I think Robert cheated on her with Katie
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I think Robert cheated on her with Katie
Yes, he did, despite Katie being engaged to Andy at the time
Marlon Dingle makes a life-changing decision next week as he gives Donna Windsor his blessing to move back to the village with their daughter April.
Marlon is forced to throw caution to the wind when Donna (Verity Rushworth) gives him a final ultimatum - urging him to decide whether he wants April in his life or not.
Here, Mark Charnock - who plays Marlon - reveals the reasoning behind his character's choice and why the shocks in this storyline are only just beginning…
Why does Donna return to the village again next week?
"Marlon makes a deal with Donna, asking her to come back for another visit. He really didn't want to see her, but he's been talked into it. First of all, Rhona has been nagging on about how she wants Leo to have a sister to help look after him in the future. Laurel also turns on Marlon and calls him selfish. That knocks the wind out of Marlon and makes him see sense.
"Marlon rings Donna and asks her to come back, but he tells her not to bring April because he doesn't want to see her. He can't even cope with looking at his daughter, because it's just a reminder of how devastated he is that he's missed out on her first few years."
But Donna doesn't follow his instructions…
"No, Marlon finds out that Donna has brought April back even though he's asked her not to. Once again, he's angry and disappointed with her - but Donna tells Marlon that April knows he's her dad as she found a wedding picture of them."
Why is Marlon so reluctant for Leo and April to know that they're siblings?
"Because Marlon still doesn't know whether he wants April in his life. He doesn't want to confuse Leo by getting some kind of sibling relationship going when April might not always be there.
"The bottom line is that Marlon doesn't trust Donna. He doesn't trust her not to take April away from him again. Marlon has been through so many awful things in his life, and he's really acutely frightened of being heartbroken. Donna's behaviour has been unpredictable in the past, so that's why Marlon is being so careful about it."
Donna urges Marlon to make a decision on whether he wants her to move back to the village with April. How does he react?
"Marlon is not happy about it. He feels cornered by Donna's ultimatum, and he feels as though she is trying to take control of the situation when he wants to do it on his terms. Marlon feels like Donna has got this emotional cattle-prod and she's backing him into a corner, wanting him to make the decision now.
"Marlon is not ready to make a decision, because he wants to go about it slowly, methodically and carefully. He wants to find out if Donna is trustworthy and whether he trusts himself to give into all of this emotion that he's trying to suppress."
How does Marlon feel about April knowing she is his daughter?
"Marlon is absolutely furious, because he thinks it's more of Donna's manipulation and that she's done it deliberately. Marlon doesn't believe that April just stumbled across these wedding photos of the two of them. It's a really unlikely scenario, so Marlon thinks that Donna has done it to force his hand.
"Marlon doesn't know Donna's agenda and the audience don't know it either yet. He feels that she's using the little girl to get what she wants. He's confused by it, deeply suspicious and very angry."
Later in the week, Marlon sees Donna and April packing up the car to leave again. How does he react?
"Beforehand, Marlon says that he doesn't think he'll ever be ready for this situation with Donna at the centre of it. Afterwards, he sees them packing the car and April says, 'Daddy', runs over to him and tells him off for shouting at her mum.
"Marlon thinks that April is going to go away thinking for the rest of her life that he's a monster and an awful human being. He steps in front of the car and stops them from going."
What happens next?
"When Marlon steps in front of the car, Donna bangs her head. She's a bit woozy from bumping her head and goes for a quick check-up at the hospital, so Marlon offers to look after April while she's gone.
"What follows are some quite funny scenes where Marlon and April make absolutely no progress whatsoever in terms of hitting it off. It's the first time Marlon has been with his daughter, but it's a disaster and she doesn't want to know him. He can't find a way through to her, but he wins her round the following day and he's absolutely thrilled."
Are Laurel and Donna pleased?
"Laurel is really pleased for him at this point. Like Rhona, she's been trying to get Marlon to see sense. Laurel knows Marlon well enough to know that if he doesn't do this now, he will regret it. She's doing the right thing and her love for him is pushing her to get involved. She's with him all the way and she's overjoyed when Marlon asks Donna to stay.
