The Life Of Bryony - Charley Webb on Her Mum’s Alzheimer’s: Why It Took 10 Years to Talk About the Diagnosis

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

If, like me, you are a bit of a soap addict, you will know Charley Webb from her decades-long stint on Emmerdale. But in this episode of The Life of Bryony, you will hear a far more intimate, unfiltered version of her story. Charley talks candidly about pursuing an autism and ADHD diagnosis, parenting a neurodivergent child, and how hyperfixation shows up everywhere from skincare to intrusive thoughts.​ She also revisits the sudden death of her dad when she was 14, the bullying that oddly set her free, and the complicated, lonely reality of her mum’s early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. We talk about grieving someone who is still here, the guilt of struggling to visit, and why honesty about “not coping” can be such a relief.​ If you are navigating dementia, neurodivergence, or that exhausting sandwich-generation juggle, this conversation might help you feel a little less alone.LINKS TO SUPPORT GROUPSIf Charley’s story of her mother’s illness resonated with you today and you would like support, please consider the following charities:Dementia UK:https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/looking-after-yourself-as-a-carer/Alzheimer’s UK:https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/help-dementia-care/getting-supportWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUGot something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram.If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xxCREDITS:Host: Bryony GordonGuest: Charley WebbProducer: Laura Elwood-CraigAssistant Producer: Sam RhodesStudio Manager: Sam ChisholmEditor: Luke ShelleyExec Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now, if like me, you're a bit of a soap addict, you'll know Charlie Webb from her decades-long service on Emmerdale. But today on The Life of Briney, you're going to hear a side of her story that really isn't spoken about enough. Charlie talks about neurodivergence, suddenly losing her father as a teen, and most poignantly about her mum's early onset dementia. I should say now that this is a really emotional conversation. So if this is close to home for you, you might want to grab a tissue and maybe listen somewhere that you feel safe. I don't think I've ever felt so alone as when that diagnosis happened. It was 10 years before I talked about her having Alzheimer's.

I think a lot of people find it harder than what maybe they let on. It's not an easy thing to watch. I still don't think I've processed it. My chat with Charlie coming up right after this. Charlie Webb, welcome to the life of Brian. Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. Just before we started recording, well, you started talking about your neck. Oh, yeah.

Can we continue talking about your neck? Yeah, I'm obsessed with this. It's just a thing. It's a thing. I just like, I don't know. I think I get hyperfixated on certain things and at the moment it's my neck. It probably lasts about two years where I think about it. I fixate on everything.

Everything in my life. Is that a neurodiverse thing? I think so. Well, we talked about it didn't. We're like just starting off getting diagnosed with autism and ADHD. but I don't know. I feel like everyone around me fixates on something. I just think I fixate on everything. So like something will get into my head and then that, like I can't leave it. So how old you, Charlie? 37. So can I ask you? Because I think this is a really interesting conversation

that I'm seeing a lot now, women discovering a neurodivergent sort of diagnosis or thinking, God, maybe this explains why I am who I am. And often this is through their kids. Their kids are getting diagnosed and doctors are saying, oh, have you thought that maybe you have a diet? You might have this condition. Was that your experience of it? No, no, it wasn't actually.

I think my experience came more from just wanting to understand myself better because I think the way my brain works, like fixating, I'm very, I've always been told that I have this moody face. I'm not going to say the other term, because apparently it's not a great term to say the resting bitch face. Apparently it's awful to say that. I don't know. Everything is apparently awful to say.

Like, honestly, I mean, recently I said that I think everyone's on the spectrum somewhere. I mean, the backlash from that. It's like, you don't know what you're talking about. It's like, well, I do actually, because one of my children's had it for quite a long time. So I feel like I do know what I'm talking about. I've dealt with HCPs, I've dealt with school for a long time. You know, I'm not dismissing.

I'm not saying that everybody's just on the spectrum. But what I was trying to say was, I think we all have quirks. And it is a spectrum, you know, it's a spectrum. So surely everybody's on that somewhere. It's things like, if something happens that I feel isn't right, I can't just let it go. I need to like, I have to, there has to be a conclusion to that. Does that make sense?

