Last night Emmerdale viewers will have seen Charity Dingle sentenced to two years in prison for fraud.
Now the actress who plays the ‘love her or loathe her’ character has revealed why exactly she is taking a temporary break from the show.
Emma Atkins explained on the ITV website that she’s going on maternity leave but said that fans have not seen the last of her.
She said: "She's going to prison for two years, but it probably won't be for that long - if she plays her cards right with good behaviour.
"I am leaving, probably for about a year because I'm going to have a baby, which is really exciting. I will miss
Emmerdale so much, but it's a new journey in my own life."
Emma joined the soap back in 2000. She then left in 2005 before making an explosive return four years later.
Charity Dingle will be leaving our screens temporarily. 
