Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter)

[Perdita]

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."

[Perdita]

Emmerdale's feisty Chastity Dingle - played by Lucy Pargeter - recently embarked on an unlikely relationship with village vet Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt). However, it could all end sooner than she thinks when Carl professes his love to her on his wedding day! Torn between what her head's saying and what he heart's screaming, she's left with an impossible decision to make.

To read more about Chas's involvement in wedding week, click your clicking device here to read my recent interview with Lucy P. Here, though, are a few additional snippets from my time with her. Below, Lucy chats about Chas's friendship with Lexi, her screen son Aaron and the much-anticipated return of Jeff Hordley as Cain.

Chas and Lexi used to be friends. Are you disappointed that the writers have turned you into arch-nemises?
"They started of great - they were good mates and could have been good allies. But Lexi kept crapping on Chas, and Chas isn't the kind of gal to take that once from anybody, but the writers kept on doing it. I think they were trying to establish Lexi as a strong character and for some reason she kept getting the upper hand on Chas. It was really annoying for both of us because we couldn't understand why it kept happening and subsequently why they kept making friends. Then they made us enemies, but never made anything from it. We never really had anything to do with each other since the food fight. It's a shame because I think they'd have been great enemies."

Are you disappointed that Chas has never tied the knot?
"Nah, I'm not bothered really! I think she'd be too boring if she was married off. The episodes would be fun, though. Chas's wedding outfit would hardly be the normal, ivory dress. So yeah, the outfit and day would be fun, but it'd be a hell of a lot of filming!"

Are you pleased that you have your screen son with you now?
"Yeah. Aaron's an absolute pain in the **** for Chas, but it's brought a great softer side to her. Danny Miller, who plays him, is brilliant. He gives so much and he's only young. I do miss the violent, psychopathic Chas - I think that's gone by the way side now - but it's really nice to have brought a third dimension to the character."

You must be pleased that your screen brother Cain's returning?
"Oh God, I'm so excited. Cain and Chas were brought up as brother and sister - they found out later that they were half brother and sister - and during the years before he left, we literally did five or six scenes together one-on-one. I really hope that they get us together and give us a storyline which highlights the strength between them. He's just amazing and everyone's so excited that he's coming back. I think Aaron gets involved with Cain, so it'll be interesting to see how Chas deals with that."

[lizann]

Has she had some work done cosmetically?

[Hannelene]

What apart from her boobs and then she wants them done again. I think she may of had her lips done and maybe some botox

[alan45]

Emmerdale pub landlady Chas Dingle faces a terrifying ordeal next week as her niece Debbie holds her at gunpoint and threatens to pull the trigger.

Chas is horrified as she finds herself at the mercy of a crazed Debbie (Charley Webb), who is still hell-bent on revenge after her aunt's affair with Cameron Murray.

Here, Lucy Pargeter - who plays Chas - reveals how her character copes in the frightening situation.

Does Chas still feel guilty about her relationship with Cameron after all this time?
"Chas feels guilty about what happened because of the repercussions with Debbie, Sarah and the rest of the Dingle family. However, the guilt about being with Cameron has gone, because they're now quite a solid couple who are dealing with the issues in the village.

"Chas does feel a bit guilty about the fallout of everything. But so much time has passed, so Chas is now getting to the point where she thinks, 'Come on guys - enough is enough'."

This new twist for Chas and Debbie proves that it's far from over! Would Chas ever have imagined that Debbie would want to kill her?
"I think Chas feels that if Debbie was going to do anything, she would have done it by now. However, the situation does start upping a gear, and the threats from Debbie are happening again.

"But Chas is Chas - she thinks Debbie can give a good bit of verbal, but if she were to take her on physically, I'd put money on Chas! I certainly don't think Chas thinks Debbie would go so far as to kill her."


