Emmerdale hides many shocking things – with Mark Charnock’s talent being the latest.
The actor has played Marlon Dingle for 25 years in the ITV soap.
And it’s safe to say that for many of those years he was simply the bumbling idiot that viewers tolerated for the odd comedy moment.
But in recent years Marlon has changed.
It begun with the death of his ex Donna Windsor and the discovery that he had a daughter, April.
Read more: Emmerdale SPOILERS: Worst couple ever reunited?
The bumbling idiocy is still there – but it brought a seriousness, and depth to Marlon.
And it isn’t just the writers that have done it.
Actor Mark has turned the bumbling, semi-funny chef into a powerhouse of a dramatic character.
Emmerdale star Mark Charnock deserves all the acting awards
In the aftermath of Donna’s death he was heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure and since then he’s only grown in talent.
Framed for Graham Foster’s murder, Marlon was jailed two years ago and it broke him.
Mark played it with a devastation that was believable as it was heartbreaking.
His sobbing alone was award worthy and it left viewers in tears.
And clearly bosses were paying attention too.
This year they have given him his biggest storyline to date – and it has been months in the making.
Viewers watched heartbroken as Marlon suffered a stroke just minutes after getting engaged to Rhona Goskirk.
The scenes were powerful not just for the subject and the special filming techniques used but because they proved what a powerhouse Mark is.
His collapse and controlled movements showed the reality of what a stroke is,
And even now as he lies in a hospital bed with limited movement and even more limited communication abilities, Mark is knocking it out of the park.
Read more: 13 huge Emmerdale spoilers including terrifying revenge, health heartbreak, and a Meena U-turn
Emmerdale has been sleeping on his talent – and it’s finally time for him to show exactly what he’s capable of.
We bet he’ll win a host of soap awards later this year.
Goodness knows he deserves them.
Want more spoilers from Emmerdale? Entertainment Daily has a dedicated Emmerdale spoilers section for you to get your fix before the latest episodes air.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
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