Debbie Dingle

Charley Webb was cast as Debelak Dingle aged fourteen years old as Charity and Cain's daughter in 2002. She made her first on screen appearance on Christmas Eve the same year.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, Webb announced she was pregnant with her first child with her co-star Matthew Wolfenden, she took maternity leave in 2010 with her child being born in Spring.^{[citation needed]}

In June 2015, Webb announced she was pregnant with her second child and took her maternity leave later that year.^[1] Debbie departed on 1 January 2016.

Debbie is a self-sufficient Dingle and in many ways her mother's daughter. Despite a rocky start in life she's done well for herself, running her own business and getting custody of daughter Sarah. Like most of the Dingles she has been involved in lots of scams and money is important to her. Sometimes she feels like she ends up parenting Cain and Charity and she's not afraid to tell them what's what. She does have a more vulnerable side which comes out when she’s in a relationship.

— itv.com on Debbie..^[2]

 

Webb told Gemma Graham from TV Buzz that the reason she "loves" playing Debbie is the fact she has always been a fighter. "Nothing will knock her down and if it does she'll get back up again". Webb said that she would not pick a fight with Debbie because she would win "any day".^[3]

In one storyline Debbie takes part in a jewellery heist with the help of Chastity Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Lexi Nicholls (Sally Oliver).^[4] Lexi is given a bracelet at a sale and pretends she has stolen it to impress Debbie. Oliver told Kris Green of Digital Spy that Debbie thinks that stealing jewellery must be easy. Debbie thinks of a "big master plan" and they attend a party at Home Farm. The three females "dress up-the-nines" in "camp costumes". Debbie gets Chas and Lexi to cause a diversion while she steals an expensive necklace. Oliver said that over the following episodes viewers found out what really happened with the necklace and what they plan to do with it.^[4] Debbie's attitude causes Lexi to become suspicious; Oliver said that Lexi "wants the necklace straight back, it's not the sort of thing she's going to take lightly." Debbie starts plotting to sell the necklace and keep the proceeds for herself. Oliver said Debbie swaps the necklace for a fake and makes Chas and Lexi think she has lost it. The production team did not use real diamonds in the storyline and opted for plastic glass. Oliver said that she did not think they would get away with the scam.^[4]

On 28 December 2012, Tom Eames, from Digital Spy, confirmed Emmerdale character Debbie Dingle would reportedly attempt to inherit people's fortune by conning them in an upcoming plot. Following recent heartbreak at the hands of unfaithful boyfriend Cameron Murray (Dominic Power), Debbie will use her family's history - Charity Dingle and Cain Dingle - of con schemes to receive financial gain in order to provide for her children Sarah Sugden and Jack Sugden.

"Debbie's on a mission and she's taking no prisoners!" an Emmerdale insider told Inside Soap. "Heartbroken she might be, but she has no intention of sitting about moping. Debbie will be putting her Dingle skills to maximum use as she prepares to set her plan in motion. "Her initial target is Dom, but once it becomes clear Debbie will stop at nothing in order to get her way, Cain and Charity start to wonder whether their daughter might be out of control." Webb commented on her character's new appearance, during the scheme: She becomes very business-minded, almost overnight. She suddenly goes through this massive change, to her looks and her hair. "It's all about earning money for the kids. She's determined that no-one will ever be able to screw her over again." "She's watched her mum and dad do what they want and get what they want for years. Now she's saying, 'That's it - I'm like you'.

"Even Charity's shocked, but Debbie's got a one-track mind at the moment. She just wants to become a mini-Cain. The Cameron thing has left her completely broken, and this is the only way she can get through it. She's putting on a mask and pretending everything's okay."

In July 2015 a trailer was aired stating that some major characters were to be killed off, this was confirmed in August to be a helicopter crash and an explosion, Debbie is the central character in the storyline as it happens as she is getting married to Pete. A special week of episodes involving the wedding, the explosion and the helicopter crash aired from 3 August, the helicopter crash leaves Debbie fighting for her life.

