22 January 2024 , 19:00
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Chas Dingle is to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in Emmerdale.
The fan-favourite character - played by Lucy Pargeter - was urged by her lover Dr Liam Cavanagh to go to the doctor after he spotted a lump in her breast whilst the pair were being intimate. Worried, given that her mother Faith Dingle - played by Sally Dexter, died of breast cancer, she headed to the doctors, where she was seen quickly and given a biopsy.
Tonight, she was given the results that she has triple negative breast cancer, no doubt giving her fears about the future. Her mother Faith died of breast cancer in sad scenes to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.
Chas Dingle has been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (ITV)Speaking about the storyline previously, Lucy - who plays Chas - shared: "When the producers first discussed this storyline with me I knew I didn’t want us to shy away from any aspect of this diagnosis for Chas. She saw her own mother ultimately die after an incurable breast cancer diagnosis, so for Chas to receive a breast cancer diagnosis herself, makes it all the more poignant.
"Our audience knows her so well, they have seen her relationships, know her faults, her passions, her insecurities, quirks and fears. So for them to see this story play out will be more meaningful given everything that has happened to both her and her mother. I think this is the beauty of our genre ‘Soap’. However, I am more than aware of the huge responsibility with us telling this story. I hope we can do it justice. It won’t be all doom and gloom, there will be ups and downs just like with anything. But I hope it looks and feels real. And if just a few people get help for breast changes that do not feel or look right, it could do some good too."
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Kate Brooks, show producer, added: "When this story was first pitched, we were acutely aware how important it was to explore this. With Chas’s family history of breast cancer and Chas being such a strong character, and in many ways the bedrock of the Dingles, we wanted to show the impact on not just her, but her immediate family. With Lucy Pargeter’s innate ability to showcase Chas’s vulnerabilities beneath her hardened exterior, we knew she was absolutely the right character to play this with."
What is triple-negative breast cancer?
Triple-negative breast cancer is described by Cancer Research UK as a type of cancer which does not have receptors for either the hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, or a protein known as Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2.
A biopsy is usually taken and tested by a doctor, who will test to see if they can locate these receptors. Triple-negative breast cancer usually develops in women under 40 years and is much more rare in men.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.