap to explore the world and take on new challenges.

Having graced our screens since 2000, the actress is approaching two significant milestones in 2023: celebrating an impressive 25 years in the Dales and her 50th birthday.

Reflecting on these upcoming personal landmarks, Emma opened up about contemplating what she hasn't yet achieved. She candidly shared her thoughts, saying: "I might take a year out at some point in the future - do some travelling, do some other jobs - but at the moment, I'm here to stay." Emma's love for her character shines through as she adds, "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." Despite her longstanding tenure on Emmerdale, Emma didn't always see it as a permanent gig, having worked extensively as a "jobbing actor" before securing her role.This background of varied roles, she believes, played to her advantage, especially when she made her comeback to the soap after a hiatus. "It was a good period of time to learn more about acting and then when I got invited back into Emmerdale, I thought, I can make this an even better character now," she explained in her interview with My Weekly magazine.

Throughout her time in the village, Charity Dingle has been central to many gripping plots, including tumultuous marriages, secret affairs, the discovery of her estranged daughter Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), and dramatic stints behind bars.