Marlon Dingle’s (Mark Charnock) Christmas Day is going to be anything but eating too many chocolates and drinking too much booze in Emmerdale.
The lead up to the festive season was stressful for the beloved character, as daughter April (Amelia Flanagan) found herself caught in the middle of Jade’s revenge on Ross Barton (Michael Parr).
‘She’s 15 years old so there’s always going to be friction with parents, but she’s recently found out the truth about how her mother really died, took her own life, and it’s crushed her,’ actor Mark Charnock explained to Metro.
‘She feels betrayed by Marlon for not sharing it with her. He’s done it out of protection. He’s also done it because he didn’t know how to [tell her]. How do tell someone that at that age? I think he was probably waiting until she was older.’
The trouble continues in the lead up to Christmas as Marlon scrolls through April’s texts and finds that she has been trying to buy cannabis. As he confronts her, a huge row erupts and April storms out.
When Marlon later runs into Ross, he pins him against the wall and blames him for April’s rebellious behaviour, warning him to stay away from her in future.
Later, April tries to open up to Ross, but is left hurt when he cruelly shuts her down, heeding Marlon’s warning.
As April discovers that Marlon was behind Ross’ sudden coldness, she begins to spiral and steals a bottle of wine from the Woolpack.
On Christmas Eve, Marlon is horrified when drunk April makes a show of herself and spills wine over Donna’s memory card.
‘There’s this volcanic, explosive, drunken Christmas Eve, and that’s what leads to Christmas Day’s calamity,’ Mark explained.
He added: ‘The next morning he opens a present, April’s still in bed, and she’s got him this mug that he dropped not long after he had the stroke. The handle had come off and she stuck the handle back on. They turn it around and there’s a thing on the bottom of the mug that says “Things that are broken can always be mended”.’
The clash in this father-daughter dynamic then takes a sudden turn when Marlon finds April’s bedroom completely empty.
‘The idea of your child disappearing on that day of all days is so far beyond horrible that it’s hard to find a word for it,’ Mark said.
‘I can’t think of anything that would hollow you out more.’
Due to the fact Marlon has already taken April’s phone at this point, the panic increases tenfold as he realises just how difficult it’s going to be to find his daughter.
Revealing what happens in that initial aftermath, Mark said: ‘There are search parties that happen almost immediately. Everybody rallies round very quickly. It’s one of those good villages moments where everybody’s differences are set aside completely.
‘There’s a missing kid – let’s all go. Ross goes. There’s a village-wide concern because they all know her really well. Everybody knows each other well and it’s so out of character.’
‘It escalates, this storyline, so this is just the beginning.’
When will April be found?
