Bernice is set to depart Emmerdale, but why is she leaving? And is she going permanently or is this just another break for actress Samantha Giles?
After defrauding her sister, Nicola, Bernice is in a whole heap of trouble. But will she be waving goodbye to Emmerdale in the back of a police car? Or of her own accord?
Bernice has certainly got herself into some trouble over the years – and Samantha hasn’t always been squeaky clean either! Let’s take a look at Bernice’s life on screen – and the controversies off it!
How old is Bernice in Emmerdale?
Bernice was born on December 29, 1968. This makes her 54. She will turn 55 at the end of the year.
She is played by actress Samantha Giles, who is younger than Bernice at 52.
Bernice Blackstock arrives in Emmerdale
Bernice came to the village in 1998, and got a job working behind the bar in the Woolpack.
She’d already been married once – to a man called Anthony Binns – but had broken up with him when she found out he was seeing another man. That was gay husband number one.
And soon after arriving in Emmerdale, she discovered that her fiancé, Gavin, was cheating on her with Jason Kirk. Bernice called off the engagement and thanks to a gift from a friend, became landlady of the Woolpack.
Who else has Bernice been married to?
She started a romance with village vicar Ashley Thomas and the pair tied the knot at a festive Christmas wedding.
Bernice got pregnant but had a miscarriage and when Ashley got a job elsewhere, she felt abandoned by her new husband just when she needed him most. So she was soon cheating on poor Ashley with Carlos Diaz.
The pair broke off their romance and he started dating Bernice’s sister Nicola. But soon he and Bernice were seeing each other again.
And when Bernice found out she was pregnant with Gabrielle she didn’t know for sure who the baby’s father was.
Though she later discovered Gabby was Ashley’s baby, Bernice didn’t take to motherhood and she left the village, leaving Ashley to care for Gabby.
Husband number three for Bernice Blackstock
Bernice returned to the village in 2012, having been married to a man called Charlie while she was away, and giving birth to another daughter, Diane – known as DeeDee.
But when she came to Emmerdale she confessed she’d been cheating with a married man called Steve, who joined her in the village.
After being involved in the dramatic siege at the Woolpack when Cameron Murray held several villagers hostage, Bernice settled into Emmerdale life and opened a salon.
Who was Bernice Blackstock’s fourth husband and was he gay?
Things got hot and steamy when Bernice gave Andy Sugden a massage and the pair ended up kissing.
They had an affair even though Andy was back with wife Katie and Bernice was seeing older man Lawrence White.
When Bernice and Lawrence got engaged, she discovered that he had once had an affair with Ronnie Hale and was struggling with unresolved issues around his sexuality.
When Andy and Bernice woke up together on the morning of Bernice’s wedding, Chrissy – Lawrence’s daughter – caught them.
But Lawrence offered Bernice the chance to have an open marriage and she accepted and the wedding went ahead. Just as Andy arrived to tell her he wanted to make a go of things.
Did Bernice and Liam get married?
After Lawrence and Bernice broke up and Lawrence died in a gruesome car accident caused by his evil grandson Lachlan, Bernice found comfort in the arms of Daz Spencer for a while, but then moved on to suave doctor Liam Cavanagh.
Bernice even found herself in hospital after injecting dodgy botox in an attempt to look good for her handsome younger fella.
But when DeeDee’s dad Charlie was in an accident in Australia on the eve of their wedding, Bernice left Liam behind in Emmerdale and rushed off Down Under to care for her younger daughter.
She thought she’d only be gone for a little while, but her move was permanent. Liam moved on with Leyla.
However when Bernice came back to the village, she tried her best to get her ex back. She even got dressed in a wedding dress to persuade Liam to marry her!
Although Liam and Leyla wed, their marriage hit the skids due to her drug addiction and he ended up kissing Bernice.
Bernice tries to move on with Bob in Emmerdale?
After going into business with Bob Hope, buying the B&B together, Bernice felt like the career side of her life was going well. However, she is experiencing something of a dry spell when it comes to her love life.
Convinced she’d never be attractive to a man again, Bernice had a heart to heart with Bob in May. But she mis-read the situation and moved in for a kiss. He rejected her, but it was clear he didn’t actually want to push her away.
However, he recommitted to his partner Wendy (despite her cheating with Dr Liam) and Bernice was left alone once more.
What’s wrong with Bernice in Emmerdale?
Bernice spent much of 2022 behaving strangely. She was flustered and irrational. She also couldn’t control her emotions. Bernice was tearful and feeling lonely.
Her daughter Gabby accidentally suggested it could be dementia, causing Bernice even further heartache after ex-husband Ashley had early onset Alzheimer’s.