Yeah, absolutely. It's very relatable. Yeah, but I feel like most people would just be like, oh, right, okay, well, you know, just let that go now. And I'm like, no. So that, can we go back to you mentioned one of your children has, what does he have? ADHD. ADHD, right? So you've gone through that whole process.

For quite a long time, yeah. I mean, when he was little, there was no talk of it around, you know. And he was just sort of the naughty one. He was always like, he's really disruptive. He's naughty. And I was like, no, this is not just. bad behaviour. I mean, I was 22 when I had him. Really young. Really young.

You were a child yourself, Charlie. I was a child myself, exactly. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, still don't now. But yeah, I really was adamant that there was something not right. And I used to think to myself, this cannot be parenting. This is so hard. What way was it hard? You just never knew what was coming next. And actually his Nana described it as once because she had two boys.

but she was like, when I, you know, when my children were little, you'd just be like, you know, walking them in the prom and they'd walk next to it. And she said, I would never do that with him because he could just dart into the road. Like he's just, it was, it's like an impulsive thing. And I do, I just knew, and I think as a mom, I just knew there was something.

It wasn't until he was about seven that we started looking into it properly. But, you know, it's become much more common. And I think a lot more people are getting diagnosed. And of course, there is a spectrum of it. And some people that I know with ADHD are off the scale. Like, you know, they're just all over the place. And then there's other people that have it, that it presents differently in them.

I think for me, I would say it's more leaning towards the autism. And I know autism presents very differently in females. But yeah, there's a lot of things that I find really trigger me, like noise, like background noise. And I just get overwhelmed so quick. When you were on the train coming down to London today, like how do you find that? Train journeys aren't too bad unless people are on the phone. And then I'm like really angry within about two seconds.

I think, please turn off that phone. I get so like, oh, because then I just, I start fixating into their phone call and I know what's going on and what they're having for the tea. Do you know what I mean? So it's things like that that I think I struggle with. So autism I was watching. Do you follow Fern Brady? No. She's a comedian, a Scottish comedian, and she got a diagnosis of autism, and she wrote a fantastic book all about this autism diagnosis, really explaining so much about her life.

I'd love to read that. It's really, really brilliant. And it's so interesting, because we have a lot of people come on this podcast and talk about ADHD, but not many talk about autism. and it is such an emerging field of, like in terms of with women. Like it's just not something that has ever been spoken of in relation to women, is it? No, and I think because it does present so differently in women, I think it's maybe, you know, taken longer for people to start getting diagnosed with it because I think people think of autism and just think that, you know, people can't make eye contact.

It's like, you know, people think it's as simple as just like one thing. But now it's becoming more talked about and obviously people are starting to learn about it more. You start with realising that there's so many different elements to it. You know, it's not just not one box, you know, ticks all. Everyone's so different and presents so differently with it. Someone said to me the other day that often it presents in ways that look like girlhood to a lot of people. So like an obsession with makeup or skincare or Taylor Swift, for example, and becoming really knowledgeable and really...

Yeah, the hyperfessional. fixation. Yeah. And I thought that was really interesting because so often that could just, it could just be seen as what it's like to be a teenage girl. Yeah, exactly, exactly. And that's funny actually because I am obsessed with skincare. So maybe that is part of it as well. But fixating on bits of your body as well. Oh, completely. Yeah. Like fixating on just everything. Like for instance, if I have a conversation with someone and I think, oh, really shouldn't I said that? I will fix it in it for so long to the point where I have to go back to that person. Even if I've only ever met them once. I need to find a way to get back to that person.

You know when I said that, well, this is what I meant. Because even though it's not, it's not about, like, what will someone think of me necessarily. It's just about making sure that someone understands what I meant, whether they agree or don't agree. Like, I still, I need them to know. To make sure they've been heard and listened. Yeah. Or like, you know, if I've said something wrong, whatever, whatever capacity it's in, I need to make sure that they know what it was. And then I can sleep at night.

