Emmerdale star addresses Debbie Dingle exit after character announcement

One Emmerdale star has shared all on her hopes for a Debbie Dingle comeback(Image: ITV)

One Emmerdale star has addressed hopes for a comeback for Debbie Dingle, after some big news about the character this week.

Actress Katie Hill spoke to The Mirror recently about her upcoming cancer plot, with her character Sarah Sugden diagnosed with the early stages of cervical cancer next week. Amid her struggling to open up, fans saw Sarah concerned ahead of tests this week.

One person she chosen to open up to was her mother Debbie who was living in Scotland, having left the show for good in 2021. But Sarah got the shock of her life this week when Debbie confirmed to her daughter over the phone that she had moved to Australia in secret.

Despite months of planning likely, she waited until she had landed to tell her family she and her new partner Chris had emigrated with her son Jack to Australia. Not only that, but Debbie and Chris married in secret weeks earlier.

Sarah was hurt over it all, with Debbie’s parents Charity and Cain Dingle also stunned by her bombshell. Now, actress Katie has spoken to the Mirror about Debbie being away from the village during such a tough time for her character.

Actress Katie Hill spoke to The Mirror recently about her upcoming cancer plot(Image: ITV)

Katie, speaking before the Debbie twist aired but after it had been filmed, addressed a possible return for Debbie actress Charley Webb, as well as Sarah’s missing father Andy Sugden. As the scenes this week appeared to rule out any future returns for Debbie, with the move across the world no doubt a way to explain her not being there for Sarah, Katie confessed she still hoped that she’d work with Charley again one day.

She told us: “Funnily enough I never met Kelvin Fletcher who plays her dad on the show. Obviously it would be great if he came back and we got a chance to explore their relationship, and obviously Charley [Webb], she was my person here for so many years.

“She really took me under her wing when I joined the show so it would be so nice to work with them both. I’d like that.” Katie opened up on her close bond with her co-stars, especially her Dingle family, with them having their own WhatsApp chat group.

Katie addressed a possible return for Sarah’s missing father Andy Sugden(Image: ITV)

Katie told us: “I’ve been there eight years I think this year! 2017 I joined. [It’s going] so quickly. Not much changes, we work at such a fast pace and we’re always working six weeks ahead, but it’s gone by so quickly.

“It’s really nice how [the younger cast] have all grown up together and it’s funny because when I came into the show, I was the kid on set. I wouldn’t get involved in all the adult conversations and now Emma [Atkins] is my best friend.

“She’s a 50-year-old woman and is one of my bestest friend. It’s been really nice, it’s a great place to work. I know we all say it’s like a family but it really is. If I ever need help with anything I’ve got someone to turn to. It’s been nice.

“The Dingle WhatsApp group chat, that’s always going off. It’s called 12 Angry Dingles after that storyline with Lydia, so it’s still called The 12 Angry Dingles. We’re a really tight bunch and I adore them all.”