Former Emmerdale star Charley Webb has spoken out about her departure from the ITV soap and addressed the possibility of reprising her role as Debbie Dingle. The 38-year-old actress was last seen on screen in the Yorkshire village in 2021, two years after her official exit.
Real Reason for Leaving
When questioned by followers about her departure in 2022, Webb clarified that she had intentionally avoided making a grand statement about it. She wrote on Instagram: "This is always my most asked question but I've never answered it before because I've never wanted to make a big deal of it. I left to have [son] Ace 2 years ago. I went back at the end of last year for 10 weeks to complete a storyline. So, I guess officially it's been a year. I never felt the need to announce it which is why we didn't."
Four years on, Webb made a rare appearance on Luke Hamnett's Live, Laugh and Luke podcast, where she tackled various questions about her stint on the ITV drama. During the chat, she was pressed about speculation that she departed Emmerdale following a pay dispute.
"No, absolutely not," the actress told the presenter. "That's the biggest pile of s**t I've ever heard. I didn't even know that was out there, but no that's not true."
Return Possibility
When asked whether she might ever make a return to the Dales, Webb outlined why a comeback isn't currently an option. "Not at the moment, no," she said. "There's no plans for me to go back, just because I think it wouldn't be the right time and having three kids is a lot and also working there is a lot."
Webb is mother to three sons — Buster, 16, Bowie, 10, and Ace, six — with her former husband and ex co-star Matthew Wolfenden. Speaking candidly about co-parenting during the same podcast interview, she revealed they manage it "well" and disclosed that they alternate childcare duties, operating a week-on, week-off system.
She continued by telling Luke that she isn't currently seeing anyone romantically. Webb and Wolfenden parted ways in 2023 after five years of marriage and 15 years as a couple.
Dislike for Character Name
During the chat, Webb disclosed the one aspect she despised about her stint on the soap. Following her introduction as Debbie Dingle, she confessed: "I hate that name by the way, it's the worst name!" When questioned whether fans still address her by her soap nickname, Webb clarified: "It's not even the Debbie that offends me, it's the double D, like why would you do that? Why would you come up with that for me?"
After Luke proposed she didn't resemble a Debbie, she concurred, saying: "Maybe they got the name wrong. There are all these biblical names aren't there, when you're a Dingle, you have to have a biblical name, so yeah I'm not a fan of that name."