So where are you in terms of the getting a dying, in the, in the, the diagnostic process. Really early. I need to just get on with it and do it. But yeah, really early. But they've just, they've said that that is what it is, but I need to obviously get the official. Formal. The formal.

If I want it, it doesn't really matter, I think either way. But it depends. I think for me, just even hearing the words, I was like, oh, so much made sense to me. And that was actually a really nice feeling. It just made me just feel like, oh, this is why I am the way I am, you know. So, yeah. The way you are, Charlie, I think you're,

fascinating, the more I've read about you and your life, people will know you as a long-term fixture of Emmerdale. You started on there when you were... Just 15. Just 15. Crazy. And what I didn't know, I heard you talking about this the other day was that I, and I don't, you may not want to talk about this, but sort of, you were reflecting on that period of time of your life and how utterly kind of strange it was sort of two weeks before you started on Emmerdale, your father died. And just how, just listening to you talk about how now in your 30s you're looking back going, oh, that maybe I could have done with some. Oh, totally. Like some kind of like therapy or something. I think, and it's funny actually, because I said this

to my friend the other day, I think when that happened, it was just. me and my mum at home and I think I now I'm like going back and doing the work I think I went through a stage of well it wasn't a stage it was the whole time of not wanting to upset her because obviously it hit her so badly you know as a husband etc etc and I think at the time I was like I don't want to see my mum upset I really struggled to see her be emotional or which is weird because I don't struggle watching people be emotional and I'm quite an emotional person but you were you were a child exactly And I just remember thinking, oh, I don't want to see her upset. So maybe if I just don't mention it, she'll just won't think about it.

It was that sort of thing. Can I just start by saying, I'm really sorry that that happened to you? No, do you know what? Another thing that I really think about this is so many people are always saying to me, like, God, that must have been so hard for you. And, you know, but I think I just put it into a box. And you're talking, you know, such a long time ago when therapy wasn't really a thing. Or it wasn't really talked about the same.

and I was a different person before my dad died, like so different that I honestly don't think I would be who I am today had that not have happened. And I know obviously in an ideal world, of course you wouldn't want that to happen, but I do think that fundamentally that has created who I am today just in terms of not, you know, I was really badly bullied when I was in high school.

And actually by my own friendship group, they were just like, you know, the popular girls. Mean girls. Yeah, but I shouldn't have ever been in that group because they just didn't align with anything to do with me. And I think I wanted to be in that group because I didn't want to be in the not cool group

and like, you know, I mean hindsight, you wish you could go back and go, what the hell was I thinking? But I was really badly bullied within that group. And I just remember the day that he died and calling the bully who had been bullying me for quite a long time by this point. And I remember just saying to her,

you know, You are welcome to his funeral, but you won't be allowed to the afterpart. And she was like, what? I said, because it's only for people that he liked. I fucking hated you. So you won't be coming. And I just remember that moment being like, you're free. You are free.

And from that day, I feel like for the majority of my life, I have maintained that level of. I won't put up with shit. Something really terrible happened. And so everything else is kind of, it's like I'm not going to sweat this. Exactly. It was so bad that I was like, nothing else can affect me. Like, it's just not.

So I've just, and this is what I mean when I say like, yes, it was hard in so many ways. But also, it really has created so much of me that I just feel like I wouldn't, I wouldn't be me today without that. So it gave you a sort of life affirming perspective in a way. Totally. I think it just made me realize that. shit can happen in life but nothing's that bad and you don't have to take shit of people. I'm sorry that that happened to you as well with the bully. So it was unexpected. The death? Yeah. Yeah. So he was 49 and he died of a massive heart attack. But he'd been having

a lot of pains in his chest and palpitations and all this kind of stuff and they'd run a lot of tests. They couldn't find anything. We went private. They couldn't find anything. And actually when he passed, you know, he had like heart disease like 83%. And he had like 83%. sent heart disease, I think it was. And they just hadn't found anything. And I think at the time as well, which I still think about, a lot of people were sick, because he was a bit dramatic, which is obviously where I get it from. But he, you know, everyone was saying to him, you're fine, you're fine, just get on with

that you're fine. And now I think, oh, no, he wasn't fine. And, like, everyone was telling him that he was fine. And that must have been really annoying. Like, you know, people, just people not listening. But, of course, they did the test and they didn't find anything. So nothing could have been changed. Yeah, it was very sudden.