Upon arriving in Emmerdale village, Debbie is fostered by Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and Emily Kirk (Kate McGregor). When Debbie shows Sam Dingle (James Hooton) a photograph of her biological mother, he recognises the young woman, Charity Tate (Emma Atkins). They eventually meet and she gets close to her stepfather, Chris Tate (Peter Amory), but after meeting her father, Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), the trio's closeness strengthens and Chris is sidelined. This affects him extremely, resulting in him cancelling plans to adopt Debbie.

Debbie, Charity and Cain move into Pear Tree Cottage and live as a family until Charity is found guilty of Chris's murder, so she and Cain move in with the Dingles. When the house becomes over-crowded, she and Cain move in with Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) and Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor). Debbie's behaviour becomes erratic as she shows an interest in glamour and boys, resulting in her capturing Daz's affections. Debbie, though, prefers Andy and local curate, Ethan Blake (Liam O'Brien). However, he is engaged to Niamh O'Connor (Tracey Moore). Andy tells Debbie that he has a crush on her and they begin secretly dating until Charity and Cain find out. Charity is accepting but Cain disapproves and blackmails Andy into ending their relationship. Unfortunately Debbie is pregnant but hides it until Daz sees her baby bump. Daz is with her as she gives birth to her daughter and names her Sarah. Debbie and Andy reunite briefly but it is short-lived and his brother, Robert Sugden (Karl Davies), becomes romantically involved with Debbie instead. She, however, is unaware that he has an ulterior motive until he ends the relationship when Debbie tells him that she feels baby Sarah would be better off with the Dingles while they go travelling. He then reveals that he wanted Sarah, not her. Feeling Sarah would be better off without her and knowing that Emily is leaving, she asks her to take Sarah. The Dingles are horrified so she moves in with Ashley Thomas (John Middleton), where she makes friends with Jasmine Thomas (Jenna-Louise Coleman). Debbie confesses her love for Jasmine and they date for a while until Cain deliberately tempts Jasmine into cheating on Debbie with him. Wanting to hurt her, he makes sure Debbie sees them together. Debbie and Jasmine break up for a while but reconcile when Jasmine tells her that she is pregnant and wants an abortion. Sadie King (Patsy Kensit), pitying Jasmine, pays for her to go private and Debbie, knowing that Cain wants another child, tells him this, leading him to kidnap Sadie and Tom King (Ken Farrington) for financial gain to start a new life. Debbie tries to convince Cain to stay but he leaves and gives her some money.

Emily returns Sarah to Andy and Debbie tells Andy that she does not want to be a mother. Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox) creates visits with Sarah and Debbie, who hopes that Debbie will bond with Sarah. She does, and asks Andy for access but Andy refuses. Debbie starts dating Scott Windsor (Ben Freeman) but that ends when Scott leaves. Debbie gets Eli Dingle (Joseph Gilgun) to pose as Scott so she can get a bank loan. Debbie, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Lexi King (Sally Oliver) decide to stage a jewellery scam at Home Farm by stealing a valuable necklace and sharing the sale money. Debbie wants more money so she gets Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) to help scam Chas and Lexi out of their share. Lexi discovers the truth and the pair fight in the street, accidentally dropping the necklace down a drain.

When Andy is sent to prison, Jo Stiles (Roxanne Pallett), Andy's wife, asks Debbie to look after Sarah, which Debbie enjoys. Debbie discovers that Andy is hitting Jo and worries about Sarah's safety, especially after she is suspended from nursery for biting another child. Debbie gives Jo money so she and Sarah can leave. She later allows Andy access to Sarah again, annoying Debbie.