As next week's episodes begin, Debbie lures Chas into a false sense of security by being nice to her. Is Chas suspicious?
"Yeah, Chas is suspicious over the reasons behind Debbie's change in attitude. It was only the week before that Debbie was still causing trouble and giving her dirty looks in The Woolpack. She's also got a little lapdog now in Robbie.

"When Debbie says, 'Let's be friends and sort this out', Chas wonders what's going on, but she is willing to give it a go. Chas is very much on the back foot, though!"

What goes through Chas's mind when they're on their way to a Dingle family meal and Debbie suddenly produces a gun?
"Chas thinks that Debbie has completely lost the plot, basically! It's definitely taking a bit of a turn!

"At first, Chas thinks that Debbie isn't going to use the gun, because she's never been into firearms or gone down a dark route before. She thinks Debbie is just going to scare her, give her a good talking to and leave her in the middle of nowhere to think about what she's done."


As Debbie is holding her captive in an abandoned barn, does Chas's take on the situation change?
"Yes, eventually Chas does think that she's going to die, because Debbie is very, very close to pulling the trigger. Chas can see the look in Debbie's eye and she's completely devoid of any emotion, any family ties or any love for Chas at all. She seems very likely to pull the trigger."

It's Cain and Charity who realise what Debbie is up to and try to stop her. How do those two feel about Chas at the moment?
"Charity is still very much on Debbie's side. With Cain, he's mellowed and they're talking a little bit, but he'd still choose his daughter over his sister any day. They do both turn up and things go, in Chas's eyes, from bad to worse…"

What was your reaction to the story taking such a dramatic twist?
"I think it had to come to an end. This won't necessarily be the absolute end of it, but it had to come to a massive crescendo to really give it justice."

Do you think there's even a slight possibility that Chas and Debbie could get their friendship back?
"I don't know if they ever will get it back. Personally, I don't know if I ever could forgive someone fully for doing that to me. Hopefully things can lead to a bit more normality.

"I don't think they'll ever have the same aunty-niece relationship. However, the Dingles have always got some sort of bother between them, but they're family and that's what pulls them through.

[alan45]

Emmerdale pub landlady Chas Dingle faces a terrifying ordeal next week as her niece Debbie holds her at gunpoint and threatens to pull the trigger.

Chas is horrified as she finds herself at the mercy of a crazed Debbie (Charley Webb), who is still hell-bent on revenge after her aunt's affair with Cameron Murray.

Here, Lucy Pargeter - who plays Chas - reveals how her character copes in the frightening situation.

Does Chas still feel guilty about her relationship with Cameron after all this time?
"Chas feels guilty about what happened because of the repercussions with Debbie, Sarah and the rest of the Dingle family. However, the guilt about being with Cameron has gone, because they're now quite a solid couple who are dealing with the issues in the village.

"Chas does feel a bit guilty about the fallout of everything. But so much time has passed, so Chas is now getting to the point where she thinks, 'Come on guys - enough is enough'."

This new twist for Chas and Debbie proves that it's far from over! Would Chas ever have imagined that Debbie would want to kill her?
"I think Chas feels that if Debbie was going to do anything, she would have done it by now. However, the situation does start upping a gear, and the threats from Debbie are happening again.

"But Chas is Chas - she thinks Debbie can give a good bit of verbal, but if she were to take her on physically, I'd put money on Chas! I certainly don't think Chas thinks Debbie would go so far as to kill her."


As next week's episodes begin, Debbie lures Chas into a false sense of security by being nice to her. Is Chas suspicious?
"Yeah, Chas is suspicious over the reasons behind Debbie's change in attitude. It was only the week before that Debbie was still causing trouble and giving her dirty looks in The Woolpack. She's also got a little lapdog now in Robbie.

"When Debbie says, 'Let's be friends and sort this out', Chas wonders what's going on, but she is willing to give it a go. Chas is very much on the back foot, though!"

What goes through Chas's mind when they're on their way to a Dingle family meal and Debbie suddenly produces a gun?
"Chas thinks that Debbie has completely lost the plot, basically! It's definitely taking a bit of a turn!

