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Debbie Dingle’s dramatic Emmerdale return: Kidnap, cancer reveal, and a fight for survival

Debbie's return was marred with tragedy for the Dingle clan

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Debbie Dingle’s return to Emmerdale promised to be dramatic and it didn’t disappoint.

On the run with £50K, her kids were kidnapped within minutes of her arrival in the village, and once she’d managed to get them back, she revealed her devastating cancer news.

Debbie returned from France with her boss’s money, but no explanation as to why she had it.

It wasn’t long before the heavies were after her and she was forced to abandon the car – and the bag of cash in the boot. But the goons took the children and said she could only have them back when they had the money.

After her parents Cain and Charity, and former lover Ross Barton stepped in to save the day, with Charity posing as Chrissie White to get into the businesswoman’s bank account, they got the money and exchanged it for the children who were safe and sound.

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Relieved Charity and Cain were pleased to have their girl and her kids home, and Cain told Deb everything would be all right and she didn’t need to money to survive.

“I don’t,” she agreed. “But Sarah does. She needs treatment or she’s going to die.

“She’s got cancer.”

What will Debbie do now? Can she get her hands on the much-needed funds to save her daughter’s life?

Prior to Debbie’s return, Emmerdale announced they had recast the role of Sarah Sugden “due to the nature of the storyline”. Older actress, Katie Hill, was chosen to take over the character from previous actress Sophia Amber Moore.

And now it seems Sarah’s cancer battle is the reason why.

Debbie and her kids come back to the Dales after a year away following actress Charley Webb’s return from maternity leave.

She gave birth to her second son, Bowie, with co-star Matthew Wolfenden, last year and returned to filming just before Christmas.

She told OK! magazine she found her first day back filming a tad overwhelming:

“I did walk into my dressing room and burst into tears,” she said.

“I think it’s because the day was finally there and I’d been anxious about leaving Bowie. It’s a big life change, but I absolutely love my job and it’s been great being back.”

The drama’s set to continue for Debbie and her family that’s for sure.

Read more: Andy Sugden returns to Emmerdale?

But what about Sarah’s father, Andy Sugden? Surely he wouldn’t leave his daughter to fight a cancer battle alone?

After actor Kelvin Fletcher teased a return earlier this week, could this be the thing that brings Andy back to the Dales?


Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)

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