When Jasmine is attacked by her boyfriend Shane Doyle (Paul McEwan), Debbie tries to save her. Jasmine attacks Shane when he attacks Debbie and kills him. Debbie gets Eli to help dump Shane's body in the lake at Home Farm and they report Shane missing but Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) finds his body. Ross Kirk (Samuel Anderson) is initially charged with his murder because of a feud. Jasmine wants to confess but Debbie persuades her not to. They become close and start dating again. They decide to run away together but the police catch Debbie and arrest her. With Jasmine on the run; Debbie is left to take the blame for the murder. Eli enlists the help of Danielle Hutch to harm Debbie, concluding in Debbie being hospitalized as part of a rescue attempt but Debbie refuses to go. At Debbie's court hearing, Jasmine arrives and admits to murdering Shane. Debbie and Jasmine are found guilty on their charges. Debbie is released because of time served and her time in prison has made her realize that she wants Sarah back. Natasha Wylde (Amanda Donohoe), concerned about Andy's reputation now that he is dating her daughter, Maisie, pays for a solicitor so she can go for custody. However, Maisie Wylde (Alice Coulthard) does not approve. Maisie and Debbie have a fight and Debbie thinks that she has ruined her chances but Maisie ends her relationship with Andy to stay out of the situation. Cain decides to help and asks Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller) to help. Aaron is dating Andy's sister, Victoria, and he persuades her to play truant from school and steal from local shops. Cain reports Andy to social services, informing them of Victoria's behaviour and his past domestic abuse. Debbie is awarded custody of Sarah.

Debbie dates Michael Conway but he later admits that he already has a girlfriend and they are due to marry within days. He insists that he loves Debbie so she tells him to call off his wedding to prove it but he cannot because his fiancée is pregnant. On attending the wedding, Debbie and Cain are shocked to discover that his bride is Charity. He calls the wedding off, wanting Debbie back, but she chooses to concentrate on her relationships with Charity and Noah instead until she catches Charity stealing Cain's money. Cain and Charity later reconcile but annoyed at their inability to get along, Debbie takes a job in Jersey. She returns months later and moves back in with her parents. Later she reveals that her boss tried to take advantage of her and she gained revenge by humiliating him and stealing money. Debbie starts a new relationship with Cameron Murray (Dominic Power), a man she previously had an affair with in Jersey, and discovers she is pregnant but has a miscarriage and is annoyed that Cameron doesn't seem bothered.

Sarah is later diagnosed with a blood disorder, fanconi anaemia. Debbie and her family campaign to find a bone marrow donor. They find a suitable donor but they pull out. Debbie and Andy do not like the idea of the bad side effects of other treatments and decide to have a child together to create a new donor. Cameron and Andy's girlfriend, Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson), are uncomfortable with the idea but Debbie and Andy go ahead regardless, emotionally blackmailing Cameron and Alicia into agreeing, by telling them that they'd do the same if their child was seriously ill. When they are refused IVF and artificial insemination attempts are unsuccessful, Debbie sleeps with Andy and is overjoyed to discover that she is pregnant. Cameron decides he can't deal with this and leaves. Charity, thinking it was artificial insemination, persuades him to give Debbie another chance but Andy tells Cameron the truth. On discovering Andy revealed the truth, Debbie begs Cameron to stay, for Sarah's sake as well as hers. Andy and Debbie learn that the baby is a match for Sarah after a CVS test. Cameron and Debbie eventually reunite after Debbie admits he is the only person she has ever truly loved. Andy is hurt as he loves Debbie but she does not feel the same, making Andy jealous. Debbie learns that she is expecting a baby boy while Cameron starts an affair with Debbie's aunt, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter). A few months into her pregnancy, Sarah reveals she wants to go to Paris with Debbie and Andy. Cameron wants to go but lets Andy take his ticket, claiming that he is going to Jersey to see his kids but sneaks off with Chas. Cain gets suspicious when Cameron's son rings and asks to speak to Cameron. A few weeks later, Debbie is shocked when Cain reveals his suspicions about Cameron and realizes that she has doubts herself. When Debbie and Cain confront Cameron, he lashes out at Cain but accidentally knocks Debbie over, hitting her head and fears she may lose her baby. Fortunately the baby is fine. Back home, Sarah asks if her brother still has "the magic potion" to save her and Debbie is tearful as she realizes how much Sarah wants her brother and how much Sarah would be hurt if anything happened to him. This, however, brings Cameron to his senses as he realized how much he loves Debbie.

