Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick: ‘I’m proud of HIV storyline’

Emmerdale

actress Charlie Hardwick has spoken about her character’s HIV storyline.

Hardwick – who plays Val Pollard on the ITV soap – said that she is proud to be involved in the hard-hitting storyline.

Val and her husband Eric received the results of their HIV tests in the latest edition of Emmerdale, with Val discovering that she is positive.

She told The Mirror: “I am a season-ticket holder at Newcastle so you get to know the people around you. I was going down the steps and I said, ‘How are you doing?’ and he went, ‘Woah, woah… don’t touch us. I might catch it!’

“I gave him a proper talking to. I said, ‘You don’t get HIV from touching somebody – you get it from having unprotected sex and that’s not going to happen is it kiddo?’ and he meekly said no.”

“That is the kind of ignorance we want to blast a bit. I hope there isn’t a backlash from fans.

“I hope they will see it could happen to anybody,” she continued.

Hardwick said that viewers will see Val’s marriage and friendships tested by the news, but added that hopes people will “have sympathy” with her character.

Emmerdale continues tonight at 7pm on ITV.