Laurel and Marlon

Emmerdale's Marlon Dingle faces a desperate race against time next week after his partner Laurel Thomas puts herself in serious danger.

When Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) tracks down the carjacker and confronts him at his home, it proves to be a terrible decision as her attacker becomes threatening all over again.

Marlon later realises where Laurel is and recruits Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) to help him rescue her, but can they get there before any further damage is done?

Here, Mark Charnock - who plays Marlon - previews the dramatic scenes ahead.

How is Marlon coping in the aftermath of Laurel's carjacking ordeal?
"Badly! I think Laurel's reaction to it has taken Marlon by surprise. I don't think he realised how profoundly it would affect Laurel. That may seem naïve, but she's just become so obsessed and unpredictable. Marlon doesn't really realise that Laurel is suffering from post-traumatic stress. He can't put a label on it like that.

"Marlon is trying to be as supportive as he can and he's doing all of the obvious things, but Laurel is rejecting a lot of that support. Everything he says, Laurel takes the wrong way."

So is it causing strain for their relationship?
"Yes it is, and that's especially the case later on in the storyline when Ashley comes into play. Ashley gives Laurel some really good advice and suggests that she should seek therapy. Marlon feels like the ground that he's fought so hard to get is shifting from under him. He doesn't understand why - that's the worst thing about it.

"Marlon has been through a lot of things in his life, but this is psychological distress on a level that he hasn't really encountered before. He thinks that love, care and tenderness will be enough for Laurel, but it's not. She needs proper help."

Next week, Laurel thinks that she sees her attacker in the café. How does Marlon react?
"Marlon's initial thought is that it must be another slightly delusional moment for Laurel. She's already been suspicious in the past and got it wrong. However, this time Laurel seems so convinced and so Marlon decides that she must be right. Marlon has a mixed reaction - one is absolute fury and wanting to get this guy. The other is that it's an opportunity for Laurel to get the closure she needs."

What happens to the guy in the question?
"Everyone rushes to the café, where Bob and Dan are already restraining this man a little bit. Marlon rushes through the door, grabs the guy and shoves him onto the sofa. The other guy is a lot bigger, but Marlon is fuelled by a momentum in these scenes. They've got the guy, and once the police have taken him away, it's great because Laurel has finally got closure.

"Unfortunately, then it's all turned on its head, because it turns out that the guy has got a perfectly good alibi and is completely innocent. That just doubles the original problem…"

How does Laurel feel about that?
"At first it's just utter disbelief. She's so sure it's him and she's so desperate to find that person, so she'll put it on anyone. However, in the end it just sharpens her drive and accentuates all of the feelings that she has. Laurel fears that she's never going to find her attacker, but she's determined to try harder. It makes her more obsessive and she drives Marlon further away from her."

Laurel also fears that Marlon is ridiculing her at one point, doesn't she?
"Yes, Laurel overhears a conversation between Marlon and Diane where he says, 'Well as long as Laurel isn't looking for more baddies!' It's quite a light remark, but Laurel completely overreacts to it because she thinks that Marlon is mocking her. It looks like the most terrible social betrayal, but it's not, as Marlon just needs someone to talk to and is confiding in Diane."

Later in the week, Laurel tracks down the real attacker at his home and confronts him with some scissors. How aware is Marlon of what's going on?
"At first Marlon is not aware at all, because Laurel admits that she's been difficult and promises to move on. She's really convincing, but it's all just an act. However, there's a real turning point when Marlon hears that she hasn't been at work. He immediately knows that something is wrong.

"It turns out that Dan has given Laurel a list of the garages that Cain has been dealing with, and she's found the attacker that way. Dan takes the list and goes to Cain, needing his help. Cain sees that Marlon is so desperate that he's got to help out. Cain also knows that if he'd stepped in to help earlier, the situation might be a lot different. The Dingle loyalty kicks in, and Cain is great as he's actually quite heroic in the scenes coming up."

Marlon and Cain try to find Laurel and save her before it's too late. How are they feeling?
"It's utter desperation at this point. The more the day goes on, Marlon becomes more and more hysterical. He knows that Laurel is all alone and in danger. This carjacker could be a murderer or anything, so it's blind terror."

