Samantha Giles from Emmerdale is moving from the village to the stage for her new acting career.
The actress, who returns to the programme in 2021 as Bernice Blackstock, will shortly depart from it.
For the holiday season, Samantha has now joined the cast of Cinderella at Bradford’s Alhambra theatre.
Samantha will portray the Wicked Stepmother in the performance, which will run from December 9 through January 21, 2024, costarring with John Whaite of GBBO and Strictly.
Samantha’s panto bombshell follows the announcement that her co-star Liam Fox and Chris Gascoyne from Coronation Street, who will portray Captain Hook in the Peter Pan adaptation at The Alban Arena, will also be appearing in another production.
After Eric (Chris Chittell) said he was selling up, Bernice paired up with Bob (Tony Audenshaw) to take over the B&B in the most recent months. Working together has led to Bernice and Bob developing an unexpected bond that began in the midst of the plot around Liam’s (Jonny McPherson) and Wendy’s (Susan Cookson) affair.
Bernice is making an effort to get comfortable with managing the B&B, but there will be a change soon when she bids the Dales farewell later this year.
At the time, a source informed The Sun, “Bernice Blackstock has been in and out of the Emmerdale village more than they change the barrels at The Woolpack!”
ITV and fans have always embraced her return, but it’s starting to seem a little bit like a recurring joke. Although Samantha will be leaving the serial later this year, it wouldn’t be wise to wager on whether she will return at some point.