"Donna is also chuffed to bits. Marlon nervously asks her whether he can take April out for the day, and Donna is overwhelmed and gives him a big hug. It's a friendly hug, but Rhona starts to become suspicious at this point that Donna is here for reasons other than introducing Marlon to April…"
Where is the story heading in the longer-term?
"Donna has got massive stuff coming up with me, massive stuff with April and massive stuff with other characters.
"The angles that the story takes are all very acute and genuinely shocking. When I first heard about them, I genuinely had my mouth open with shock. I don't think the audience have seen anything like this for a long while. Some of the stuff coming up is genuinely jaw-dropping and it's very exciting to be part of it…"
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Emmerdale has aired the first big twist in Donna Windsor's return storyline with the revelation that she has a terminal illness.
Donna, played by Verity Rushworth, discussed the news with a doctor in the first of Thursday's episodes (April 10).
The storyline saw Donna's stepfather Bob Hope take her to the hospital as she felt woozy after hitting her head.
Donna was forced to go along with making the trip, but once alone with a doctor, she admitted that there was nothing that the hospital could do for her.
She said: "I know what's wrong with me and you're not going to be able to sort it. I did bang my head, but that's not why I went dizzy. I've got Mesothelioma."
After confirming that her medication sometimes affects her balance, Donna added: "I have regular check-ups back home. They monitor me - there's nothing they can do, really. It's terminal."
Emmerdale bosses did not release details of Donna's illness before the episode, as they wanted the storyline to play out on screen rather than being revealed beforehand.
Digital Spy has been aware of the twist for a number of weeks, but kept it a secret to provide an element of surprise for viewers.
Donna's illness, which is a rare form of cancer, explains why she has been so keen for her ex-husband Marlon Dingle to get to know their daughter April. The Woolpack's chef was unaware of the youngster's existence until recently.
When Donna tries to get through to Marlon on her own, he tells her to pack her bags and leave the village for good.
Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon, has previously said that the Donna storyline will have a number of surprising twists.
He said earlier this month: "The angles that the story takes are all very acute and genuinely shocking. When I first heard about them, I genuinely had my mouth open with shock.
"I don't think the audience have seen anything like this for a long while. Some of the stuff coming up is genuinely jaw-dropping and it's very exciting to be part of it."
Rushworth is back on screen as Donna for a five-month period.
Sad that Donna has to die, she is good with Marlon better than Laurel imo and April is so cute
Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth has hinted that there is big drama coming up for her character Donna Windsor.
Donna has teamed up with Ross Barton since returning to the village earlier in the year in order to pull off various money-making schemes.
Viewers know that Donna has a terminal illness and is desperate to provide for her young daughter April when she dies.
Speaking in a video on Emmerdale's official website, Rushworth said: "Things are really going to step up for Donna. I can't say too much but there is something huge coming up.
"It's to do with the big robbery and of course, it doesn't go to plan. The stakes are going to get higher, there is going to be more action and there is going to be a lot more steam with Ross."
http://i1.cdnds.net/14/20/618x439/so...ale-6881-4.jpg
Donna and Ross see Gary approaching
© ITV
Donna has teamed up with Ross
Rushworth also admitted that she feels very sad for Donna and what she is involved in because of her illness.
She said: "I think it's really sad what she is having to deal with at the moment. Through sheer desperation and panic, she has turned to crime which is completely out of character.
"She's panicking and having this weird moment of facing death. What is happening to her body is obviously sending her a little bit crazy as I am sure it would."
Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth has said that her character Donna Windsor's current crime storyline is set to get deeper.
Viewers know that Donna is suffering from a terminal illness and have seen her team up with Ross Barton in recent months to pull off various schemes.
Speaking about the storyline on Lorraine today (July 10), Rushworth said: "It's action-packed and the stakes get really high, and this is the tip of the iceberg for her.