Debbie is angry when Cameron forgets to check on Sarah when she is ill because he is on the phone to Carl about the £30,000 he and Chas owes for the picture of them together. Meanwhile, Debbie rushes home with Charity from shopping, to find that Sarah has collapsed. When rushed to hospital, Debbie, Cameron, Charity and Victoria discover Sarah is in a pre-lukaemic state, meaning she is fast developing Leukaemia. Debbie demands to be induced but is refused, as her son will be premature, and could die. In Emmerdale's live episode to celebrate its 40th Anniversary Debbie gave birth to a baby boy called Jack, after Andy's adopted father. When Debbie returns from hospital, she is unaware that Cameron killed Carl King (Tom Lister) the night before. Debbie finds 6 new messages from Carl on her phone, 3 pictures and 3 texts of Cameron sleeping with Chas so Debbie threw Cameron out. Cameron left and Debbie shows the pictures to Cain and Charity. Cameron begged Chas to leave but they were stopped by Charity, Cain, Debbie and Zak. The police were called and Cain and Charity were arrested for breach of the peace. Chas confessed to Carl's murder, unaware that Cameron was actually responsible, and she was arrested. Cain and Charity were released without charge but Chas was charged with Carl's murder, even though she pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Cameron stood by Chas and declared his love for her in front of Debbie. As revenge, Debbie set fire to his possessions and trashed his truck. Cameron declared his love for Chas in the pub in front of Dan and Charity. Charity and Cain then swore to get revenge for Debbie.

Debbie feels she needs to provide more for baby Jack and Sarah after Sarah begins her chemotherapy after her transplant and decides to set up a delivery firm, sleeping with newcomer Dom (Wil Johnson) to get his contracts. After it is revealed that Dom's boss, Pete, does drug work, he tries to get Debbie to do drugs runs for him and threatens Sarah, so Debbie terminates the contract. Debbie hires Robbie Lawson (Jamie Shelton) as her assistant and they begin selling cheap vodka. Their biggest orders were from Eric and Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick) for the B&B and Debbie even tries to rip off Chas in The Woolpack. When the seller's price goes up, Debbie and Robbie set up a meeting with an old friend of Robbie's, Kirk, who is very interested in Debbie. Whilst Debbie is meeting Kirk, Jack and Sarah almost die when Andy's girlfriend, Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton), accidentally sets fire to Dale View. Debbie swore to pay Kerry back and almost kills her in the street. Kirk's interest in Debbie continues even though Robbie reveals he is engaged to a woman named Charlene. Kirk states that Charlene will have him for the rest of their lives and he deserves to have Debbie while he can and kisses her. Debbie becomes wary of him, thinking back on her previous times with engaged men, like Michael. Debbie gets closer to Belle and is horrified when Belle drinks half a bottle of her dodgy vodka and is left with possible brain damage. The Dingles throw Debbie out of the family and Andy takes the children away. She stays with Zak, gets her life back on track and gets closer to Cameron when he comforts her. Cameron feels sorry for Debbie when Andy takes Jack and Sarah away, leading to the pair sharing a brief and tender kiss. Cameron persuades Debbie not to run away with Jack and Sarah because everyone has turned against her. Cameron feels a strong vibe towards her and accidentally, the pair end up in bed together. Just after sleeping with Cameron, he tells Debbie "that it felt right" in his opinion, and she is horrified that he wants her to help him cheat on Chas, like he did to her. Debbie denies it and says that it was a stupid mistake and that all she cares about is her kids at that moment. She then tells Cameron to leave but Debbie knows that she still loves him.

