Lucy Pargeter calls for ‘Emmerdale’ live episode as she celebrates 20 years as Chas

It may be Emmerdale’s 50th birthday, but the big anniversary also marks a significant milestone for star Lucy Pargeter, who has now played Chas Dingle for exactly 20 years.

“I didn’t even know this,” exclaims Pargeter. “I knew I’d been there 20 years, but I didn’t even have an idea that [Emmerdale’s] anniversary, 16 October is the anniversary of when I first appeared on-screen as well.

“So [an] utterly bizarre crossing of dimensions, really. Incredibly strange!”

During her time on the show, Chas’s life has been filled with constant drama. As well as coping with the troubles of son Aaron (Danny Miller), we’ve seen Chas falsely imprisoned for murder.

In recent years, she and husband Paddy (Dominic Brunt) endured the tragic loss of baby Grace, who had Bilateral Renal Agenesis.

Read more: Emmerdale 50th anniversary spoilers: Chas injured in storm, Amelia in labour alone

But the character’s storyline of the moment is her passionate affair with Al Chapman (Michael Wildman) - and the pair have found themselves caught up in the village storm!

Asked to pick out a highlight from the last two decades, Pargeter answers without hesitation. “The live [episode]. The live was just my ultimate, the one time as a team of people, with how many crew, cast…it was just incredible, the feeling on that set.”

Read more: Emmerdale producers reveal the storylines they're most proud of

The episode certainly featured one of Pargeter's most memorable performances, as Chas found herself in a dangerous situation at the hands of Carl King (Tom Lister). And the actor adds that, unlike many of her co-stars, she would happily embrace the chance to go live all over again.

“You will get lots of different people ‘pooh-poohing’ my love of the live; a lot of people didn’t enjoy it. But I absolutely loved every minute of the rehearsal, the production, the ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1 we’re going live.’ It was incredible. Give us another one!”

Perhaps Emmerdale and ITV will grant Pargeter’s wish in the near future. But for now, there’s one cast member that she wants to pay tribute to, after Chas’s mum Faith passed away on-screen.

“It’s been incredible with Sally [Dexter, who played Faith]. Sally’s been absolutely mesmorisingly amazing during this storyline, and part of me is kind of, as me, quite glad that I wasn’t there for some of the shooting of it, because I think it was quite traumatic for everybody involved.

Read more: Emmerdale star Sally Dexter reveals Faith’s joyous final day

“Sally and Jeff [Hordley, who plays Cain], and Nat [Natalie J Robb as Moira] and everybody who’s been involved with that have just blown it out of the water. It’s beautifully placed against the high drama.

“She’s a massive character, [a] massive benefit and a credit to the show. Massively missed.”

Emmerdale continues its anniversary drama throughout this week from 7.30pm on ITV.

Watch the spoilers for Emmerdale's big storm week