"The crime gets really deep and we get into sticky waters. The cancer is one element, and then there is a whole load of other things on top of that. It's going to be good."
Tonight's episode of the soap will see Donna finally confide in ex-husband Marlon (Mark Charnock) about her illness in emotional scenes.
Discussing why Donna has kept her illness a secret for so long, Rushworth said: "She doesn't want to be seen as a victim and as soon as everybody knows, it's going to break Marlon's heart.
"How do you tell a 5-year old girl that her mum is going to die of cancer? I just can't imagine the people that have to go through that. It's absolutely horrific. I think she wants to grasp onto happiness for as long as she can, while she can."
Emmerdale airs tonight at 7pm and 8pm on ITV.
Emmerdale airs Donna Windsor's final scenes next week as her emotional and dramatic storyline reaches its conclusion.
Details of exactly how Donna bows out are being kept strictly under wraps, but fans can expect explosive scenes as her final dodgy job with bad boy Ross Barton (Michael Parr) goes horribly wrong.
Here, Verity Rushworth - who plays Donna - chats about the tense episodes and how she felt about filming her exit scenes.
How is Donna's health in her final week on screen?
"Donna's health has deteriorated, unfortunately. The last time she had a scan, she was told that she could have a year, which was an estimate. By this point, though, she's been told that it could be anything up to 12 weeks, which is really sad. Donna is obviously in a bad way and she's suffering with it in secret."
How would you describe Donna's feelings for Ross at this point?
"Donna is completely in love with Ross, but she can't tell him that because it would be unfair. Ross doesn't know about her illness, but she's definitely in love with him. Donna is feeling conflicted because she wants to tell him about the illness but she feels that she can't."
What are her feelings for Marlon?
"With Marlon, the fact that he now knows about her illness is a big relief for her. The way that Marlon found out was a bit upsetting for her because it caught her off-guard, but I don't think she'd ever have been able to tell him otherwise, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Now that Marlon knows, she is really glad of the support and she really appreciates him being there for her.
"Donna also needs Marlon and April to have a good relationship for after she's gone. She wants him and Laurel to be a strong unit for April, so she is pushing for him to consider Laurel in all of this just as much as he is considering Donna and April."
How have things changed between them since Donna told Marlon the truth?
"I think Marlon obviously now looks at Donna in a different way. That's unfortunate for Donna, as she didn't want that to happen. She's seen as a victim now and Marlon wants to care for her. He's talking about death and what happens afterwards, but she wanted to avoid all that. Now the relationship has altered, but Donna doesn't want to talk about death because she wants to be positive."
How does Donna react when Ross reveals that he's made plans for them to leave the village together after their final job?
"It's really heartbreaking, because we've finally seen Ross's vulnerable side. He's opened up to Donna and fallen for her. Ross has decided that he wants to run away with Donna, look after her and look after April. That's all Donna wants and she'd love to do that, but she knows she can't because April needs to be with Marlon and she's not going to be around.
"Donna needs Ross to believe that it's going to happen in order to get through this job. She has to lead him on and say that she will go with him, but deep down she knows it will never happen."
What is the final job?
"The job is about setting up Gary North. There are dodgy photos of him that he wouldn't want anybody to see, so Ross and Donna are trying to get hold of them so they can use them as blackmail. Unfortunately, it all goes wrong and it doesn't go according to plan.
"The photos are locked away in a safe in a nightclub, so Ross and Donna need to get into the safe in the nightclub manager's office. If they give Gary North his photos back, the deal is over and he won't seek revenge - they'll be quits and he'll leave them alone. But that doesn't quite happen…"
What would the consequences be if it all goes wrong?
"Gary North is a massive threat, so I don't think anyone would come out of it okay! Donna would go to prison or somebody could possibly end up dead. The worst thing that could happen would be Gary North getting his hands on April, which would be horrendous."
On the day before the job, Donna faces April's birthday party. What is her mood like there?
