25193084Emmerdale star Samantha Giles, who is best known for her role as Bernice Blackstock in the ITV soap, has spoken out about how her personal life is influencing her current storyline.
In recent scenes Bernice left her fellow villagers concerned over her behaviour as she became increasingly erratic and emotional as she is faced with the menopause.
Viewers have seen Bernice Blackstock struggle with a number of health implications of late including hot flushes and other strange symptoms.
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Actress Samantha Giles made her debut in the Dales back in 1998 and her most recent storyline has her pulling on her own experiences. In an appearance on breakfast show, Lorraine, today on Friday, December 16, Samantha credited her husband for being "understanding" and "supportive" of her during her menopause as she admitted to being "lucky."
Actress Samantha said: "My husband is really understanding, I am lucky as he is in a house full of girls, so he's used to dealing with hormones all the time. Bernice is having the hot flushes and I haven't really had that but the rage I can identify with."
The soap star spoke of the importance of the storyline and while she hopes to bring some humour to it and explore the "funny side", it also is a priority to highlight that help is out there for anyone who is suffering with the symptoms of menopause.
Samantha added: "As we head towards Christmas and beyond, Bernice will realise she can't do it on her own and accepts she needs help as the soap explores what the options are."
The actress departed from Emmerdale in 2019 to focus on other creative projects, such as writing her debut novel, Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill, released in August 2020.
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It was confirmed in April 2021 that she would be returning to her role as Bernice Blackstock. Speaking of her on and off role, Samantha said: "I'm really fortunate to have been asked back several times, its a great place to work, everyone is so friendly, it kind of feels like home, I'm like a boomerang I go and do other things and then I come back."
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
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