Will Marlon show a tough side when he tracks down the attacker?
"Well, when Marlon first joined the show, he was quite a puncher! He used to punch a lot of people, so he wasn't quite as wimpy as he is today. With age has come increased wimpiness!

"At the back of all this is the fear of losing someone like he did with Tricia. That motivates all of this. Marlon has never been through anything worse than that. If he went through anything similar again, it would absolutely destroy him. You'll see that any fear in Marlon is taken away by his absolute desperation to save Laurel…"

What has the storyline been like to film?
"Fantastic and really exciting. There's been a lot of action, a lot of scrapping and massive emotional turmoil. Those are the stories that you want to be doing. It's been a belter, actually.

"With these scenes, it was great to work with Jeff Hordley because we're good friends off-screen but we don't always have many scenes together. You sometimes forget they're cousins, so it should be nice for the audience to watch."

Do you think Laurel and Marlon can cope with the aftermath of this?
"I think they are strong enough to. It's definitely shaken the ground under their feet, but they do love each other. Once they come out the other side of this, it might strengthen them more. I'm not sure Ashley will see it like that, but upheavals can really cement long-term relationships."

Do you think they'll get married?
"Maybe! It's certainly possible. I think they're set, barring any absolute disasters. I think there's a very strong future with them, with lots of possibilities. I'd like them to stay together, but you can never second guess these things. They've come through a lot and they're a good match. Me and Charlotte get on really well, so that's always a help. We really work hard on our scenes to make them as interesting and textured as possible."

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Emmerdale star Charlotte Bellamy has revealed that her character Laurel Dingle will go into denial after her drinking problem leads to the loss of her job.

Laurel has become increasingly reliant on alcohol in recent months, and she finally starts to face the consequences next week when her bosses at the factory notice her erratic behaviour.

The problems start for Laurel when hangovers in the morning lead to her arriving late at work, which doesn't go unnoticed by her supervisor Ali Spencer.

Things get worse when factory boss Jai Sharma also notices Laurel's lack of commitment to work and confronts her. When Laurel bites back with a comment about the businessman's son Archie, Jai sacks her on the spot.

Speaking of the drama to come, Bellamy commented: "Alcohol is numbing the pain for Laurel at the moment. She's finding life very difficult and hard, as would any working mum with a family that is not all her own. There's the extra pressures of stepchildren and everything that happened with Donna.

"I think drink has become a bit of a crutch for Laurel. She thinks a glass of wine at 5pm is fine and it just helps her through."
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Laurel lies to Marlon
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Laurel lies to Marlon

She continued: "When Laurel loses her job, she has to come home and tell Marlon. Laurel thinks that what happened is a shame, but she convinces herself that Jai is overreacting. She thinks she is never late and what's the problem if she made a little joke?

"Of course, in reality it's a case of denial, which does happen with people who have got drink problems. Laurel doesn't give Marlon the true version of the story, because I don't even think she believes the true version herself!"

Laurel does get a chance to redeem herself when she quickly lines up an interview for another job, but her alcohol problem ruins this opportunity too.
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Doug offers Laurel a sneaky drink will she be tempted?.
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Laurel has been developing a drink problem

Bellamy commented: "Laurel starts to get very nervous about the interview, so she decides to have some vodka to steady her nerves. It does make her calmer, but then she's late for the bus! She misses the interview, but she lies to Marlon that it went really well. Laurel is just becoming entangled in this web of lies, deceit and denial.

"I think the writers have tackled the storyline really well because it's been so subtle. You've seen it happen over a period of nearly six months. Even in the 40th anniversary live episode, Laurel was drunk!

"This could become a big problem for Laurel because she's not really happy. She wasn't even happy on her wedding day and she's not coping with her situation."

Emmerdale producer Kate Oates has revealed that Laurel Dingle's current drinking problem is the beginning of a much bigger storyline.

Viewers have seen Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) develop a worrying reliance on alcohol in recent weeks, but the plot will head in a surprising direction in the longer-term - focusing on much more than just her addiction.

