‘Al doesn’t have a choice’

Emmerdale’s Lucy Pargeter on Chas’s secret smooch

Still reeling from her mum Faith’s cancer diagnosis, Chas finds comfort in someone unexpected – her one-time archenemy Al. As the pair share a passionate kiss, what does Chas think she’s doing? Actress Lucy Pargeter explains her character’s surprising actions…

Chas starts the week with her head in a mess over Faith.What makes her turn to Al?

It happens by pure accident. She sees Al as an easy outlet to have a dig at but when she hears he’s been to his dad’s funeral, she apologises. He offloads a bit on her and she offloads a bit on him. Al offers advice and Chas is grateful.

Were you surprised to see them drawn together?

It’s always been a love-hate relationship and there is still electricity and a fire.There’s a very fine line between “I really fancy the pants off you” and “I hate you”. It’s been niggling for a long time, so it was either going to niggle forever or something was going to happen. Chas has always had a thing for a bad boy. Paddy was the first stable person she’d every really been with. Everybody else was slightly edgy.

Is Chas getting support from Paddy?

She is but Paddy’s busy with Marlon, although he’s supportive in his own way. But Chas is being pulled from pillar to post. She has her mum to look after, she’s got Cain being Cain, she’s angry at Moira, she’s a full-time mum and a business owner… Al is offering her unemotional advice.

How does the kiss happen?

Paddy lets slip that he’s got a brochure for end-of-life care at a hospice for Faith. Chas is upset and goes up to the Hide to look for Belle but Al is there. They share a nice bottle of wine and basically Al doesn’t have much of a choice – she leaps on him.

Will Chas tell Paddy?

I don’t think it’s worth ruining a marriage over a kiss that was just a step too far.