But a visit to Dr Liam soon revealed the real diagnosis: Bernice is going through the menopause.
She really struggled to accept the diagnosis, believing she’s now past her prime and no man will ever look at her again. She also set up a menopause support group in the village, but was left disappointed when people thought it was boring.
So, why is Bernice leaving Emmerdale?
Bernice tried to flee the village last night (Monday November 14) after racking up mountains of debt. She had taken out a loan in sister Nicola’s name, failed to pay B&B creditors and even borrowed money from her mum, Diane. And when she didn’t pay anything back, bailiffs turned up and began clearing Nicola’s house out.
After the truth was revealed Bernice decided to leave in order to save herself from prison. But Nicola was insistent she was going to report her sister.
Samantha Giles has confirmed she is leaving the soap and her exit will air this month. But will she head off in the back of a police car and go to jail? Or is there another exit in store for her?
Will Bernice be back?
It hasn’t been confirmed whether Samantha will return to Emmerdale as Bernice. However, she has left many times before only to return after a couple of years.
She started on the show in 1998 and stayed until 2002, returning briefly in 2004. She came back properly in 2012 and was on the show until 2019. After departing to pursue her dream of writing children’s books, Samantha returned in 2021.
It seems likely this won’t be the last we ever see of Bernice in Emmerdale.
Of her exit, Sam has revealed to Metro.co.uk: “If you are a creative person you have to feel you can spread your wings too and paint a different picture each day, rather than just the same painting day after day.”
Samantha is next starring in Panto in Bradford. The practising witch also writes books and is hoping to adapt her first one into a TV series.
Off-screen controversies
Samantha has been involved in her fair share of drama off-screen as well as on it.
In the early 2000s she became romantically involved with Chris Tate actor Peter Amory. He was married to Kim Tate actress Claire King at the time.
Samantha insisted she and Peter had begun dating after both of their marriages broke down. However, Claire was resolute things had started well before she separated from Peter.
“I had a feeling that something was going on,” she told The Mirror in 2005. “But then it was Samantha’s husband who wrote me a letter and told me.
“I questioned Pete and he admitted it had been going on for a while. He told me it was over but then it started again. At that point I said: ‘Well, you have to go with her then, because it obviously isn’t going to stop.'”
However, speaking on Loose Women in 2017, the actress said time was a great healer and she’d actually realised she was also partly to blame for her marriage split. “W’d just kind of grown apart,” she said.
Claire went on to explain she had forgiven Samantha. “I met Sam at a funeral of a dear friend of ours and we bumped into each other. She [Sam] said ‘look, I’m really sorry,’ and I said, ‘It’s so long ago, it’s water under the bridge, it’s fine.'”
Who is Sam Giles married to?
Samantha and Peter did not stay together.
She married production manager Sean Pritchard in 2010. The couple have two children together. Eve was born in 2009 and Olivia in 2012.
Feud with Gemma Collins
Last year, Samantha found herself at the centre of a media storm when she joked about ‘punching’ Gemma Collins.
During an interview with Daily Star at the MEN Pride of Manchester Awards in May 2022, Samantha said: “All these reality stars, I haven’t got a clue who they are!
“That Gemma Collins, I think I’d punch her if I ever came across her. I don’t know – how can someone so talentless and revolting have made so much money?”
She added: “I wouldn’t mind if she’d give it away and did something good with it, but all she seems to do is put more [expletive] on her face and do her nails.”
However Gemma Collins saw the report and responded to Samantha on her Instagram story. Sharing an article with Samantha’s quotes, Gemma wrote: “#BeKind. I don’t find someone wanting to punch me a joke.”
In other stories, Gemma continued: “Nothing wrong with reality stars. We were all given an opportunity and we made the best out of it.
“I give loads to animal charities and charity and I don’t just do my face and get my nails done, I work hard. Very upset to think a woman wants to punch me, for what exactly?”
Gemma added: “Really upset right now. Loved her character in Emmerdale.”
Samantha Giles apologises to Gemma Collins
Samantha went on to issue an apology to Gemma, claiming the quotes had been taken out of context.
She wrote on Twitter: “Hi everyone, I’m aware that comments I made on a press red carpet have been taken out of the context I meant them, so I’d like to apologise to @missgemcollins for my misjudged jokes which I honestly didn’t mean.
“I hope this apology is acceptable. Hands held up from me x.”
Gemma saw the tweet and responded. She said: “I am sending you love though because people like you need it the most, you say you’re spiritual… punching people is NOT spiritual, it’s abuse… I’d like to hear the tape from the recording as I can’t see anything funny in it.”
Read more: Complete Emmerdale cast list 2023 – meet them all here!
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an hour episode on Thursdays.
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