"Donna actually quite sombre, understandably. She knows that it's going to be the last one she'll be at, so she gives April a locket with a photo of her in. She also has her own locket with a photo of April in, so they'll always have that connection. Donna wants to be a good mum, be happy and be part of the party, but actually she's quite reflective and it shows.
"Donna has got Ross and Adam waiting to hear from her at this point, as they need to get together and hatch a plan. So Donna has got a lot of drama going on! She's worried about what's going to happen with Gary North while she's supposed to be celebrating her daughter's birthday."
Does Donna feel guilty about being distracted at the birthday party?
"Oh yeah, she's full of guilt. Donna feels guilty that she hasn't told April about the cancer and she also feels guilty that she's going to be leaving her. She also feels guilty that she's breaking the law, even though she's doing it for April. On top of that, Donna is deceiving people like Marlon and Bob, who she loves. But she's ploughing on because she feels it's the best thing to do for her and April."
How does Adam find out that Donna is involved in the upcoming job?
"Ross tells Adam that he's got a bent copper on side, to make him feel confident that he's in safe hands. Donna arrives at the house and Adam is very, very, very surprised to see that it's her! It's a complete shock to him and he doesn't understand why Donna has gone to the dark side."
Donna takes her emotions out on Marlon, doesn't she?
"Yeah, she always takes it out on Marlon because she knows that she can. Their relationship runs deeper than anyone else's and she'll always love him because they were married and he's the father of her child. If you're going to take it out on anyone, it's going to be him!"
Why hasn't Donna told anyone else the truth?
"Donna doesn't want her last weeks to all be about dying, death and upsetting people. She wants the last weeks to be as happy as possible and for people to be oblivious, so she can have normal conversations. Donna also has a job to do and she needs to focus on that. She needs to get that done before she can let the world know what's going on."
Does Donna feel guilty about lying to people like Ross and Bob?
"Yeah, she feels really, really guilty because she loves them all. She hates the fact that she's lying, but she's doing it for them. She doesn't want to implicate any of them in her business that she's doing for April, and she knows that she wouldn't have Ross with her for this job if he didn't think they were going to be together at the end of it."
Does Donna trust Adam not to mess it up?
"She's furious that Ross told Adam her idea, but actually he comes in really handy and is really helpful on the day. She trusts him in the end."
But Aaron does turn up and threaten the job…
"Yes, Aaron tries to stop Adam in a protective sort of way. He thoroughly gets in the way, so Adam has to be quite brutal to get Aaron out of the way so that he can complete the job. He knows that Ross and Donna need him and he can't risk anything going wrong. Adam sorts Aaron out, really!"
What happens in the club?
"Donna and Ross walk into the club and easily get into the office. They're dressed in police uniforms and claim they need to see the books in the office. They also claim that they've heard about counterfeit goods in their safe and they'll need to do a search.
"It all goes well until they get to the safe and the manager won't open it. He knows there are photos belonging to Gary North in there, who is the bigwig."
Does anything else go wrong?
"Yes, Ross doesn't know how to work the police radio, and he doesn't know where his baton is either, so that gives the game away! Ross is clearly not a real policeman and when we see the photos and we don't arrest the nightclub guy, he knows we're up to no good. It all goes wrong!
"It's really scary as it becomes a hostage situation. Their hands are tied, there's a bag over Ross's head and he is badly beaten up with a baton. Donna is threatened by two men, which is really intimidating.
"It all kicks off and Donna has to get really fierce. She brings out her taser and gets fierce! They have to act very, very quickly. They're in absolute danger and lives are at risk…"
This will be your last week on screen. Have you enjoyed being back?
"It's been the most amazing job and the best time ever. Emmerdale is just the most amazing place to work. Everybody is so warm, friendly, lovely and professional. I've been blessed with this amazing, juicy storyline, showing all of this heartache and danger. The levels I've been able to play as an actress have been a real treat.
"Working with Mike Parr, Mark Charnock, Charlotte Bellamy, Tony Audenshaw and everyone else - all of my favourite people - I've felt very lucky. I've been so looked-after by all departments and I'm going to miss everyone so much. It's really sad to leave!"
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