Emmerdale's Charlie Hardwick adds some light relief to her tough safe sex message (VIDEO)

It's been over a year since Val was diagnosed with HIV in Emmerdale. So far she has lived her life without any major complications. But in a shock new storyline, Val's health takes a massive turn for the worse.

"Val forgets she's vulnerable. Or she doesn't want to think she's vulnerable," says Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick who plays the character. "But she ignores several warning signs at her peril, and the implications on Val's health are grave."

But Charlie managed to give the difficult storyline some light relief: "Women in their 50s are the biggest group at risk because they think, A, going through the menopause, don't have to worry about contraception. Wrong! It's not contraception, it's safe sex. So we're all at risk. Use a condon.... Condom! Not a condon... A condom please!"

Watch Charlie on the Emmerdale set talk about Val's life and death situation, being reunited with co-star, Matthew Bose, who is back for a guest appearance as Val's son, Paul, above.

Will Val survive? Find out in Emmerdale this week on ITV.

Simon Timblick
Writer

Simon has long been a fan of soap operas, and especially loves OVER-THE-TOP plots involving evil twins, hair-pulling catfights and natural disasters.

Anyone remember the Sunset Beach earthquake/tidal wave?

Or when Krystle Carrington got locked in the attic and replaced by look-a-like Rita in Dynasty?!


Simon has written for a variety of TV and childrens’ magazines/websites including Inside Soap, Nickelodeon, What’s On TV, Radio Times, Metro, Girl Talk, Disney Girl, Toxic! and Digital Spy.

He has reported LIVE from the red carpet at The British Soap Awards interviewing glammed-up stars from soapland, and hosted a Facebook LIVE session for Metro with Home and Away legend Ray Meagher (Alf "Stone the flamin' crows!" Stewart) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Aussie soap.


Simon is also co-author of The Treasures Of Coronation Street (Carlton Books)


And the writer and director of (very!) low budget fright flick, Midsummer Night's EVIL and the sequel webisodes series, The Hatchet Woods HORROR.