Emmerdale star Charley Webb has revealed that her character Debbie Dingle isn’t as heartless as some viewers think she is.
The actress, 30, insists that Debbie does have a conscience, and has been struggling under the weight of recent horrific events.
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Soap fans know that Debbie was behind the acid attack on Ross Barton.
While his life has been left in tatters, Debbie was seen covering up the truth, and even embarked on a romance with the intended victim of the attack – Joe Tate.
Many viewers turned against the character, calling her “heartless” and “cowardly”.
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But Charley believes her character deserves some sympathy, especially now her daughter Sarah Sugden has been diagnosed with heart failure.
In an interview with What’s On TV magazine, she said Debbie feels a “huge relief” now the news about Ross is out.
She explained: “I think the reactions from people shocked her a little bit because I think she thought people would understand.
“The Dingles have been beating people up for years so, in her mind, she’s very much like ‘I wanted Joe to suffer and get beaten up for what he’s done to the family’.
“He destroyed the Dingle home, had it knocked down. She asked this guy [Simon] to beat him up and he went too far. She feels immense guilt and feels terrible, but feels she’s not fully responsible.”
Recent scenes saw Debbie getting accidentally shot when she walked into the middle of a hostage situation between Ross and Joe.
On her hospital bed, she finally admitted her crimes.
Little did she know, though, that an even greater tragedy lay just around the corner, as her daughter collapsed and was rushed to hospital herself just weeks later.
"You're suffering from heart failure…"
Sarah's only 13. 💔 #Emmerdale pic.twitter.com/Ond69NDtmD
— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) June 13, 2018
In hospital, medics told the family that Sarah has heart failure and may need a heart transplant.
Charley reveals that Debbie is heartbroken…
“Obviously for any parent to have a child who is so ill is terrible,” she says.
Talking about actress Katie Hill, who plays 13-year-old Sarah, Charley admitted they are like real-life family.
She adds: “She spends a lot of time at my house with my children [Buster, seven, and two-year-old Bowie) and they adore her, so we’re really close and I just think for her age she is superb, and super talented.
“I’m looking forward to stuff we’ve got coming up.”
Oh Debbie, you tease!
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