Emmerdale’s Katie Hill confirms Sarah’s revenge on ‘dead’ Charity after Leyla reveal

The scales well and truly fell from Sarah Sugden’s (Katie Hill) eyes in Emmerdale as Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) dropped the mother of all bombshells, revealing that baby Leyla is her own biological child.

Charity, as viewers will recall, agreed to be a surrogate for Sarah, who desperately wanted to have a baby of her own.

What Sarah didn’t know, however, was that the initial embryo transfer did not work. Charity had instead fallen pregnant with Ross Barton’s (Michael Parr) baby after a one night stand with her ex.

Determined to give Sarah the child she’s always wanted, Charity resolved to keep shtum about the paternity, allowing her granddaughter to believe that she and Jacob Sugden (Joe-Warren Plant) were the little one’s parents.

Ross, meanwhile, put two and two together – though ultimately agreed to keep quiet – while Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) uncovered his wife’s infidelity two months ago after she felt no longer able to lie.

Sarah, however, was blissfully unaware of the truth and has enjoyed every second of being a mum since baby Leyla was brought into the world – well that is until she accidentally killed Dr Todd (Caroline Harker).

Todd, as viewers know, raped Charity earlier this year after blackmailing her for thousands in exchange for keeping quiet over Leyla’s paternity. Sarah walked in on Todd and Charity discussing the sexual assault and a showdown ensued, with Todd accidentally winding up dead.

Charity resolved to take the blame but with the police asking questions, Sarah decided tonight that she would spill the beans and free her gran from her plight. Determined to prevent her from doing so, Charity came clean about Leyla’s true parentage, stunning Sarah to absolute silence.

‘Charity has been the one person by Sarah’s side through all of this, right from the very beginning,’ said star Katie Hill, breaking down the big revelatory moment. ‘To have this information come out now… it definitely makes her feel like her whole world has fallen apart. Their relationship has completely shifted.’

Katie revealed that she and co-star Emma [Atkins, who plays Charity] have long-awaited the opportunity to film the moment of truth. ‘I was definitely nervous because I knew how massive this moment was, but I couldn’t wait to start filming. We knew we had to give it our best, and in the coming scenes, I think we really do.’

Sarah will have a big decision to make with regards to the Todd situation, but Katie admits that – despite Charity’s best efforts to keep her out of trouble – she doesn’t go softer on her.

‘If anything, [Charity taking the fall] makes her suspect that Charity did that knowing it might soften the blow if the truth ever came out. It doesn’t work. It makes Sarah see red.’

‘In Sarah’s eyes, this is the end. I don’t think she believes she will ever be able to forgive her. The dynamic between the two characters has shifted completely. Sarah is taking charge now, and while it’s obviously devastating for Charity, Sarah just can’t see a way past this.’

‘From this moment on, as awful as it sounds, Charity is essentially dead to her. She doesn’t want Charity to have anything to do with her or Leyla. Sarah is setting very strict boundaries, she’s nothing to her now.’

When it comes to how Sarah sees Leyla in the aftermath of the big reveal, Katie admits that her on-screen alter-ego struggles initially. ‘But the bond is so strong, and she has so much love for her,’ the star elaborates. ‘She won’t let Charity take that away from her.’

There is of also the fear that Ross could be keen to get involved now that the truth is out in the open. ‘Even if Ross says he doesn’t want anything to do with her right now, it will always be in the back of her mind that he could change his mind one day.

‘Sarah is trying to block that out but it’s a constant worry.’

In terms of what’s to come, we can tell you that – in the immediate aftermath of tonight’s episode – Sarah refrains from telling Jacob the truth about Leyla.

‘She’s terrified of losing him and their little family,’ revealed Katie. ‘Watching him have those happy moments as a father to Leyla while she harbors this truth is agonising. She’s holding it all in, and it’s a difficult burden to carry.’

And as for the investigation into Dr Todd’s demise? It’s all on Charity from here on out, according to Katie, who admits that there are difficult times ahead for her on-screen gran – with Sarah hellbent on revenge.

‘I won’t give too much away, but Sarah is not messing around,’ she teased. ‘She wants Charity to face the consequences. We’ll see Sarah struggle, but she’s determined to make sure things go according to her plan. It’s going to be a very difficult time for Charity.’