ITV Emmerdale favourite unrecognisable in first role on soap before becoming Lydia Dingle
Emmerdale enthusiasts were left in disbelief after discovering that Karen Blick, who plays Lydia Dingle, had previously made an appearance on the soap looking entirely different.
Karen rose to prominence portraying Lydia on the ITV soap, making her first appearance in 2016. As Sam Dingle's (James Hooton) wife, Lydia has become a fan favourite.
The much-loved cleaner has also been at the centre of numerous dramatic storylines during her time in the village, including a recent horrifying rape incident. In terms of romantic relationships, Lydia had brief affairs with Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) and Rishi Sharma (Bhasker Patel).
But she eventually found stability and became part of the Dingle family. Before her role as Lydia on Emmerdale, Karen featured in shows like No Angels and Nomads.
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Interestingly, in 2006, she made a one-off appearance in an episode of Emmerdale, playing a completely different character. Karen portrayed an anonymous nurse at the abortion clinic visited by Viv Hope (Deena Payne), sporting blonde hair instead of her iconic red locks and fringe, reports the Mirror.
Fans recently unearthed Karen's initial Emmerdale stint and posted a picture of her from the soap on an Emmerdale Facebook fan page, leaving viewers astounded by the revelation.
A fan expressed surprise upon discovering a past role of Emmerdale's Karen Blick, noting: "Here's one I didn't know. Karen Blick (Lydia) playing the nurse that Viv Hope saw at the abortion clinic in 2006." Another person commented: "Had no idea."
Before securing her role on Emmerdale, Karen acknowledged she had contemplated abandoning her acting career and even prepared for a life in teaching.
Karen had disclosed in an earlier statement: "There were many times I'd considered giving it up. I even trained as a teacher and did a PGCE in 2008."
Furthermore, Karen revealed she might be attracted to the idea of moving to London or the US. She explained the possibility saying, "Part of me would love to. If the opportunities arose and the timing was right, never say never."
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm