Moira Dingle (Natalie J. Robb) takes some desperate action in upcoming Emmerdale episodes, as she becomes increasingly concerned for her son Matty Barton (Ash Palmisciano).
Matty was arrested after an incident at the Hide in which Samson Dingle (Sam Hall) was stabbed. Jai (Chris Bisson) came in to find Samson bleeding and Matty holding a knife, and Samson and his friend Josh (Osian Morgan) have stuck to the story that Matty launched an unprovoked attack at them.
Moira believed her son when he told her what really happened. Josh had been provoking him by making comment directed at Amy (Natalie Ann Jamieson) and then unleashing transphobic abuse at Matty.
When he’d finally demanded that Matty hand over the day’s takings, Matty refused to cooperate. Josh pushed Samson towards Matty and the till and Samson was accidentally stabbed by the knife Matty was holding as he cleared plates away.
Unfortunately not everyone shares Moira’s faith in Matty, as Lydia (Karen Blick) and Sam (James Hooton) are sticking by Samson’s account of things, even though they know that Matty isn’t a violent person at all.
‘Moira is extremely terrified and quite desperate because she knows this is not something Matty would ever do, it’s not in his nature,’ Natalie J. Robb insisted.
‘She feels that everybody’s kind of taking Samson’s side in the thing and that’s making her more and more frustrated and obviously that leads her to losing the plot more and trying to think of ways she can help Matty and get him out of the situation as quickly as possible.’
For Moira, the facts of the incident seem to be very clear, as Natalie explained.
‘Of course it is out of character for Matty and she thinks there must have been some sort of misunderstanding. Then when she hears more about the content of what happened she says it had to be an act of self defence. There was nothing about the fact that they were robbing the Hide or anything like that, just the fact that Matty went to stab them. As a mother you know your child and I just know he’s not violent and he has a very kind and gentle nature.’
Unfortunately Moira is increasingly on her own in her defence of Matty, with even the support of those closest to her beginning to fade.
‘She reiterates [Matty’s innocence] to everybody within the family but doesn’t feel, especially from Sam’s side and Lydia’s side nobody starts to believe her and then she feels that Cain (Jeff Hordley)’s even wavering. And her brother Mackenzie (Lawrence Robb), which really hurts her,’ Natalie said.
‘It feels like she’s very on her own and she’s been singled out of the family and she thought they always stuck together in the way that’s always been said with the Dingles. In this instance because it’s Samson Dingle with Matty, and Samson’s obviously been coerced in some way as well, she feels like they’re very on their own and that’s why she wants to take matters into her own hands.’
Moira decides to take some shocking action, and it comes after a visit to Matty in prison. Natalie described how traumatised he is by what he’s going through, particularly as a transgender man.
‘He hasn’t showered because he’s so scared. He’s not sleeping, he knows he’s not safe during the day and at night, he just doesn’t know what’s going to happen next. It’s a terrifying situation for him and then Moira starts to realise, when she sees Matty in this place where he shouldn’t be, where he doesn’t belong, she realises the importance of trying to get him out as soon as possible and proving his innocence.’
The actress described what Moira does next as being ‘sinister,’ as Moira corners Samson and threatens him.
‘She absolutely 100% knows that he’s lying and she knows her son would never do anything like this without reason,’ she said.
‘With even Mackenzie questioning and Cain starting to waver, she thinks he’s not really doing anything to get the truth out of Samson, it’s all on Moira. She then realises the enormity of everything that’s happened. The fact that Samson’s still lying, she just knows, she can tell that he’s lying. He’s got previous as well, with Noah (Jack Downham), so she can tell he’s lying.
‘With Mackenzie keeping Charity occupied in the Woolpack I slip into the bathroom and follow him there just to basically try and get some truth out of him and get some answers out of him. But obviously it ends up in good old Moira fashion where she threatens him. That’s all I can say on the matter but it’s quite a powerful and sinister scene.’
Let’s hope it shakes the truth out of Samson, and Matty is soon a free man.