Oates confirmed that the unexpected developments ahead in the story will set it apart from Emmerdale's most recent addiction plot, which saw Rhona Goskirk become hooked on painkillers.

"The audience will have to wait and see how this story will be different, because what is different about the story is where it goes in the long-term," Oates explained. "It will be a much, much longer journey.

"It's not just about Laurel's alcoholism. It's not just about what that does to Laurel in the here and now and how she and her family deal with that, it's about where it goes beyond that. People will have to be patient and wait and see what happens with that one!"

Oates refused to reveal what the twist in the story's direction will be, but she promised that there is much more to come as the troubles within Laurel's marriage to Marlon (Mark Charnock) continue to take their toll.

She continued: "It's a long journey for Laurel and what we're seeing is that her marriage is really flawed. She's really struggling, but she thinks she has a 'life problem' rather than a drink problem and she's drinking to cover that life problem.

"It's nice to explore that and the problems in Laurel's relationship with Marlon, and also to use Duncan Preston as her dad Doug, because Doug is absolutely devastated to see his little girl in this situation. He's desperately trying to help her and she's just fighting all the way.

"One person who Laurel will come to rely on massively is her ex-husband Ashley through all of this, so the people who enjoyed Laurel and Ashley back in the day will hopefully enjoy this."

Next week's episodes will see Marlon's young daughter April become unwell after she accidentally drinks Laurel's secret glass of vodka and orange at home. A horrified Laurel has to rush April to hospital, before stooping to new lows to hide what happened from Marlon.

I didn't mind the character of Laurel when she was with Ashley, but have never liked the pairing of her and Marlon, and consequently now dislike her character. I hope she doesn't spoil Ashley's relationship with Harriet, but won't hold my breath.

Emmerdale star Charlotte Bellamy has revealed more details of April Windsor's upcoming hospital dash, admitting that it won't be a wake-up call for her troubled character Laurel Dingle.

Next week's episodes see the youngster become unwell after she mistakenly drinks Laurel's glass of vodka and orange at home. The worrying incident takes place after Laurel starts to drink spirits during the day.

While it's clear that Laurel's problems with alcohol are escalating, she refuses to admit this to herself and instead focuses her attentions on hiding what happened from her husband Marlon.

Speaking of the dramatic scenes, Bellamy commented: "It's not good at all. Laurel's drinking is starting to get out of control and that has consequences. That's when she has to do the terrible thing of trying to cover it up, because children talk.

"There's a terrible scene coming up for Laurel and April which I found difficult to film. Laurel has to tell April to lie. April even has this little sticker from the hospital to say how brave she is, but Laurel has to tell her to take it off. It's awful!

"Laurel feels absolutely terrible, but like with any alcoholic, she thinks she can have another drink and it'll just be okay. The audience will think 'just stop drinking then' but she keeps getting herself into worse situations and then trying to cover it. You know that it's going to unravel."
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April is taken to hospital after drinking Laurel's drink
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April in hospital

The cover-up helps to keep Marlon in the dark over his daughter's hospital visit, but Laurel's father Doug Potts does find out what happened.

Bellamy continued: "April tells Doug that she drank bad juice and went to hospital, so obviously he clicks on and confronts Laurel. Laurel is still in complete denial and says she doesn't have a problem. He knows it's something more sinister so he pursues it.

"This story goes further, so I think there will be a point of no return." Lets hope it is sooner rather than later

Emmerdale star Charlotte Bellamy has admitted that her character Laurel Dingle is still in denial when she returns to the village next week.

Laurel has taken a short break with her husband Marlon (Mark Charnock) after her constant drinking left their marriage in crisis.

The couple appear to be back on track when they finally arrive home next week, but it doesn't take long for the cracks to show once again.

Speaking of the upcoming scenes, Bellamy explained: "The break was amazing. Laurel and Marlon had a great few weeks and she hasn't drunk any alcohol during that time. They reconnected, so Laurel is feeling extremely positive that life is going to be okay.

"I don't think Laurel thinks she's 'cured' as such, because she doesn't really think there was that much of a problem in the first place. She thinks she just needed to reset, and she had said before she left that it was a life problem, not a drink problem.

