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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

ITV Emmerdale: Real life of Chas Dingle actress Lucy Pargeter - sad split, pop career, and almost getting another role on soap

Chas Dingle has spent two decades in the eventful village that is Emmerdale.

Lucy Pargeter will be celebrating her 20th anniversary on the ITV soap this year after joining in 2002.

And it was an interesting introduction as Chas first arrived in Emmerdale dressed as a nun for the stag night of her cousin Marlon.

Over the years Lucy has tackled a whole host of storyline as Chas - from connecting with her half-sister Gennie Walker and being landlady of The Woolpack, to being taken hostage and tragically losing her baby daughter, Grace.

READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale fans swoon over newcomer Marcus before spotting his soap lookalike

Lucy's life, however, has been a lot less dramatic than that of Chas'.

The actress, who was born in Nottingham, didn't start her career on the small screen.

She was in fact a member of the pop band Paperdolls.

The band had brief success and toured with Boyzone in the 1990s.

Lucy also made an appearance on the hit show Stars in Their Eyes, performing as Spice Girl Emma Bunton, then in 2006 took part in the reality singing competition Soapstar Superstar where she finished third.

Lucy as Helen Raven in Crossroads (Carlton Television)

The soap star may also be known for her other TV role as Helen Raven in Crossroads, a role she played from 2002 - the same year she joined Emmerdale - to 2003.

Before that she appeared in Soldier Soldier, Dalziel and Pascoe, and played the role of Brenda in the film Anita and Me.

But when it came to Emmerdale, it was almost another Dingle she played.

"I'd auditioned for a couple of parts before – one was a trucker and one was Charity. I got down to the final three for that," Lucy recently told Inside Soap.

Lucy when she joined Emmerdale as Chas (Yorkshire Television)

"I knew James Hooton (who plays Sam Dingle) from drama classes and he said to me, 'Apparently you did something weird with your head in the audition and that put them off!', so I was like, 'Oh god!'."

But it must not have put them off too much.

"Then he [James] called me and said there was a rumour they were bringing in another Dingle woman; they wanted her to be a bit like Charity but they were thinking about my audition and writing it around that. So I knew Chas would be strong and feisty."

Chas is currently going through a major change after having to put her beloved pub, The Woolpack, up for auction.

It was revealed on Thursday night's trip to the village that Charity Dingle and her son Ryan Stocks were the new owners.

Chas has recently had a bit of upheaval in the ITV soap (ITV)

Speaking to The Mirror, Lucy said her "heart sank" when she learned that Chas and Paddy Kirk would no longer be in charge of the boozer.

"It's fictional, I don't really own a pub, but that bar is like my second home and when I found out I no longer owned it, my heart sank," Lucy explained.

"It was upsetting and unsettling, not only for my character, but for me too."

Lucy has had brief breaks from the soap - when having her first child, Lola, in 2005, when she appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2013, and for the birth of her twins, Missy and Betsy, in 2017.

Lucy previously opened up about conceiving her daughters through IVF. She told OK! Magazine: "Having IVF was hard but we feel so lucky the girls have come along. I think it’s important to be honest about everything to do with how they got here."

Lucy and Rudi split in 2019 after 12 years together (Getty Images)

She shares the children with former partner, Rudi Coleano.

Sadly, the couple announced their separation in 2019, after 12 years together.

A formal statement was issued regarding the split, which read: "Lucy Pargeter has confirmed she has separated from her long-term partner, Rudi Coleano, and, while no longer together, their main priority is raising their three daughters."

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