Former Emmerdale actress Charley Webb has publicly revealed that she is currently undergoing assessment for both autism and ADHD. The 37-year-old star shared this personal news during a candid appearance on the Girls Next Door podcast.
Opening Up About Neurodiversity
Webb joined co-hosts Francesca Allen and Wallis Day for Thursday's recording, where she openly discussed her ongoing diagnostic process. While talking about ADHD, she revealed: 'I've sort of just been diagnosed with that', before quickly clarifying her position.
The actress emphasised that she remains in the early investigation stages, telling listeners: 'I don't want to confirm it because I'm only at the initial stages. More autism – autistic/ADHD. I'm like, what? I've just started the process with doctors.'
She added her perspective on the broader conversation around neurodiversity, stating: 'I think ADHD is such a big subject now, and I think everyone is probably on the spectrum somewhere, like, it's how deep you go into it.'
Making Sense of Personal Traits
For Webb, the potential diagnosis has helped explain aspects of her personality that others have frequently commented on throughout her life. She specifically addressed how people often perceive her as 'cold'.
'But it does make a lot of sense for me for things like people thinking that I'm really cold,' she explained. 'I think that could just be like a little bit of the autistic side of me if it is true.'
The mother of three elaborated on this, revealing: 'I'm not the biggest smiler, either. I only smile if I really mean it. People fake-smile. People will just smile because they think it's the thing to do, whereas I don't.'
Webb has learned to embrace this aspect of herself, saying: 'Because I've heard it my whole life, it's always sat with me, but actually, as I'm getting older, I really own that because I'm like, I don't need to be all over everyone and love everyone immediately.'
She described her black-and-white approach to relationships: 'It does take me a minute and I'm very like, yes or no. I'm so black and white: I like you, I don't like you. There's never an in-between with me.'
Growing Awareness and Personal Triggers
Webb emphasised the importance of self-understanding as awareness around neurodiversity increases. She reflected on how much has changed in public discourse.
'It's so important for people to understand themselves,' she stated. 'And I think as we're getting older, it's becoming more of a thing now. Years and years ago, nobody talked about it. There was never a discussion about ADHD or any of that sort of stuff.'
She also identified specific sensory triggers that she experiences, particularly mentioning noise sensitivity. 'Noise for me – the trigger of noise. I go from nought to 60 in like one second,' Webb revealed.
'All those loud noises, if I go somewhere really busy, I find it so overwhelming. So I will be interested to look further into that.'
The actress also shared her understanding of the genetic components, noting: 'It's something that's within you, isn't it? It's something that is genetic. Like ADHD, for instance, one parent would have to have it in order for a child to have it.'
Life Changes and Career Shifts
This personal revelation comes after Webb and her husband Matthew Wolfenden announced their separation in 2023, ending their 15-year relationship and five-year marriage.
The split occurred after Webb had left her role as Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale and was embarking on her first stage tour as Diana Ingram in Quiz. According to reports, her new career accomplishment prompted her to reexamine her life and make significant changes.
An insider previously revealed: 'It was the first time in years she was fully herself again, not mum, not Debbie - but a stage actress. There was a lot of downtime when she was on her own, and she really had a chance to think about what she wanted from her life.'
Following the separation, Webb moved in with her best friend, fellow actress Sheridan Smith, while the former couple maintained their shared home for a year before putting it on the market for £900,000 in January this year.
Webb continues with her assessment process while navigating these significant life changes, showing remarkable openness about her journey toward understanding her neurodiversity.
