Created 1st February 2004
Updated: 28th May 2004

Valerie ("Val") Lambert
Appeared: 1st February 2004 -

Played by: Charlie Hardwick

Younger sister of Diane Blackstock.

Val has two children one gay son Paul who lives in Canada and a daughter Sharon.


Until recently Val had not spoken to her son in 5 years after he tried to steal one of her boyfriends. However it was Paul who told her where Diane was now living. So Val turned up in Emmerdale.

Val is 10 years younger than Diane. So she was born around 1957. Val's mother died when she was only two and she grew up with her father. Diane lived near by to help out with her sister's upbringing.

At 15 Val became sexually active.

At 19 Val began an affair with her brother-in-law Rodney Blackstock. She claims he broke her heart and doesn't seem too worried then or now by the fact he was married to her sister Diane. Their affair began one night when Val went over to Rodney & Diane's home. Diane was out and was babysitting Bernice who was in bed. The affair continued for a while until one morning Diane woke up to find a note saying Rodney had left her for Rita "the hatchet girl" with whom he had been seeing. He would live with Rita for five years. The end of Rodney's marriage to Diane also signaled the end of his affair to Val. They would not see each other again for nearly 30 years.

Diane did not know about the affair between her then husband Rodney and her sister Val until 5th April 2004.

Two weeks after Rodney left Val began seeing Jimmy Pepper and was soon pregnant supposedly with his child.

Val's history in Emmerdale through news articles

ITV.COM Sister Act

Monday | 02.02.04

Diane is shocked to see her sister Val's eyes

Emmerdale's Diane Blackstock's shocked by the arrival of sister Val.

Diane is busy preparing to celebrate her engagement to fiancé Jack Sugden and is less than enthusiastic about her sibling's dramatic entrance.

Val tells Diane that her badly bruised black eyes are the work of her violent old boyfriend, but canny Diane questions the truthfulness of the story. Although it is obvious that Val is going through a really hard time, Diane fears that being dragged into her web of catastrophe will only ruin her own life too.

When Jack discovers the pair engaged in an icy conversation he wonders what could have happened to make Diane so cold towards Val - but there's no time to discover the truth.

Instead Diane is strong-armed into offering Val a place to stay before going down to the Woolpack bar to enjoy her party.

Will Val make life even harder for poor Diane?

Val

The Sun 1st February 2004

EMMERDALE


Sun to Fri - ITV1

SISTER OF MERCY


DIANE is shocked when her long-lost younger sister Val arrives, sporting two black eyes and claiming her boyfriend beat her up.

In fact, the bruising is from plastic surgery and Val is on the run to avoid paying back the money she borrowed for the op.

"Diane hasn’t seen her in years," says Elizabeth Estensen, who plays The Woolpack’s landlady. "But she is worried by the bruises and lets Val stay at the pub, though she doesn’t trust her."

Val gets sympathy at Diane and Jack’s engagement party, but when a man comes looking for her next day, Diane hears the truth.

At first, she threatens to give Val’s ‘attacker’, who is called Eugene, some of his own medicine. But it turns out Val borrowed cash from him for an operation.

"Diane is furious," says Elizabeth, "but gets rid of him. However, when Val skives off while she is supposed to be helping in the pub, Diane tells the taken-in regulars that her sister isn’t a battered woman. She’s getting over a nose job!"

ITV.COM Two Lovely Black Eyes

Tuesday | 03.02.04



Emmerdale's Diane Blackstock discovers the truth behind sister Val's injuries.

The Woolpack landlady has taken pity on her bruised younger sibling, fearing that she has been the victim of horrifying domestic abuse.

And despite her initial misgivings, Diane is glad to have Val around as she mourns the death of close pal Tricia Dingle.

However, just as Val is becoming a trusted confidante to her distraught sibling, a visitor to the pub reveals that all is not what it seems as regards her troubling injuries.

Actress Charlie Hardwick - who plays deceitful Val - explains, "When Val's ex- boyfriend arrives, she immediately tries to hide in the toilet so he doesn't see her.

"I don't think she's ever been one to confront problematic situations, but luckily for her Diane volunteers to help her out this time."

But when the ex reveals that her black eyes are the result of a nose job he paid for, and that Val is refusing to pay her debt, all hell breaks loose.

