For 23 years, Charlotte Bellamy has been a familiar face in millions of British living rooms as Emmerdale's Laurel Thomas. Yet, in her own home, her three children steadfastly refuse to tune in.
A 'Car Crash' Romance Unfolds on Screen
In an exclusive interview, the 52-year-old actress opened up about her character's latest turbulent storyline, which she describes as 'waiting for a car crash to happen'. Laurel is currently blindly in love with the village's arch-villain, Ray Walters, played by Joe Absolom, oblivious to his criminal enterprises in drug dealing and modern slavery.
'I have been on the edge of my seat!' Bellamy confesses, discussing her reaction to the scripts. 'I have literally been getting the script and going ‘oh my goodness, what will happen? Will this last?’'
Despite Ray's dark deeds, Bellamy predicts a shift in audience perception. 'This storyline is brilliant because the audience has been hating Ray’s character, but now it is starting to get clever. He’s a lost soul... I predict the audience will start rooting for him.' She believes Ray is genuinely falling in love with the warmth and security Laurel offers.
Family Life Away from the Dales
Off-screen, Bellamy's life is a world away from Laurel's chaos. Happily married to former TV producer Mungo Denison since she was 18, she relishes a stable homelife with their three children: Sunnie, 21, Herbie, 18, and Boo, 16.
She laughs off any comparison to her character's predicament, stating she has never been gaslit or deceived like Laurel. 'Well I bl**dy hope not!'
Her children, however, are not fans of her work. 'Oh gosh, no, they don’t watch me in the soap!' she reveals. 'I’ve been in it that long and it’s all they have known.' She notes that apart from a single sighting of her picture on a Sky TV guide, Emmerdale has never been on their radar.
Looking Ahead to Christmas and a Soap Crossover
The Bellamy-Denison clan will be spending Christmas together with a twist. Instead of traditional charades, the family is planning a padel tournament. 'My mother-in-law is 85, but she is on the tennis court every day,' she shares.
On screen, however, viewers will see Laurel and Ray enjoying a cosy Christmas Day, playing family charades—a game Ray doesn't even know how to play due to his troubled past. Bellamy describes their on-screen connection as 'total euphoria'.
She remains tight-lipped on when Laurel will discover Ray's secrets but praises her co-star's performance. 'We’ve been so lucky to have Joe come to Emmerdale. He works, works, works.'
Looking further ahead, Bellamy is excited for the forthcoming 'Corriedale' crossover episode in January, which will see characters from Coronation Street venture into Emmerdale. 'I really do believe there is a place for a soap and the great thing about Emmerdale is it is always asking ‘how can we move with the times?’'
Reflecting on her long tenure since joining in 2002, Bellamy says she feels 'lucky' and 'appreciative'. She knows her character's fate is never certain. 'A tree could fall on Laurel at the bus stop at any time. We are just little pawns and it will always roll on.'
Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 7:30 PM on ITV1 and STV, and is available from 7:00 AM on ITVX and STV Player.
