Val Pollard in Emmerdale: Everything you need to know from her HIV diagnosis to her tragic d.e.a.t.h

Val Pollard in Emmerdale was the vibrant, no-nonsense, hilarious love of Eric’s life, sister of Diane Sugden, auntie of Bernice Blackstock, and one-time secret lover of her brother-in-law Rodney Blackstock.

She arrived in the village like a whirlwind, and left in dramatic – and totally tragic – circumstances. She’s still missed by Emmerdale viewers and she’s still mentioned often.

Here’s everything you need to know about Valerie Pollard.

Val Pollard arrives in Emmerdale

Bubbly Val Lambert arrived in Emmerdale in 2004 to see her sister Diane. Diane had pretty much brought Val up after the d.e.a.t.h of their parents and their relationship was close but fractious!

Val started as she meant to go on in the village. She was sporting a black eye when she arrived and told everyone she’d been beaten by her boyfriend Eugene. But when Eugene turned up it was revealed she’d actually conned him into paying for her nose job!

Val started working at the pub, which was then run by Diane. She quickly got together with Rodney but she cheated on him with the much younger Danny Daggert. When Diane was diagnosed with cancer, it made Rodney realise how much he still loved his ex-wife, much to Val’s disgust.

Diane knocked Rodney back, but he broke up with Val anyway. Furious about the whole thing, Val revealed that she’d had an affair with Rodney when he was married to Diane and he’s the real father of her son, Paul!

With her relationship with Diane in tatters, Val went into partnership with Eric Pollard. It was a match made in heaven and they were soon more than friends.

Money worries

But it wasn’t always plain sailing. The arrival of Val’s ex, Jimmy, caused problems. He’d always thought Paul was his son and he wanted Val to repay all the maintenance he’d given her!

With money tight, Val started embezzling money from the pub and was reported to the police by Diane. By this time, Eric had got fed up of Val’s selfish ways and broken up with her. Val was given community service, which involved her helping local pensioner Noreen Bell. She didn’t like Noreen at first but they became friends and teamed up against Eric when he tried to relaunch his political career!

When Noreen was k.i.l.l.e.d in the Kings River Development explosion, she left her money to Val and she bought half the Woolpack!

Family ties

Val and Eric reunited and got married. They were a great – if slightly morally dubious – team and even began fostering. They took in troubled teenager Amy Wyatt and supported her when she got pregnant with Cain Dingle’s baby.

But Val and Eric’s relationship fell apart when Amy had baby Kyle adopted. Val thought Eric had encouraged Amy to give her baby up. She went to Portugal and didn’t return for several months.

While Val was away, Eric started a romance with Brenda Walker. But when Val eventually came back she walked straight into another drama when she came to blows with Eric’s son, David, and his girlfriend Alicia punched Val in the face! Val reported Alicia, not realising her record meant she’d be sent to prison. She tried to retract her statement but the damage was done and Alicia went to jail. But Eric realised life with Brenda couldn’t live up to life with Val, and they got back together!

HI-Val

In January 2014, an old flame of Val’s called Ian Chamberlain turned up. He and Val had a fling when she was in Portugal but he’d fouind out he was HIV Positive. Val was devastated. She didn’t want to admit the truth to Eric, worried she could have passed it on.

Eventually she fessed up and they both got tested. Eric was negative but Val was HIV Positive. Jacob Gallagher posted a spiteful review of the B&B online mentioning Val’s illness and soon the whole village knew.

On a downward spiral, Val started a toxic romance with a delivery driver called Tiny. But after a few dramatic moments the disastrous affair actually led to her reconciling with both Diane and Eric.

Phew!

In typical Val style, she was soon up to no good again. David emigrated to Portugal and Bob’s daughter, Carly, took on the shop. Wanting to help Carly get the money she needed, Val posed as Brenda to sign paperwork.

But the fraud was uncovered, and Carly did a runner leaving Val to face the music. She pleaded not guilty in court and Eric had a heart attack with the stress!

But when Eric was in hospital, Tracy made a joke about his life insurance and Val got an idea. She thought faking her own d.e.a.t.h could be the way to get herself off the hook.

But when Diane found out Val’s plans, she was furious and the sisters were soon at each other’s throats again.

Val Pollard and her dramatic Emmerdale d.e.a.t.h

Wanting them to make up, Eric, Rodney and Doug shut them in the hall of mirrors at the fairground celebrating Debbie Dingle’s wedding to Pete Barton.

But disaster was lurking! A helicopter crashed into the village, causing a huge explosion and leaving the women trapped in the mirror maze.

The sisters had a heart to heart and cleared the air. When the emergency services arrived, Val told them to rescue Diane first.

But while she was waiting to be rescued, Val looked up to see a huge shard of broken glass hanging over her. She knew it could fall before help arrived. So she lit a cigarette and told the glass to do its worst!

“I’m not frightened of you,” she said. She continued: “I’m HI-Val. I’m Valerie Pollard of the Valerie Pollard Foundation. I’m Val.”

Val later appeared to Eric as a ghost.

Who played Val Pollard in Emmerdale?

Val was played by actress Charlie Hardwick. She already had a solid CV of roles including Our Friends in the North, Byker Grove, Purely Belter and Billy Elliot. After Emmerdale she joined Ackley Bridge as Sue Carp.