I'm so sorry. What was his name? Loll. Lawrence. He was called Lawrence. Lawrence. Lawrence. So you were 14 and then you kind of like, and this is a very normal reaction is that you kind of go into caretaker role.

Totally. But then, you know, I think, yeah, I did go into caretaker role in so many ways. I've got older siblings, but then they haven't got the same dad, so they're just the same mom. And they were amazing. My mom had a, you know, a really great set of friends around. under luckily. But I think I definitely went into just wanting to protect her feelings. And then I thought, well, it's just, if I just box it, that will be fine.

And I think because, you know, it was so traumatic the way it happened. It was just like literally a normal evening. We were watching a film. It was normal. So I think all of that was too painful at the time to even think about. So it was all just about forgetting it. Just put it in that box and, you know, never think about it again. And go and work on Emmerdale.

Basically, yeah. Like massive soap. I know. Crazy. I mean, just the time of it all. But then I just think to myself, because my dad was a massive Amadale fan, like huge. And he had OCD as well, my dad.

And he used to come home from work. And before he'd take his jacket off, he'd literally clean the whole house from top to bottom, Hoover, everything, like everything had to be done. Then he'd get in the shower. Then he'd open his briefcase, write his checks from his mail, and then he'd sit down in time for Emmerdale,

like every single night. So I think in a way, like, that's a really nice full circle moment. Yeah. So, and then you were 21 when you had your, 22, sorry. 21 when I got pregnant. So you were quite an old soul? Always have been.

Definitely, that is one thing my mum used to always say to me. Like, they would have dinner parties every weekend because they were really social. And my mom would always say you'd never be with the kids, only ever with the adults. And I think, like most of my friends are much older than me. Really? Like all of them, pretty much.

I don't think I have any friends that are really my age. Okay. Like when I say, you know, I do have friends that are like a few years older than me, but I think most of my friends are in their early 50s. Really? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I've been friends with them for like 20, over 20 years.

But I just think I definitely get on better with people that are older. You had to grow up quite quickly, didn't you? Yeah, I think so. But I think even before starting Emmerdale, and even before my dad. I do remember being at school thinking, I am not going to be friends any of you. Just nothing about any of my friends,

like, or people of my age I ever really could connect with. And I think my mum was like, yeah, you were always an old soul from being tiny. She was like from when you were toddling. So you have your first born at 22. You've got, how many children? Three. Three.

I mean, and I feel like when I was read, you know, whenever I've followed you. you on Instagram for a long time and I feel like for me you really kind of sum up that I think it's a dilemma that a lot of people in our stage of life are in which is like this kind of sandwich generation where it's like looking after kids but also kind of caring for parents so you your mother has Alzheimer's you share about that sometimes yeah recently I only actually shared about it not very long ago it was like 10 years after the day diagnosis that I actually shared it. Yeah. What made you decide to do that? There was many

reasons. I think partly because I would like to do more for the charity and I think that I felt selfish not speaking about it because when we got the diagnosis I felt very like it was just so isolating and it was just you feel like you're on your own because you sort of get the diagnosis and they're like, okay, bye. And you're just like, well, what next? Like, I just don't think there's enough support around it at all. So you were, so you were like 27 then when the diagnosis came through? Yeah, I was, yeah.

