Emmerdale star Lawrence Robb has opened up about Mackenzie Boyd's future with Charity Dingle following a series of devastating revelations. Charity, played by Emma Atkins, hid her pregnancy with Ross Barton's child for nearly a year and gave birth to baby Leyla, allowing Sarah Sugden and Jacob to believe she was their surrogate. Doctor Caitlin Todd discovered the truth and blackmailed Charity for £100,000. After Charity refused to pay, Todd raped her while she was drunk and unconscious. Charity reported the assault, but Todd was released due to lack of evidence and claimed the encounter was consensual.
Mack's Turmoil and Decision to Stay
Charity eventually confessed everything to Mack, leaving him devastated. 'It's a lot to get his head around,' Robb said. 'Yes, there's the betrayal with Ross, but also the awful reality of what she's been through at the hands of Dr. Todd. Ultimately, he's heartbroken. He's absolutely beside himself with grief, both from the betrayal about Leyla's parentage and because his heart hurts for Charity and the fact that she's gone through all of this trauma and had to keep a secret for so long. He feels so much anger towards Todd.' Despite the pain, Mack has chosen to stay with Charity and support her fight for justice.
Uncertain Future and the Threat of Truth
While the couple is trying to work through things, Robb questions whether the marriage can survive long-term. 'I think there's maybe an element of them sticking a band-aid over it,' he said. 'Mack doesn't really get much time to deal with it because he immediately enters protection mode. So, whether that rears its head further on down the line, I don't know. But he doesn't have a lot of time to process it. Also, Sarah and Jacob don't know the truth yet. Inevitably that has to come to fruition somehow, somewhere. I guess that's up to the writers and producers to decide on how and when that happens and what the consequences will be.'
Revenge on Ross
The betrayal is compounded by the fact that Charity slept with Mack's best mate Ross. Though the one-night stand occurred before their friendship, Mack feels 'deeply betrayed by Ross.' In upcoming episodes, Mack's anger boils over. Robb revealed: 'Mack asks Ross to come up to the farm. Mack can't keep his anger in check while he's with Ross, Ross realises almost immediately that something is wrong. Tensions flare, they trade heated words, and the confrontation escalates into a scuffle on the barn mezzanine. Mack pushes Ross over the side. In that moment, Mack isn't trying to kill him – he just wants to hurt him. He achieves that and walks away…' The severity of Ross's injuries remains unclear.
