Emmerdale's Emma Atkins rules out Charity and Cain Dingle reunion

The pair have been apart for a good several years now, with Cain since reuniting with wife Moira (Natalie J Robb).

Charity, meanwhile, embarked on a popular relationship with village vet Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick), but later moved on to marry Moira's younger brother Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb).

Chatting to RadioTimes.com and other media, Atkins was asked to share her thoughts on the chances of Cain and Charity ever getting back together.

"Wouldn't it be nice!" she exclaimed. "I guess, I do love the old-school Cain and Charity. But as we all know, time moves on, and I do the love the Moira/Cain chemistry.

"I do think it's very... it's brilliant because they're so different, that they work as a 'yin-yang'."

In contrast, the similarities between Charity and Cain tended to cause their many clashes, as Atkins pointed out.

"Whereas I think with Charity and Cain, there is that level of... there would probably be too much friction because they're from similar stock - whereas Moira has that sort of morally upstanding nature. I don't know, I just... I wouldn't want to change their dynamic."

So, it's bad news for anyone who had another Cain and Charity love story on their wishlists! But the star is always happy to work with Hordley and Robb.

"I love to work with Jeff, and Nat Robb - she's amazing. In fact, my mum said to me the other day, 'Isn't she a brilliant actress!' Nat Robb, she's amazing."

Asked whether her mum is enjoying watching Emmerdale at the moment, Atkins replied: "She loves it, but she's fuming with Tom. I mean, who isn't?"

As if by magic, at that very moment actor Chase, who plays Tom, joined the chat, and the harrowing domestic abuse storyline with Tom and Belle King (Eden Taylor-Draper) has also drawn in a suspicious Charity.

But as Charity's attempts to get Belle to open up fail in upcoming scenes, how might Atkins approach the situation as a friend in real life?

"That is such a hard question because, how do you turn to someone who's not uttered a word, because you could be really wrong on all levels? Imagine saying, 'I feel like your husband is controlling you.'

"Oh, that's so difficult, I would never want to be in that situation.

"You've got to be so careful. I'd probably put it out there... I'd probably go out for a meal, get quite tiddly with my girlfriend and say, 'You know, you can come to me about anything, don't you?'

"And if they go, 'Oh, what do you mean?' I'd be like, 'I don't know, just anything! If you ever feel in life something didn't feel right with anything in your world right now, you know that I'm there for you in any capacity.'

"I think that's the only way you could say it, really. And hope that they would pick up on it."

As for Charity, it's been an unusually calmer time for her in the Dales lately, even as she takes on a more supporting role in proceedings. "Yes, it's lovely, actually. It's kind of big sister mentality, which I love, and I haven't done that for a while."

Even Charity's relationship with husband Mack is in a good place. "We're on an even keel, it's quite good, it's quite comfortable, it's quite steady, it's quite functional - which is very unheard of for Charity.

"And I think that's allowed us all to have a bit of a breather, because we've been blessed with two years of awesome, consistent stories."

Emmerdale has been working with Refuge for the Tom and Belle storyline. You can access free and confidential support from Refuge's 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 and digital support via live chat Monday-Friday 3-10pm via nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

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Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

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