"Laurel comes back in a really great frame of mind, but she's in denial that it was anything sinister or long-term. She just thinks that she maybe had a few binge drinking moments but it was nothing more than that."

The troubled character's latest breaking point comes when Jimmy King (Nick Miles) offers her a new job, only to later change his mind after hearing the extent of her recent problems.

Bellamy continued: "It's a really sad moment. Laurel is feeling so positive about everything and she feels that honesty is the best policy. It's a massive downfall that she is honest with Jimmy and then he doesn't give her the job after leading her on.

"Laurel comes crashing down and the first thing she reaches for is the drink. She drinks three bottles of wine, which leaves her unconscious. It was really hard to film because it's in front of the kids. It was a really brave move of the writers, but a really raw experience that lots of people have been through.

"It just shows you suddenly how vulnerable the children are and how vulnerable Laurel is too. The kids find her, so they call the ambulance and Arthur runs to the pub and tells everyone there. Laurel is unconscious at that point and rushed to hospital."
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Marlon finds Laurel being treated by the paramedics
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Marlon finds Laurel being treated

Marlon will be horrified when he learns of Laurel's latest relapse, but viewers will have to wait and see whether it is the final straw for their marriage.

Asked about portraying the dark storyline, Bellamy replied: "I'm really enjoying the challenges, actually. There are so many different lights and shades I wanted to bring to it. When drunk, people have different sides of their personality that come out. Sometimes you're an angry drunk, sometimes you're aggressive, sometimes you're weepy, sometimes you're silly or funny.

"As an actor it's been a real challenge to find all those lights and shades while telling a really poignant, raw, real story."

Two Emmerdale couples could be facing heartbreak this summer as their relationships come under severe strain.

In a new summer preview released by the ITV soap, series producer Kate Oates confirmed that Marlon Dingle will consider leaving his wife Laurel as her drinking problem spirals further out of control.

Life won't be much happier for Dan Spencer, as he is left to question his relationship with Kerry Wyatt.

Discussing the turmoil ahead for the Dingles, Oates told Emmerdale's official website: "One of the things I've really been enjoying since before Christmas is the Laurel alcoholism story. What people are going to see over spring and summer is that even though Doug knows that she's an alcoholic and has brought Marlon in on that secret, the one person who can't admit that she's an alcoholic is Laurel herself.

"We're going to see her move further down that slippery slope and whereas before she was getting people like April in jeopardy, this time it's going to be Laurel herself that's at risk.

"So Marlon's going to have some really tough decisions to make about how long he can stay in this marriage when he's got a little girl who really needs his help and support. We're also going to be seeing Ashley get more involved and really try to pull that person that he once loved so much out of this terrible, terrible problem."

Emmerdale star Charlotte Bellamy has warned of much worse turmoil to come for her troubled character Laurel Dingle, describing her next big mistake as "totally unforgiveable".

Laurel's drinking problem nearly killed her this week as she suffered a major relapse, but future episodes will see her continue to hit the bottle regardless.

Scenes airing towards the end of next week will see Laurel's husband Marlon (Mark Charnock) finally cut ties with her after he catches her doing something shocking, although exact details of what he sees have been kept under wraps.

Teasing the dramatic moment to come, Bellamy told Emmerdale's official website: "Laurel's feeling so angry that everyone is saying that she's got this problem, when she feels that she hasn't. She thinks that she's completely in control, but what happens next is something that is totally unforgiveable and very shocking, which proves that she is anything but in control.

"The consequences of this event are huge and the audience will think, 'How will she ever move on from this? How will she ever be forgiven?' You think that she's reached an all-time low, but in fact it's only just beginning."
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Cain and Marlon are horrified by what they witness.
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Marlon is left devastated
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Marlon spots Laurel doing something shocking

Marlon's cousin Cain (Jeff Hordley) will also be particularly vocal over Laurel's bad behaviour in the next few days, as it reminds him of his own family's experiences with alcoholism.

Bellamy added: "His dad Shadrach was an alcoholic, so it brings up huge memories of his past and he knows exactly what's going on in [Laurel's] mind."

I find this laurel storyline to be getting too much screentime.