Charlie adds, "When Diane discovers that Val has lied to her, the peace between them is shattered once again."

ITV.COM New Kid On The Block

Thursday | 05.02.04



Emmerdale newcomer Charlie Hardwick loves life in the Yorkshire Dales.

The accomplished actress has just started work as troublesome outsider Val Lambert, the sister of the Woolpack pub's beloved landlady Diane Blackstock.

And while Val is already ruffling feathers in the village with her deceitful antics, Val is making sure that she makes every moment on set count. Especially since starring in Emmerdale has been a lifelong dream of hers.

Charlie enthuses, "I've always watched Emmerdale, so I feel very privileged to be part of the show. In fact, at the moment I'm not sleeping properly because I'm so excited about playing Val, which is a bit stupid considering I have to be up at six o'clock every morning. I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve!

"I also have the greatest respect for Liz Estensen, who plays Diane. I've always admired her work, so to be playing her sister is just fantastic and a real privilege."


The Sun Online 8th March 2004 - http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2004110250,00.html


Toyboy snog for Val

Stolen kiss ... Val and Danny

RANDY Val Lambert gets to grips with a toyboy in Emmerdale. Val (Charlie Hardwick) lets antique dealer Danny Daggert (Cleveland Campbell) get ’old of her in a lunchtime romp.

Toying with him... couple dress after romp

ITV.COM Here’s To You Mrs Robinson

Wednesday | 10.03.04



Emmerdale veteran Val Lambert wants to bag a younger man.

The wayward sister of Woolpack landlady Diane Blackstock is determined to win the affections of local hunk Danny Daggart in record time.

Ever since she arrived in Emmerdale, Val has been eager to ingratiate herself with the villagers. But she is finding life in the Dales a bit dull and thinks a fling is just what she needs to improve her life.

But when Val mentions her intentions towards unsuspecting Danny to sister Diane, the brassy blonde cannot believe what she’s hearing.

Finding the whole situation hilarious, Diane tells Val she has no chance to seducing Danny.

However, resilient Val isn’t giving up that easily and when she spies Danny in the street she drops her shopping and he rushes to help her.

As Danny looks up to speak to Val, she makes her intentions known by flashing him a look at her cleavage.

Will Danny be tempted by his very own Mrs Robinson?

ITV.COM A Marked Man

Thursday | 11.03.04



Danny Daggart is getting the impression he's a marked man.

The hunky youngster has been on the receiving end of some heavy duty flirting from veteran admirer Val Lambert all week long.

And after initially dismissing her advances as mere friendliness, Danny is now certain that Val wants to seduce him - much to the delight of those around him.

In an attempt to further convince Danny of her interest in him, Val decides to pay him a visit at work, and their meeting demonstrates just how dead set Val is on getting her man.

But is poor Danny ready to play Benjamin Braddock to her low rent Mrs Robinson?

It certainly seems that Danny is nonplussed by the middle-aged siren when he and pal Paul Marsden discuss her over a pint. But when Paul's wife Siobhan wades in with confirmation that Val is after Danny, the antiques barn employee starts thinking.

Can he resist Val's seduction techniques?

 

Love Hurts

Wednesday | 17.03.04

Emmerdale's Val Lambert has a difficult love decision to make.

The randy veteran has been dating local millionaire Rodney Blackstock and his young employee Danny Daggart but has to chose between them.

Although Val has loved every minute of being a woman in demand she now realises it is time to concentrate her attentions on just one of her suitors. But, unable to face the problem, worried Val decides to ditch both men - leaving Rodney, in particular, devastated.

So when Val goes round to visit him and offers to give their burgeoning romance another chance - Rodney jumps at the chance. But, as eagle-eyed viewers will notice, during the chat Val talks about her romantic past with the antiques boss, and a fling that took place during his marriage to her sister - Woolpack landlady Diane!

Actress Charlie Hardwick, who plays hot-blooded Val, says, "In Val's own words, she's heading for a crash and she can't put the brakes on.

"Rodney seems to be interested in her - but has made no mention of the past - so she loses her patience, gets drunk and cuts straight to the chase."

How will Diane react to the new romance?