"At first, Chas thinks that Debbie isn't going to use the gun, because she's never been into firearms or gone down a dark route before. She thinks Debbie is just going to scare her, give her a good talking to and leave her in the middle of nowhere to think about what she's done."


As Debbie is holding her captive in an abandoned barn, does Chas's take on the situation change?
"Yes, eventually Chas does think that she's going to die, because Debbie is very, very close to pulling the trigger. Chas can see the look in Debbie's eye and she's completely devoid of any emotion, any family ties or any love for Chas at all. She seems very likely to pull the trigger."

It's Cain and Charity who realise what Debbie is up to and try to stop her. How do those two feel about Chas at the moment?
"Charity is still very much on Debbie's side. With Cain, he's mellowed and they're talking a little bit, but he'd still choose his daughter over his sister any day. They do both turn up and things go, in Chas's eyes, from bad to worse…"

What was your reaction to the story taking such a dramatic twist?
"I think it had to come to an end. This won't necessarily be the absolute end of it, but it had to come to a massive crescendo to really give it justice."

Do you think there's even a slight possibility that Chas and Debbie could get their friendship back?
"I don't know if they ever will get it back. Personally, I don't know if I ever could forgive someone fully for doing that to me. Hopefully things can lead to a bit more normality.

"I don't think they'll ever have the same aunty-niece relationship. However, the Dingles have always got some sort of bother between them, but they're family and that's what pulls them through.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale's Chas Dingle has more tough times ahead in the next fortnight as she realises that Cameron Murray's behaviour is becoming increasingly strange.

Killer Cameron (Dominic Power) is secretly in turmoil as he knows that Alex Moss's body is in danger of being uncovered due to a planned development on the land where he is buried.

With no idea of what her partner is going through, Chas fears that Cameron might be having an affair - but he soon has another cover story up his sleeve…

Here, Lucy Pargeter - who plays Chas - teases the twists and turns ahead as her feisty character attempts to get to the bottom of things.

How is Chas feeling about Cameron at the moment?
"Chas is still completely in love with Cameron, but he starts to behave quite strangely out of the blue. He starts disappearing, doesn't come back when he says he will, he's short with her and he's just not his usual self. Chas does totally trust Cameron at this point in time, but she does think it's a bit strange that he's being so moody."

So Chas doesn't suspect that Cameron is having an affair at first?
"No, not initially! She doesn't think Cameron is having an affair until Gennie comes up with the idea that he might be!"

Chas starts following Cameron to get answers. What is she expecting to discover?
"Chas is quite worried about what she might discover. Cameron packs her off to a spa for the night with Gennie, and the last time he made sure someone was out of the area, it was when he sent Debbie off to Paris so that he could be with Chas for a little while.

"Just as Chas and Gennie are about to leave for the spa, they see Cameron heading off in his van. Chas thinks that's a bit weird, because he's supposed to be looking after the pub."


© ITV
Chas and Gennie follow Cameron


Chas doesn't see anything suspicious, but a few days later, Cameron starts threatening to leave the village. How does Chas react?
"Chas's initial thought is that it's because she's starting to doubt him and pressure him. Cameron tells her that he knows she was following him. When Cameron threatens to leave, Chas thinks that she's pushed him too far. She has no idea that it's because of his worry over Alex."

Cameron then sits Chas down and warns that he's about to tell her something important - but then Gennie walks in and interrupts! Was Cameron about to confess all?
"I think Cameron is preparing himself to possibly tell Chas what's been going on. The appearance of Gennie completely scuppers that, and they end up having a bit of an argument. Cameron loses the plot again, so Chas ends up staying at Gennie's house.

"When Chas gets back in the morning, she questions Cameron and says that she knows he was going to tell her something big. However, Cameron completely clams up again and denies it."


