Emmerdale star Samantha Giles calls for former couple to stay apart

Emmerdale spoilers follow.

Emmerdale star Samantha Giles has stated her wish for a former couple to be kept apart on the soap.

The actress, who plays Bernice Blackstock on the ITV soap, will see her character lock lips with ex-fiancé Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) over the festive period, but Giles isn’t too happy with this reunion.

“I think they probably were [a good match] once upon a time, but too much has happened now,” Giles told Inside Soap. “I hope they don’t get back together because I think that it belittles Leyla and Liam’s marriage. As a viewer, I don’t feel that story is over yet.

ITV

“I think she needs someone that can say no to her, but who is still a little bit unpredictable,” she said. “I would love to see Charlie, who she was married to in Australia, because he’s been her longest relationship; there must have been something about it.”

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With the character of Charlie never appearing on-screen throughout the soap’s history, the possibilities for casting are endless, but Giles wanted Where the Heart Is co-star Andrew Paul to fill his shoes, describing him as her “favourite telly husband.”

ITV

A complicated love life isn’t the only thing that has faced Bernice lately, with the character going through menopause. Giles, who returned to the soap last year, spoke about this issue-driven storyline and the impact it has had.

“I think there’s a school of thought that no one is interested in stories about middle-aged women,” she said. “But we’ve got a great female-led production. All three of our producers are women, and Emmerdale on screen is very much a female-led show. I think it’s absolutely the right show to be doing this, and I’m glad that it’s Bernice,” she continued.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.