Cameron continues to fight for Debbie and after she angrily confesses that she tried to kill Chas, Cameron realises that it took a lot for her to confess, so he thinks she still trusts him. He follows her home from the café, unaware that Gennie is hidden upstairs with a dictophone, taping their conversation. Cameron confesses that he killed Carl. Debbie says she still loves him and they can get through it together, as she believed that he was with Chas while she was giving birth to Jack, but finally realises that Cameron was "threatened" by Carl and killed him in "self-defence". Debbie and Cameron kiss and head to tell Chas they are back together and while kissing in the street, they notice Gennie sneak out of Tug Ghyll. The pair chase her, which leads to Gennie tossing her car down a ravine. Cameron pulls a hurt Gennie out of the car while Debbie calls an ambulance. When Debbie asks if Gennie will be alright, he nods to her. After she walks off to find the ambulance, Cameron places a hand over Gennie's face and suffocates her to death. Debbie runs down the ravine and throws herself at Cameron, screaming that they've killed her. Cameron kisses her but doesn't tell her he did it. Later when the police arrive Debbie lies to them saying that she found Gennie after driving by. Jai arrives whilst looking for Gennie to see Debbie with the police and is told what had happened. Later Debbie, along with Jai and the police, arrive at The Woolpack and tell Brenda, Bob, Nikhill and Chas about Gennie's death.

When Cameron's murderous crimes are exposed by Debbie and Chas (who eventually found out that Cameron betrayed Chas and cheated on her for Debbie as he did to her a year ago) after gaining evidence from Gennie's Dictaphone. Debbie then exposes Cameron's murders of Carl and Gennie, before picking up the pieces that he killed Alex as well. Panicked and betrayed, Cameron holds Debbie hostage and threatens to have her killed but she manages to injure him when he falls down the stairs. Debbie manages to escape and embraces into Cain and Charity while Cameron is arrested and charged with the murders of Carl, Alex and Gennie. A month later, he manages to escape jail, gaining his passport and clothes. He then buys a ticket for a ferry, so people would assume he's left Yorkshire for good, however he doesn't attend the ferry. When Debbie, Chas and the other villagers are aware of his escape, they panic, with Debbie fearing the worst. Later on, Sarah is taken by Cameron, and locked in a barn, assuring her he will get Debbie and Jack, and go away as a family somewhere. She believes him, but when Zak and Moira are alerted of her disappearance they look for her. Debbie and other villagers including Chas are in The Woolpack she learns Sarah has been found by Andy and Moira, but learns Cameron is back and breaks into the Woolpack, taking everyone hostage also knocking Marlon unconscious and leaving him in the cellar, where the flood water rises. Cameron accidentally shoots Alicia, and David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) begs Cameron to let her out, in need for medical assistance as she is dying. He lets David and Alicia out and the rest of the villagers, except Debbie and Chas Dingle. After being hit by Marlon as he gains consciousness, Debbie and Chas rush to the cellar as they are engulfed by the water rising to the top. Cameron manages to get to the cellar and insists on him and Debbie drowning together. They float to below the water. As Debbie struggles, she manages to get out of Cameron's reach with Chas in tact. As he gasps for breath, and trying to pull Debbie back in, he fails, as she is outside, safe. He grabs a bulb and because of the encounter with the water he is electrocuted, and is finally killed ending his wrath and getting his comeuppance. Debbie rushes to Zak, soaking wet and crying as he reassures her Cameron is where he belongs - in hell, ending the Woolpack siege and Cameron's life.

Debbie struggles to move on from Cameron after the hold he had on her life, and after a new employee at Dingle Automotives, Ross Barton (Michael Parr), makes a clumsy pass at her, she lunges at him when he touches her arm. He constantly attempts to impress her, but always fails. When his brother Pete (Anthony Quinlan) thinks Ross is harassing her, he attacks Ross. An angry Ross later sets up Pete's car so he cannot go to a meeting, so Debbie comes out in the recovery vehicle. After sharing a moment together, they realize their attraction to each other and kiss. They have sex, but when Pete mentions Cameron afterwards, Debbie tells him to get lost. She tries to ignore him, but Chas persuades Debbie to try and leave Cameron in the past and make up with Pete. Debbie and Pete begin a secret relationship, but a jealous Ross soon finds out. When he deliberately damages Ashley Thomas' (John Middleton) car after an argument at the garage, Debbie insists he must compensate with his own money. Ross later buys dodgy flash cars for Debbie to try and win her affections, but furious, she insists he has to get rid of them before her father finds out. He sells them and gives the money to her. Debbie briefly ends her relationship with Pete when he tries to insist she see someone about getting over what Cameron did to her. When Alistair Harper, a man on a callout, comes onto her, she ends up stabbing him in the leg with a screwdriver. She's arrested for assault but is let out on bail. She confesses that she's still vulnerable to Pete who confronts Harper in hospital and threatens him into dropping the charges. After discovering this, Debbie kisses him and they get back together.

