Emmerdale’s Charity star makes rare personal life confession ‘it all went out window’
Emmerdale’s Charity Dingle actress Emma Atkins has made rare comments about her personal life
Emmerdale legend Emma Atkins has made a rare confession about her son, Albert.
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The actress rose to stardom when she joined the ITV soap in 2000 as Charity Dingle – and it’s safe to say she has become one of the programme’s most cherished characters.
Emma’s also been at the centre of some major storylines during her time on the show. From Charity’s numerous love affairs to the appearance of her long-lost daughter Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), her years in the Dales have been packed with drama.
Particularly of late, as she faces blackmail from sinister Dr Todd (Caroline Harker), who has exposed her baby deception. Todd is now extorting thousands of pounds from Charity, and the payment deadline is fast approaching.
Off-screen, Emma has enjoyed a stable, long-term partnership with her other half, Tom, for many years and they had a son called Albert just before her 40th birthday in March 2015, reports the Mirror.
While Emma typically maintains privacy around her personal life, during a recent visit to ITV’s This Morning, Emma spoke candidly about Albert’s birth in a frank revelation.
Discussing filming Charity’s recent on-screen labour, Emma said: “It was fun but it was exhausting! I had to make these birth noises and I was thinking is it realistic?” She then remembered her own delivery and revealed: “Because when I was having Albert it all went out the window.”
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This isn’t the first occasion Emma has discussed her son. Speaking to The Mirror in 2025, she revealed her “worry” for Albert. She said: “I’m fiercely loyal. My love for Albert runs very deep but at the same time, I want him to be his own person. In that regard, Charity and I are similar.”
For Emma, raising her child means striking a balance between shielding her son while allowing him to discover how to find his way through life independently.
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“I want him to stand on his own two feet and grow up knowing that I have given him that freedom to make decisions for himself, even at an early age,” Emma shared.
“I don’t want to be telling him what to do all the time. I try not to be possessive over my own child. I’ll be there to steer him and encourage him in the right direction.”
Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX