ITV Emmerdale's Laurel Thomas star addresses soap future after 'serious' role change

Charlotte Bellamy has portrayed Laurel Thomas on Emmerdale for more than two decades and has been at the centre of some of the soap's most powerful storylines

Charlotte Bellamy, who has become an Emmerdale icon as Laurel Thomas, shares her experiences with the beloved ITV soap after over two decades on screen. She made her acting debut in EastEnders in 1997 and since then has portrayed Laurel in some of the soap's most touching storylines.

Speaking to Bella magazine, Charlotte spoke about moments in the show that resonated so deeply with viewers they felt compelled to talk to her about their personal experiences. She recounts: "Obviously the one with John about Ashley's dementia because that had such a huge impact. It was amazingly received. I also did a cot death storyline about 17 years ago, and that was also written and dealt with incredibly well."

Proud of her work and the effect it has on audiences, Charlotte remarked: "It was hard-hitting and I was very proud to be part of that. Viewers see these scenes and then want to tell you their story. That's always really humbling. You feel like you're making a difference, however small."

When talking about potentially leaving the Dales, Charlotte humorously suggests that it would take something drastic for her to leave the show, joking: "I'd have to get killed by a bus in the village for them to get rid of me."

Her love for the series runs deep as she expresses her gratitude: "I absolutely love Emmerdale and I'm so grateful to be doing something that I love. But if I ever do get killed off, I think I'll just go and run a coffee shop in the Dales.", reports the Liverpool Echo.

Charlotte Bellamy, who plays Laurel Thomas in Emmerdale, has opened up about the serious storylines her character has been involved in. Initially introduced as a comedic figure, Laurel has since faced numerous dramatic plots, including an emotional storyline where she and Jai Sharma, played by Chris Bisson, discovered they were expecting a baby with Down's syndrome.

This led to a controversial decision for Laurel to have an abortion, which sparked hundreds of complaints.

In 2023, Charlotte revealed that she had once suggested a storyline to the Emmerdale team, but it was turned down. "The only story I've ever tried to pitch to the writers was years ago, when we were all working in the factory," she said.

"I pitched a story about a group of women becoming addicted to gambling, which is actually really common."

However, this idea was rejected as it didn't fit with the soap's ongoing narratives.

Away from the drama of Emmerdale, Charlotte, who won the British Soap Award for Best Actress in 2017, leads a relatively low-key life. She is married to company director Mungo Denison, and together they have three children - two sons, Herbie and Sunnie, and a daughter, Teddie.