Just when you thought the already complex story of Charity Dingle’s (Emma Atkins) pregnancy couldn’t get any more complicated, Emmerdale takes things up a gear.
The Woolpack landlady, as viewers know, fell pregnant after a round of IVF following an agreement to be granddaughter Sarah Sugden’s (Katie Hill) surrogate.
But what Sarah doesn’t know is that the IVF was actually unsuccessful – and that the baby Charity is carrying is actually her own, following a one night stand with ex Ross Barton (Michael Parr).
Oh boy.
With Sarah wanting nothing more than to be a mum, Charity was unable to reveal the truth and thus has allowed the young mechanic to think that the baby is hers and Jacob Gallagher’s (Joe-Warren Plant).
And then there’s Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb), who – as fans know – has longed to be a dad.
He was already struggling to get his head around Charity agreeing to be a surrogate for Sarah so if he were to find out that his wife was not only carrying a child of her own but one that was fathered by Ross, who happens to be his new best mate, then he’d be absolutely shattered.
It’s all very messy and Charity has done her best to keep a lid on it but as we know in soapland, it’s only a matter of time before the truth explodes.
In the meantime, however, it’s Operation cheer Up Sarah, as Charity goes overboard with her ambitious baby shower. There is soon a hiccup when the cake can’t be delivered so Charity and Mack head to pick it up.
The situation escalates further when, after a quick toilet stop, Mack can’t get the car started – and Charity’s waters break!
With no phones and a broke down car, panic sets in for Charity – that is, until a car comes along. It’s Ross, making for quite the awkward trio given the situation at hand.
Ross agrees to give them a lift to the hospital but Charity’s plight continues as the lift breaks down with the three of them trapped inside.
The confined space triggers Mack’s PTSD from when he was held captive in the bunker as Ross attempts to call for help over the intercom.
After spying numerous missed calls on her phone, Sarah races to the hospital but she is left confused when there is no mention of Charity on record.
A midwife is then forced to instruct Mack and Ross how to deliver the baby over intercom. It’s intense but Ross successfully helps Charity welcome her baby. Things are looking good – until he discovers a pool of blood on the floor.
Charity’s life hangs in the balance.
The question is: will she be okay? And will Ross be able to keep shtum about the fact that she has just given birth to his baby? Or is the situation too far gone now to keep a lid on it?