I was actually pregnant with Bowie with my middle one when I got the diagnosis, and he just turned 10 in December. But I just think, I felt selfish not talking about it because I knew how alone I'd felt. And I thought if I can just do a little bit, you know, do more for the charity, then I really want to do that. So that was, that was sort of the reason behind. It is such a terrifying thing, isn't it? Even though we know so many people experience it, that thing of a family member or themselves getting that diagnosis. Sort of a vaguely similar

thing has been happening to someone in my life. And I was like, where do you, where do you go? Exactly. Like where, where is the uplifting book that I need to read to inspire me through this? Exactly, and that's exactly what it is and there isn't. And I think, you know, not many people that I know have had parents that have had it luckily. But it just was the most, I just think I don't think I've ever felt so alone as when that diagnosis happened. And I think I chose not to speak about it for a long time because my mom, my mom was a very funny character. It's very glamorous. So glamorous.

And I think I can just hear her voice in the back of my head saying, don't you be telling people that I've got that? I do not want people to know. Do you know, like that she was just very like, I even remember when I had, you know, bus stop, and my siblings had children. She was like,

they cannot call me grandma in public just so you know. And I was like, wow, mom, you are something else. But that's just the way she was. Sounds like, sounds like my mom. Oh, gosh. I mean, it probably sounds like how I'm going to be. You know, I'll be like, do not say that word. But, you know, she was just,

my mom was all about makeup and being glamorous. And I just feel like I wanted to protect her, even though she wouldn't have known that it was being spoken about, I think in the back of my mind I was like, she would hate this. But also, this is a massive thing for you to have to process. And it's happening like 10 to 15 years after you've already lost one parent, you know. I think that you should be much easier on yourself in terms of not wanting to talk about it because it's a deeply personal thing.

And you yourself are having to navigate life as. a mother, you know, a young mother for the first time. Like, I actually think that waiting 10 years to talk about it is exactly the right time to talk about it. Like, I think we, we want everything, we think we should be doing everything now because of living in a kind of social media age. But actually, I think more and more people are realizing, okay, I'll talk about this on social media or publicly, but first of all, you have to, you have to be in a place where you're able to. And I don't know, but, you know, when I hear about people with Alzheimer's and dementia, it's a sort of totally different grieving process, I imagine.

Oh, completely different. They say that you grieve them when they're here and you grieve them again when they're gone. But also, you know, I feel like I'm quite a private person in so many different ways. Like I think people think when you're on social media and they see snippets. of your life that they know everything and like i mean i post virtually nothing on social media that isn't never anything personal particularly um and i felt like until i had my own understanding and like you say had processed it and i to be honest i still don't think i've processed it i really think it is something that everybody always says like how's your mom how's your mom and it i find it the

most annoying question and i know everyone's doing it to be so kind and so lovely and of course that is I wouldn't want it any other way but at the same time not there isn't an answer like there isn't an answer like you're not going to be able to say to someone oh she's doing really well because it's a she's not doing really well

no she's not doing really well and it's an illness where they don't get better so it's like you sort of have the same conversation on a loop and of course people are doing it from the goodness of their heart but now it's got to a point where I think most most people around me just they just know that it's not going to be something

where they're going to ask me how she is because I'll be like oh can we not How are you? Yeah. I mean, gosh. I think, do you know what? I think I have dealt with this situation probably in quite a bizarre way. I mean, I'm definitely a compartmentaliser.

I know this about myself, especially since I've been having therapy recently. Like, she's like, everything's in a box and you just shut it off. And I'm like, yeah. But I have to be honest, and I know this is controversial. I really struggle to go and see my mom without getting upset. I don't think that's controversial at all. Yeah. Sorry, give me sick.

Okay. Yeah, I struggle to go and see it. I think it's hard. Like, it's not the person that you love, you know. Oh my God, maybe I can't. Sorry. It's okay. I think actually it's good that people get to see this though,

because if they're going through it, you feel alone. Sorry, I didn't expect to get so emotional. But it's not the mum that you know or love or, you know. My sister actually is so much better than me. She finds it so, like, she finds it so, like, uplifting when she sees her. Really? Yeah, she's amazing with her. And I feel selfish because,

I'm literally like, oh, God, I've got to go to see my mom. And that is a controversial thing to say. You know, I'm sure people would be like, you are awful. But I have to be honest. Like, it's not something that I enjoy. So hard. Yeah, it's shit. And is your sister, so you've got two older siblings.

