Emmerdale’s Marlon Dingle is at the centre of harrowing new storyline for a cause very close to the Mirror’s heart – but as more big names leave the ITV soap, actor Mark Charnock admits he’s not taking anything ‘for granted

As Emmerdale’s legendary Marlon Dingle, actor Mark Charnock has been at the centre of some of the soap’s most hard-hitting storylines over three decades.

From suffering a stroke two years ago and watching his first wife, Tricia, die after a storm hit the Woolpack in 2003, to getting caught up with Rhona’s embryo controversy, drama has followed Marlon since Mark, now 56, was told he had landed the part on his 28th birthday in 1996.

Now he is involved in a harrowing plot after Marlon’s 16-year-old daughter April disappeared on Christmas Day.

The hard-working, likeable star describes the powerful drama as one of the most ­challenging, not to mention one of the most significant, storylines he has worked on.

He has been working with Missing People, the charity the Mirror chose as its Christmas Appeal, to research for the role.

Around 75,000 children are reported missing in the UK each year – and Mark is hoping April’s tragedy, coupled with our appeal, could help raise awareness and funds for the charity so they can help more families who are searching for a loved one.

In an exclusive interview, Mark says: “I saw the great work the Mirror did for Missing People when they chose the charity as their Christmas Appeal. Hopefully, between this storyline and the Mirror, we can help the charity support even more families who are in desperate need of answers.

“A child going missing is psychological torture and I can’t even begin to imagine the pain parents go through when this happens.

Devastated Marlon sits alone with April’s Christmas presents – a scene which will have resonated with families helped by the Mirror’s Christmas Appeal

“That endless empty desperation is horrendous. It is delayed grief, exhaustion all the time, there is never a moment of respite. The whole world becomes a place of pain.

“This is one of the most significant and one of the best stories I have had because family is everything to Marlon. If I were to look back at my Emmerdale career, this would be extremely high up.”

Shocked by the statistics of how many children go missing every year, Mark says a soap can help highlight in ­minute detail the trauma facing so many devastated families.

“Soaps are unique,” says Mark. “You can show the minutiae of what people go through. If it were a film, you would only see the dramatic highlights. We can show what happens day in, day out and it is what soaps do best.”

Helping viewers realise they are not alone is one of the reasons, he explains today, why he still loves playing Marlon. Now entering his 29th year after originally only being given a three-month contract, he says he still finds it mind-blowing his character has been part of Emmerdale for so long.

Devastated Marlon feels helpless as he tries to work out what to do next – a scene which will have resonated with many families helped by the Mirror’s Christmas Appeal

“What an amazing run of luck. I have loved every moment of my 28 years on the show. And what is so great about it is that it changes all the time, it’s never not surprising and keeps you on your toes – I love that,” he says.

Mark, born in Bolton, is renowned for keeping his personal life quiet but his parents have always been happy to sing from the rooftops about their pride in his work. They still watch every episode.

“In fact, if I haven’t been in a few episodes, they ask, ‘When are you back in it?’”chuckles Mark. “Mum and Dad are really proud.”

Not that he is assuming his future on the soap is guaranteed. A number of high-profile stars have left over recent months, including Daisy Campbell, 21, who had played Amelia Spencer since she was eight years old. Paula Lane, Susan Cookson, Roxy Shahidi, and Lesley Dunlop are said to be leaving shortly, amid what some fans online have dubbed a ‘cull’.

Mark admits: “You can never take it for granted and you never know until you get your next contract.

“I am a terrible worrier. I find myself driving home muttering lines trying to remember how I played them out. I am a bit neurotic in that way but Emmerdale is such a great show to work on.”

Emmerdale has previously said that a turnover of characters is normal, but it’s done nothing to allay fears from fans on social media abiout the recent slew of departures.

The 1996 Dingle clan included, from left, Zak (Steve Halliwell) ; Marlon (Mark), Mandy (Lisa Riley) and Butch (Paul Loughran) (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Not that Mark has much to worry about – he’s certainly has made an impact in the Dales.

He has picked up prestigious awards, including an outstanding achievement award in 2023 and two for best dramatic performance – when his wife, Tricia, died in 2003 and when his character suffered a devastating stroke.

“When Marlon lost his wife, it changed everything” says the star. “It gave Marlon an emotional life that he didn’t have before.”

Going on to reflect on the impact Marlon’s stroke had on raising awareness two years ago, Mark adds: “No two strokes are the same and we worried people who have been through it may not be able to relate to it

“But it turned out people could relate to the emotional devastation of it, the reaction it got made me feel like we had spoken to them.” Yet as Mark points out, there have also been many comedic moments. In fact at the beginning, he recalls, his character was mostly only involved in lighter scenes.

Mark says: “This April missing storyline would have been unlikely to have happened in my early years as the storylines were predominantly comedy based.”

Now feeling refreshed from a two-week Christmas break given to the cast and crew, he is raring to go. Mark won’t divulge whether April is found or not but he teases the storyline will take some more horrifying twists and turns.

“I do have an enormous sense of ­responsibility knowing people are going through this,” he says. “This has been an intense storyline to film. When you are filming six or seven scenes a day showing Marlon’s worry, it has obviously been challenging. Anybody would find it emotional too.

Marlon’s relationship with daughter April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) was tense before she went missing on Christmas Day (Image: ITV)

Smiling, he says he is immensely proud of Amelia Flanagan, who plays April. “She has been unbelievable,” he declares. “It’s been fascinating to watch her grow as an actress. She really has nailed this story. She is phenomenal and I can learn from her.”

Last year, Mark made his directing debut with a short film about loneliness for Good Morning Britain to encourage people to give up time to spend with people feeling lonely.

“It was absolutely amazing to be asked and came completely out of the blue,” the star adds. “It was really scary too but GMB were so helpful. I loved the experience.”

Would he like to direct more? The soap’s millions of fans will be relieved to hear he wants to concentrate on playing Marlon. He says: “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t fancy doing it again as it is weirdly addictive but it is all consuming and not one for the minute.”

As he returns to the missing storyline, Mark hopes, as with the Mirror’s campaign, it will bring comfort to the many thousands of parents sadly going through Marlon’s hell.

“My experience is only fictional,” says Mark softly. “I hope for people going through this, their experience will resolve itself in the best possible way. It must be absolutely awful and I’ve got nothing but sympathy.”