Emmerdale confirms 'terrifying' illness for baby Reuben
Will he be OK?
Chloe Harris (played by Jessie Elland) has been going through a tough time on Emmerdale recently – and it doesn't seem like the drama will end any time soon.
The youngster just gave birth to her first child, Reuben, last week on the ITV soap and has so far managed to keep the identity of the baby's father a secret – though viewers know it's Mackenzie (Lawrence Robb).
But in the coming weeks on Emmerdale, poor Reuben will go through a health crisis, developing bacterial meningitis, prompting Mack to worry about his little one.
Speaking to press including RadioTimes.com, Elland explained that the condition is very serious. "It escalates quite quickly and that exacerbates it for her [Chloe] because she's not allowed to be there with him. It's very serious and she's terrified.
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"One of the reasons she wanted to go ahead with the pregnancy was her chance to have her own family and someone that's always going to be there for her."
Chloe is so tied up with what's happening to her son that she doesn't have much time to worry about Mack or how he's coping.
"She doesn't really want to get Mack involved because she's seen he's not super subtle and she's feeling guilty about Charity and Sarah. But once it gets going she's so overwhelmed and doesn't really have the opportunity to think about him," the actor continued.
"There are situations where they do end up interacting – they're forced together and that's almost worse for him because if he can't see them he doesn't have to get attached."
Will this devastating diagnosis for the baby expose Chloe and Mack's big secret? And what could the consequences be for Chloe when it inevitably does come out?
"I think the guilt element of it is weighing kind of heavier on the mind than the fear," Elland explained. "Chloe's been living with [Charity and Mack] so she's kind of implicated in the Dingle family now. But it's not so black and white – there is a grey area."
Read more:
- 6 Emmerdale spoilers: Tom King is back and Nicky takes on Cain
- Emmerdale's Paddy takes important step to get help away from village
Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.
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Authors
Helen Daly is the Associate Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.