BBC Pure Soap 26th March 2004

Another Emmerdale love triangle
Another Emmerdale love triangle
Those Emmerdale folk spend so much time jumping in and out of each other's beds, it's a wonder any work gets done.
Following the recent sexual revelations surrounding the close-knit Sugden clan, the ongoing love triangle between toy-boy Danny (Cleveland Campbell), Val (Charlie Hardwick) and mature millionaire Rodney (Patrick Mower) looks set to reach boiling point next month.
It's definitely crunch time for Val at the beginning of April when she sneaks Danny into her bedroom behind Rodney's back, and is then forced to finally choose between her two lovers.
"The storyline is set to hot up," an Emmerdale spokesperson said.
"Like all love triangles, things ultimately get found out, and sparks are certainly set to fly when Val gets rumbled. How long will she be able to juggle her lovers?"
Not for much longer by the sound of things. Cast and crew have already shot a scene where Val's suitors come to blows.
"Me and Rodney have a little fall out over Val," revealed Cleveland Campbell, 26.
So which of the beaus comes off better?
"Neither," he explained. "But we both give as good as we get."

Extract from The Sun's Weekly Guide To The Soaps - 4th April 2004

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001330006-2004150028_3,00.html

EMMERDALE

FIGHTING TALK


SMOOTH millionaire Rodney is proud of his reputation as a ladykiller. So he is incensed when he finds out he’s been sharing Val with his young protégé, Danny.

Danny is just as angry to discover his boss has been sleeping with Val. And the men come to blows on the village green.

Rodney tells ex-wife Diane that the affair with her sister began while they were still married, many years ago. She is stunned and orders Val out of her life.

"Rodney sees Danny and Val snogging when he checks the CCTV footage after a theft," says Patrick Mower, who plays the wine-dealing ladies’ man.

He sets off to confront Danny, and after a heated exchange outside the pub a fight breaks out that is witnessed by a number of Woolpack drinkers.

Diane stops the scrap and goes ballistic when she finds out it’s all Val’s fault. She threatens to throw her sister out of the pub.

Val visits Rodney to ask for another chance and says that she’ll tell Diane about their affair if he doesn’t agree to go back out with her - but Rodney confesses all to Diane himself.

Furious, she throws Val out.

Val turns to Jack in her hour of need and he lets her stay, telling Diane that he can’t make Val sleep on the streets.

He later asks Diane to swallow her pride and let her sister move back in. Not wanting to see him put out, she agrees.

ITV.COM An Affair To Remember

Monday | 05.04.04

Emmerdale's Rodney Blackstock confronts his romantic demons this week.

The hot-blooded antiques dealer has been secretly seeing Val Lambert, with whom he conducted an affair during his marriage to her sister.

Rodney was upset at the weekend when he realised Val has been two-timing him with his youthful employee Danny Daggart. Resolved to cut her out of his life, Rodney confronts the love cheat and tells her there is no going back for them.

In retaliation, Val threatens to come clean to unsuspecting sister Diane about her and Rodney's passionate affair - but the brave veteran decides to take matters into his own hands.

Knowing that the revelation is bound to infuriate the kindly Woolpack landlady, Rodney tries to break the news to Diane gently.

But the double betrayal by her one-time husband and sister is a devastating blow to Diane. Will either of them enjoy a good relationship with her again?

ITV.COM Taking Sides

Tuesday | 06.04.04

Emmerdale veteran Jack Sugden is put in an awkward position.

The long-suffering farmer is torn between his loyalties to lover Diane Blackstock and her wayward sister Val Lambert, who she's thrown out.

Diane and Val have had an uneasy relationship ever since the flighty schemer landed on her sister's doorstep. Although Diane has tried to help Val change her ways, recent events have driven them even further apart.

Diane was horrified when she discovered Val had struck up a romance with her ex- husband Rodney Blackstock - but even more disgusted when the local lothario admitted to bedding Val during their marriage years ago.

Feeling utterly betrayed by two of the people closest to her, Diane is in no mood to forgive Val's indiscretions. So the troublesome blonde decides to put herself in Jack's care - much to his discomfort.

But with Val's reputation as a maneater firmly established, how will Diane react with she discovers Jack is letting her errant sister stay with him?

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