Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle, 'Emmerdale')
Emmerdale's Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) finds herself in a tricky situation in a fortnight's time when Carl King (Tom Lister) claims that he'll call off his wedding to Lexi (Sally Oliver) if Chas says she loves him. However, with her new lover Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and son Aaron (Danny Miller) to think about, she's faced with a tough decision between following her heart and her head. So just why has Chas sparked a relationship with Paddy? And has she even gotten over Carl? We gave Lucy Pargeter a call to find out more.
Why did Chas embark on a relationship with Paddy?
"I think it all started when he completely opened his heart to Chas and she heard things that she'd never heard before. She felt special, lovely and wanted. Even though she was with Carl for so long, he never really vocalised his adoration for her like Paddy. Also, Paddy's seemingly taken Aaron on board and is trying to help him. Aaron's the biggest thorn in Chas's side as she'll never be able to get back with Carl while her son's around because Aaron gave her the ultimatum - him or Carl. She's really come to a time in her life now where she thinks she should settle and she needs a male role model in her life for Aaron. Paddy's great with him, too. I think Chas loves Paddy as a friend mostly, but she could probably learn to love him as a partner."
Do you think she really loves him?
"I don't think she could love anybody the way she loved - or still loves - Carl, really."
Did she ever move on after her relationship with Carl?
"No, she never moved on because there was never closure. He never told her the reason why they split. It was a very sudden separation, and to this day she's never discovered the real reason. So living in such close proximity to him and never knowing the reason behind it all is something that she's struggled with. I don't know what Chas would do if she found out that Carl killed his father Tom to be with her!"
Will that continue to bubble under for a while, then?
"Yeah. It was supposed to come out during the wedding episode, but it was inappropriate, so we changed it. The moment would have been thrown away really if it'd have come out around the wedding. It's such a big moment and we've shelved it for some time in the future."
Despite telling Paddy otherwise, do you think Chas is jealous?
"Definitely, and Paddy knows there's something wrong, bless him. She tries to tell him that she's with him and nothing can possibly happen between her and Carl anymore, even though she's desperate for it to happen. Despite the jealousy, she's determined to give it a go with Paddy. She tries to make him feel secure, but in the situation her insecurities shine through and Paddy cottons onto it."
Chas has a run in with Lexi the night before the wedding, doesn't she?
"Yeah, outside the Woolpack. Surprisingly, Chas lets Lexi rant, rave and pull her hair and get the upper hand. Chas could quite easily crush all Lexi's dreams by revealing that she and Carl had a relationship behind her back, compounded with the knowledge that Chas knows Carl doesn't really want to be with Lexi. But Chas is the bigger person, she's better than that. She doesn't want to throw a spanner completely in the works. She just thinks that if it's meant to be, it's meant to be, while at the same time she'll happily let Lexi make her own mistakes."
Does Chas intend to go to the wedding?
"She has every intention of going - God knows what she was thinking! She'd have sat at the back wearing a black veil, sobbing her heart out! She wants to go to prove a point to everyone in the village and be there for Carl, really. Carl calls Chas before the wedding, though, asking to speak with her. It's quite a mad thing to do on his part and an awkward position to put Chas in. She's been trying to come to terms with her relationship ending and then he calls on his wedding day when she's desperately trying to move on…She agrees to meet him, though, and Carl reveals that he can't marry Lexi because he still loves her. Chas is completely screwed up by the revelation. She's desperate to get things back on track with Carl, but she's got Aaron to contend with. So Carl pours his heart out and she has to be as strong as she can."
Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter)
Has she had some work done cosmetically?
Interview with Lucy Pargeter (Chas Dingle)
Chas Dingle created quite a stir when she arrived in Emmerdale back in 2002 dressed as a 'stripping nun'. Nice to see that nine years later, nothing has changed! Chas is still keeping the village gossips in business and they've plenty to talk about as she's just become the co-owner of the Woolpack and got herself a new man.
I caught up with Lucy Pargeter, the lovely lady responsible for bringing to Chas to life, to find out what we can expect from Chas next!