Debbie becomes guardian to Charity's baby son while Charity remains in prison. The Dingles name the baby Moses. While leaving Moses in Pete's care, Debbie began an affair with Ross. Ross, however, is later revealed to be the father of Moses. Debbie is unaware of this and continues sleeping with Ross. Debbie and Pete later plan to marry in August, however Debbie and Ross intend to run away together a few days before. There plan is discovered by Cain and later ruined as he reveals to Debbie that Ross is Moses' father. Debbie then orders Cain to dispose of Ross, so he leaves him in a locked van on the edge of a cliff. Debbie and Pete get married, but he learns about her affair with Ross due to Ross recording a conversation between him and Debbie which was accidentally played as Chas, thinking it was the first wedding song. Pete is furious with Debbie, but moments later a helicopter damaged after an explosion caused by Chrissie White (Louise Marwood) crashes into the village hall, killing Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick) and Ruby Haswell (Alicya Eyo). Debbie is found under collapsed debris and is left fighting for her life, as Pete and Cain carry her out of the rubble. Ross has escaped by plunging into water and witnesses Pete putting an unconscious Debbie into the car. He goes to the hospital and asks Pete whether she is alive. He does not respond, worrying Ross. Debbie, however, is placed on life support and wakes up later. Unknown to her, Ross has been killed by Pete and when he goes to visit her in hospital, Debbie begs for Pete's forgiveness and holds out her hand expecting Pete to hold it, to which he does, meaning he has forgiven Debbie, but he tells to forget about Ross. Debbie later comes out of hospital, not knowing where Ross is, however not being able to cope with his guilt, Pete tells Debbie he killed Ross, leaving Debbie shocked and she compares him to Cameron. Ross, however, is later seen alive in a hospital bed determined to win back Debbie. They later begin a relationship. Debbie leaves on New Years Day 2016 after learning Ross shot Robert Sugden (now played by Ryan Hawley) and Andy was involved.

For her portrayal of Debbie, Webb won the "Best Young Actor" award at the 2005 Inside Soap Awards.^[5] In 2007, Webb was nominated for "Best Actress" at the British Soap Awards and the Inside Soap Awards.^[6][7] On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, Chas and Cameron's affair and the subsequent effect on Debbie was voted fourth in the "Best Storyline" category, receiving 8.9% of the vote. Webb told Gemma Graham from TV Buzz that the reason she "loves" playing Debbie is the fact she has always been a fighter. "Nothing will knock her down and if it does she'll get back up again". Webb said that she would not pick a fight with Debbie because she would win "any day".^[8] Webb was nominated for the "Best Actress" award and the "Villain of the Year" award at The British Soap Awards 2013, and has been nominated for the "Best Actress" award again in 2014.

Kris Green of Digital Spy said that he thought the jewellery heist storyline was inspired by the 2000 Millennium Diamond heist.^[4] A writer from Holy Soap said "this tough cookie has had an eventful life, despite her tender years" and named Debbie's most "memorable moment" as being imprisoned for Shane's murder.^[9] In 2011, Gemma Graham of TV Buzz said that Webb had spent ten years in British living rooms playing Debbie. They said she is a character that has received numerous blows because she is a Dingle – but always came back fighting. If anyone needed a character from Emmerdale to fight their battles, Graham said that Debbie would be their choice. Of her attitude Graham added, "There's barely a soul in the soap's village who hasn't received a tongue-lashing from our Debs at one time or other. Quite honestly, she even puts the fear of God into us."^[3] Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap said that Debbie was not happy with Cameron nor Andy, "judging by the amount of time she spends looking miserable."^[10] Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury branded Debbie as an "ice queen".^[11]

List of soap opera villains

• Debbie Dingle at itv.com
• Debbie Dingle at What's on TV
• Debbie Dingle at Holy Soap