Yeah. And my brother is equally as, you know, he struggles with it, I would say, on a similar level to me. But again, they are so much better at going to see it. I really do find it. Like it's just something that I have to fit into my life. That, you know, I really wish I could be that person that was like, I'm going to go see my mom and it's going to be, you know,

it's great that she's still here. I really don't feel that. I do struggle with it. But do you think as well, because of the trauma that you had as a 14-year-old, like I think there's a different layer there, isn't there? Quite possibly, yeah. I think because I was so young when it happened with my dad, it was easier to handle in a really weird way. You know, people say, oh, you were so young, that must have been hard. But I think in a way when you're older and you've had more time with them, I don't know if that's harder. So as children, children are very sort of, they're much more adaptable and resilient than we think. They are so resilient. And I definitely was that. And I think, you know, he went very suddenly.

And again, a lot of people say, like, God, that must have been hard. But I wouldn't want him to go the way my mum is. Like, that is the worst way. What advice would you give to anyone listening who is struggling? Honestly, I'm so grateful to you, Charlie, being honest and not sugar-coating it. No, I think that I really find it hard to not say what I feel and think. and I think especially in situations that are really important like this. Because I am really lucky that I'm one of those people

that I don't necessarily beat myself up about the way that I feel. There are moments when I think you need to go and see one more, 100%. But I also understand where it's coming from, I think. And I would hate for people that are listening or, you know, come across this to feel like they're a bad person. for maybe not wanting to go visit or finding it hard. Or I think a lot of people find it harder than what maybe they let on. Yeah.

It's not an easy thing to watch. Well, it's unbearably hard. And again, it's grieving while a person is still there. And so I think that it's so important that you're talking about it because it's something so hard that more and more people are still there. going to have to deal with. Yeah, I agree. Like, we know that because we're getting older and we know that dementia, Alzheimer's, all of these types of illnesses are affecting more and more people, right? So I think your

honesty is a tonic. I hope so. I hope there's no backlash, actually. I say I hope there's no backlash. I mean, I don't actually care, to be honest, because it's like you can't change the way you feel and maybe like, you know, in terms of subjects like, this or whatever it might be pregnancy, children. I think so many people spend their time going, it's amazing, it's amazing, everything's amazing. And it's, of course, it's not because life isn't perfect. And I think sometimes we get so judged on actually being completely honest about things.

And I just wish more people just took a minute to be like, actually, that's someone else's experience that they're talking about and that's okay. You know, I think we're so judgmental in this, I want to say this country, maybe it's, more than this but I just feel like this you know nowadays in this country whether it's the press whether it's social media we're all just so ready to jump on another human yeah

and it's just like chill out well walk a mile in their shoes first I know exactly and everyone's got their own like no one knows what people are going through and this is another social media thing everyone thinks they know everyone's lives you don't and got a clue you know 10 years it was before I announced that

announced that sounds like a ridiculous word but you know it was 10 years before I talked about her having Alzheimer's. Of course, nobody knew that. So when it's like, oh, she looks miserable today, maybe there's other shit going on for people that you don't know about. Yeah. Just be less judgy. How do you deal generally with that tabloidy interest in you? And how do you keep it, you know, how do you keep it in check? How do you keep your own head in check? Especially when you're dealing with so many other things just in your personal life, you know, away from professional or life, you know, you're dealing with your mom, you know, potential to me, autism, three children,

regardless of whether one of them has ADHD or not, three children's a lot, you know. So how do you kind of keep yourself? I think when it comes to the press, I feel very strong-minded on this sort of thing. And, you know, they write what they want. They write stories. I mean, why they're interested. I have no idea. But they write things and, you know, that do you want to comment?

They'll go to your agent. Do you want to make a comment? No, absolutely not. Why would I want to comment about some bullshit story that you're talking about? I mean, unless it is something horrendous that they've absolutely made up, I'd be like, get it stopped. But other than that, I just think, oh, if that is what you have to talk about today, then fine. I actually just don't care. Yeah.