Chas is about to start a new relationship with Nikhil Sharma, who isn't her usual type. What does she see in him?
"He's a bit of male company that she's been lacking since the end of her relationship with Carl. She doesn't see it as anything long-term or involving commitment. He's a bit of fun and a good looking lad, nice arm candy but that's about it as far as she's concerned."
How does Chas' ex Carl react to the new couple?
"She tries to wind Carl up by kissing Nikhil publicly in front of him, but he doesn't show any outward signs of jealousy. She wants to show Carl that she's trying to move on with her life even though on the inside, she's definitely not over him!"
How did you feel when you found out Chas was going to become the new landlady of the Woolpack?
"I was over the moon. Being the landlady of such an iconic pub is both an honour and a challenge. Working with Liz Estensen (Diane Sugden) you can be guaranteed of many a laugh while working. It's interesting to work in the pub because it's at the centre of the village and the heart of a lot of the storylines so you get to work with lots of different people. There's never a dull day!"
What does this new found status of landlady mean for Chas going forward?
"It gives her a new focus and direction in her life plus status in the village which is important to her. Also it's a kick in the teeth for Carl."
Chas' relationship with her son Aaron has improved over the past year; will we get to see more of them as things get more difficult for him in the future?
"Their relationship at the moment is still quite strained but we are going to see much more of that in the coming months. Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy) is an amazing lad to work with, being able to watch him grow on both a personal and professional level is very special."
What's been your favourite Chas moment?
"Dunking Chloe in the water trough was a good one. Any chance to see Chas go back to her violent past is always a bonus."
What's your favourite Emmerdale moment?
"There's been too many to mention – I'm really proud of the show and how hard everyone works."
Who would you like to work with more on the show?
"Pauline Quirke."
If you could choose any actor to come in to Emmerdale as Chas' new man, who would it be?
"Tom Hardy."
Where do you see Chas in five years time?
"She'll still be behind the bar with her life in turmoil."
If you could play any other character in Emmerdale, past or present, who would it be?
"Why would I want to be anyone else but Chas?!"
You've been in a girlband and took part in Soapstar Superstar. Did you want to be a singer more than an actress?
"No. Singing and acting were always on a par with each other. I was lucky enough to be presented with opportunities in both but now my heart is definitely in love with acting."
What would be your ultimate dream role?
"Just to be constantly in work."
If you weren't an actress, what would you be doing?
"Working in interior design."
What's the best thing about your job?
"The people. It's always a joy to come to work every day and have a lot of laughs."
What's the worst?
"The early starts, late finishes and not seeing my daughter Lola enough."
What TV programmes do you enjoy watching? And which do you hate?
"I like any fly on the wall documentaries such as The Only Way is Essex and Come Dine with Me. I also love Grand Designs. I hate watching any sport."
Five things we LOVE about Chas
1) She wears her heart on her sleeve! And never more so when she stood in her wedding dress on Christmas Day 2010, debating whether to marry her cheating lover Carl King. In a simple dress and stripped of her make up, she looked stunning. She dumped Carl at the alter, giving him her best right hook to remember her by, but devastated at his betrayal.
2) She tells it like it is! Her mouth tends to engage before her brain sometimes but you always know where you stand with Chas. And if you are in need of a witty put down or someone to give out a tongue lashing, she's your girl. (Although she may have met her match in Alicia Gallagher...)
3) She packs a punch! Sometimes words just won't do and for those times, there's Chas' killer slap. You don't want to be on the receiving end. Her victims are too numerous to mention but they still have the marks and dented pride to prove that you don't mess with Chas.
4) She's fiercely loyal If you need someone in your corner, you won't find better than Chas. She protects those she loves with all she's got. Family and friends are everything to Chas and woe betide anyone who starts on them.
5) She's a softie underneath She may seem tough but underneath it all, Chas just wants to be loved and cared for. Look at her face when she gets a smile or even a hug from Aaron or when she was all loved up with Carl. That's when you see the real Chas Dingle.