© ITV
Cameron is aggressive towards Chas and Gennie


Later, Cameron threatens Gennie for her interference in his relationship, but Gennie soon tells Chas about the encounter. Does Chas believe Gennie?
"Well, for Chas this all comes quite out of the blue. By this point, Cameron has come up with a cover story and told Chas that he has depression, so she just puts it down to that.

"Chas is surprised to hear that Cameron has depression, but I don't think she doubts him. She's just looking for anything but the bad explanation for Cameron's behaviour. Compared to him having an affair, depression is a lot easier for her to deal with."

The viewers are probably going to be shouting at the TV over Chas being in the dark!
"Jeepers, they already are! Chas is being very blinkered, bless her! She even approaches Zak and asks him to speak to Cameron, as he's had depression recently too. Chas knows that she isn't naturally good at dealing with things like this, so she naturally calls Zak in so he can have a man-to-man chat with Cameron."


© ITV
Cameron shows Gennie a menacing side


As the week continues, Cameron apologises to Gennie for threatening her, and even vows to make amends by organising a fundraiser in aid of Brenda's hospital. Does Chas think this is a bit strange?
"Well, Chas has had so much going through her mind - first of all the thought that Cameron could be having an affair, and then Gennie saying that he's threatened her.

"When Cameron comes up with the fundraising idea, the blinkers come back on for Chas and she's pleased that Cameron is being nice. She just wants to believe him as much as possible, rather than having to face the fact he's doing something behind her back."

The truth about the murders has to come out at some point, so how would Chas cope with that?
"It's mammoth - Cameron is a killer, he's been deceptive and he's let her take the blame for what happened to Carl. It's massive and I don't know how she's going to deal with it. Let's just see what the writers come up with!"

Do you think there's a danger of Cameron killing Chas?
"Yeah, I think there's definitely the possibility there of Cameron killing Chas. He's capable of killing anyone!"

Have you had much viewer response to this storyline?
"It's been fantastic. People are shouting at their tellies and they're shouting at me, telling me not to trust Cameron! It seems that they're all on Chas's side at the moment."

[Perdita]

Lucy Pargeter has teased that producers are planning a huge storyline that will air around the show's anniversary in October.

Pargeter, who plays Chas Dingle, revealed that it will be as big as last year's live episode which earned them a prize at the British Soap Awards over the weekend.

Speaking to the Daily Star, she said: "There's going to be more complications, more heartache, more trauma – it's a brilliant summer coming up.

"And I know there's something massive coming around our anniversary time in October as well. We have to follow up with last year with something as big this year."

Viewers will know that Pargeter's character Chas is currently unaware that she's dating a murderer.

Cameron Murray (Dominic Power) has already claimed two victims and he is rumoured to kill a third later on this year.

[alan45]

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.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star Lucy Pargeter has hinted that Chas Dingle's love life could come back to the forefront of the soap this year.

The actress's feisty character has concentrated on her new responsibilities at The Woolpack and concern for son Aaron (Danny Miller) in recent months following her ill-fated relationship with Carl King (Tom Lister).

However, in an interview with itv.com, Pargeter promised that there will be new stories involving Chas's personal life in 2012.

Pargeter commented: "Chas and men - where do you start, really? She hasn't been very successful. She's had a fair range, really. She's gone from copper, to businessman - a bit of everything.

"Her ideal man is just somebody who can keep up with her, someone with a bit of a feisty side. I think she's probably found him - but she's definitely not still with him."

She continued: "I wouldn't say Chas is unlucky in love, really - she's misunderstood. She's a hard one. I mean, who could go out with Chas and be able to deal with her? You don't know if she's going to slap you or kiss you. Fingers crossed she'll find someone soon.

"There's going to be quite a few things possibly man-stroke-men [related] coming up this year. It should be a lot of fun. And more turmoil!"

Emmerdale fans have seen a spark develop between Chas and John Barton in recent weeks. However, any romance for the pair would be short-lived as James Thornton - who played John - has filmed his final scenes for the soap.