And I certainly would not be reading the majority of that shit. Yeah. Okay. It's so boring. So how do you, so 37 years, a 37 year old, mum of three, sandwich generation. What's on the kind of horizon for you, Charlie? I've just finished a ITV thing and ITV drama written by Daniel Bucklehurst, which is brilliant, it's going to be great.

It's out this year at some point. I'm not sure when. And I'm actually about to start play. I know. I am about to start play, which I'm quite excited about. Have you done theatre before? I did. I did quiz, which was brilliant.

About the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire thing. It was great. But yeah, I'm about to start a play. I'm starting rehearsals next week. And it's going to be really fun. It's an all-female cast. And yeah, I'm excited. Can you tell us what the play is about?

It's about women's football in the 1900s and how it got banned. So it's all based on a true story. How exciting. I know. And they all work in this factory. And then they, they start, you know, to play football. And then before you know, they're playing in front of stadiums

and then it gets banned. So, because apparently they thought that, you know, for females to play football, it wasn't great for having children and the men and all that palava. So it's about that. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a juggle with the kids.

Is it? Where is it? It's a Sheffield Crucible. It's a really great theatre. That's so exciting. And they have some amazing people there. So I am excited. You know, theatre isn't my first look.

of it's definitely TV. But there was a different sort of feeling with theatre. Yeah. But it's funny because when we were doing quids, I can't remember how long we did it for, but there was a lot of shows to get through. And literally after the first show, I was like,

and I loved that show so much. It's James Graham, who is just like a genius. But I remember after doing the first show, I was like, okay, I'm done now. I'm done. Like, no more shows. And everyone was like, you've got to do it again.

A lot of times. And it's just like, I feel like when I've done, this is why it's the thing. thing with this. Like when I've done something, I'm like, right, I'm done now. I need to go on to the next. Well, I suppose you're used to soap, right? Where it's like fast and it's done and there's no hanging around, right? There's no messing around. Do you feel like soap is done for you? Do you know, I would never say never. It's just not the right time for me right now to be back there. I just want to get,

you know, get the kids sorted and I just feel like I need to be in a different. headspace to be able to go back there. It just doesn't feel like the right time. And I know there's a lot of stories that I've missed, like, big stuff that's happened because she's part of the Dingles and that's like quite a big family. And, you know, obviously I'm still so close to so many of the people that I work with there. I knew it would be amazing.

But yeah, I just, I would never say never because actually some of those times are the best times of my life. And I was working with my best friends every day. I was going home to my kids every night. You know, there are so many elements of that show that would fit in with my lifestyle. It's just, I think, it just doesn't feel like the right time right now. Okay. And can you tell us about the ITV drama?

So that's adultery, which is Daniel Brocklehurst. Yes, it's called adultery. It's all about sex. I know it's not. But, I mean, there's a lot of that in it. Is it? Loads, yeah. Okay.

Is it fun to be filming sex? I didn't film any sex. But there was a lot in the scripts. Okay. So, yeah, my husband was having an affair, our soul. So, yeah, no, I think it will be really good. It's sort of got bits of comedy in it. Dominic Cooper is the lead.

Is he your husband? No, he's playing my brother-in-law. Right, okay. But it's ITV, and, you know, obviously, ITV is where I first started. So it was really nice, and, you know, I've done a couple of bits with them now. So it's really nice to be back there

because it does just, ITV is very family, you know, You feel like you're in a family when you're there. So have you, can I ask you about, because I'm not going to ask you about your sex life. Okay. Because that's not, that's not my style. But I'm really interested about acting and snogging and things like that, okay? So have you ever had to do sex scenes?

Oh, God. Yeah. Well, not full sex scenes because mine have all been an Emmerdale, which is luckily on at 7pm. I mean, I remember there was a storyline where I, I had to seduce someone. And honestly, some of these outfits they brought out was like full underwear. And I was like, you've got to be joking. There's absolutely, I can't smoke nowhere. Not a chance.

Was this in like the naughties? No, this was like, let me just think. How old am I? I reckon this was probably about 10 years ago maybe. I don't know. I'd have, yeah, it must have been 10 years ago, ish or something like that. But I was just like, no. So they, so they definitely, you were, you felt strong enough to be able to go.

Oh, really strong. And they were so respectful of that. And they knew me really well. Like, by this point, I was literally, it was sort of a bit of a joke because I think they knew I was going to say no. They want, but, you know, obviously like there's parts of it where you've got to seduce someone. It's got to look real, you know, they wanted to push it as far as he possibly could.

But I was like, I'm going to need to be more covered up than that. There's just no way. I mean, not for that, not for a seven o'clock show. I'm like, now I'm fine for that. I think if adultery were like you've got to strip off, it would be different. It's at 9 o'clock, you know. Yeah. But even then, I mean, I've really got to be careful.

I've got three kids. One of them's 15. Imagine his friends taking that around to him in school. That's not going to go down well. Do you make decisions based on what the children? Yeah. Definitely. There's been things that I've said, no, no.

Like, you know, I mean, I'm not going to be fully naked. Let's put it that way. I don't think that would be appropriate for his, him. it. They don't have to watch it, but can you imagine social media and the internet and his mates getting hold of me naked? No. I see, it'd be awful, Brianie. I think he'd leave home. I honestly think he'd be like, you don't belong to me. I don't think I've thought this through well or not. Like I, so I obviously do something completely different to you, but I definitely didn't think through the running the London Marathon in your underwear piece. When I first did it,

daughter was four, five, and I didn't think, I just didn't think about her in another, of course. Like now she's at secondary school, how absolutely fucking mortifying it is that she's like, oh, mum, you do know my friends have like Googled you. I know, but there's something amazing about that because that is for like the best cause it could possibly be for. Mine is to seduce Andy Sugden in Emmerdell. I just not the same thing.

I just feel that... Kids shouldn't have to see their moms. When you close off for a 7 o'clock show, probably not. If it was a bit later, I can see how you need to do that. But I do think I need to be careful with children. Yeah, 15-year-olds. I mean, even sometimes when I post something on Instagram, my eldest will be like, no, I don't think...

I can see... There's too much like, but like, sorry, Dad. You know, like he's like, that needs to be deleted. He's like, my friends see this, they all follow him, no. So do you let him be on social media? He is on social media, yeah. But I mean, he's nearly 16. So I guess he's that age where the cat was out of the bag

before we could sort of like... There's no way now. Like, it's too far gone for him. Like he, you know, I couldn't say to him at nearly 16, you can't be on social media. He's not going to listen to me. Can I say something to you, Charlie? I hope you know how fucking brilliantly you were doing

and how brilliantly you have done, given everything that life has thrown at you. I didn't know about your dad until recently. And when I heard you talk about it, I was like, I, like, we don't know about people in the public eye and we can have all these kind of, you know, notions. Oh, yeah, or that person, look, she's really beautiful. beautiful, glamorous actress, do you know what I mean? Like her life is perfect. And then, as you say,

we don't know people's backgrounds. We never know them. And I'm really, really grateful to you today coming and speaking so openly and so honestly about some of the things that have, you know, the most troublesome things in your life and things that I know are going to help so many people listening. And it is always an honour when someone feels comfortable enough to become emotional in my presence. I feel like really grateful and you're wonderful. Thank you and so are you. And I felt like I was sitting in your kitchen. So thank you. There is so much in that conversation that's going to sit with me for a very long time. If this episode resonated with you in any way, then please do share your thoughts or stories if you feel able on our own Instagram page at at Life of Briny Pot.

Charlie will be back on Friday for our special bonus episode where we'll talk about the things that keep her afloat in the middle of all of this. In the meantime, don't forget to subscribe, follow, rate and share the app with your friends if you think this conversation might help them feel a little less alone. Most of all, keep being you and I'll see you next time. Thank you.