CHARITY'S HISTORY

Charity Dingle arrived in Emmerdale in 2000, for her cousin Butch's funeral. She'd been rejected by her family as a child and had turned to thieving and prostitution.

Charity quickly set her sights on millionaire Chris Tate and the pair got married in 2001.

The day wouldn't have been complete without a pink Cadillac and Elvis for a driver.

What Chris didn't know was that Charity had had a pre-marital affair with his sister, Zoe. 

Charity was stunned when her daughter, Debbie, arrived in the village in 2003 under the foster care of Paddy and Emily Kirk. Debbie's adoptive mother was terminally ill and had revealed the true identity of her biological mother. Charity's cousin, Cain, had got her pregnant at the age of 13. She gave the baby away but her family still threw her out. 

Charity got close to her daughter and in turn started spending more time with Cain. They had an affair and Chris found out - at the same time as discovering that he had a brain tumour. 

Chris poisoned himself and framed Charity for his death. He'd made sure her fingertips were all over the glass and had even forged her signature on the receipt for the poison.

Charity was given a life sentence for murder. However, when she realised she was pregnant with Chris's child, Zoe offered her money in exchange for custody of the baby, and she would provide evidence that Chris had killed himself. Charity took her up on the offer, but when Social Services wouldn't let Zoe keep the child, Charity got to keep her baby and her freedom.

Charity was a free woman and got a job working for the new rich guy in town - Tom King. Despite the age gap, Tom fell for Charity and they got engaged.

The only fly in the ointment was Sadie King, who was married to Tom's son, Jimmy. Sadie knew from day one that Charity's main motivation was money.

Charity warned Sadie to stay out of her and Tom's business and gave her a taste of what would come if she didn't.

But Sadie wouldn't let it go and was determined to get rid of the woman who posed a threat to her family - and her share in the family business. She set Charity up, taking pictures of her kissing Cain and showed them to Tom on his wedding day. 

The couple were about to say 'I do' when Tom brought out the pictures.

By this time, Charity was genuinely in love with Tom and begged him to believe that it was a set-up. But he told her it was over.

Charity was on her own again but she wasn't going to let Sadie get away with ruining her life.

Sadie didn't know who she was messing with and it was only a matter of time until Charity wreaked her revenge.

Charity seduced Jimmy King and got him to talk about how Sadie had set her up.

... and she recorded every word. Charity showed Tom the evidence and he threw both Sadie and Jimmy out. Tom begged Charity to stay but she was done with the village and left with her son, Noah, in 2005.

But now she's back and she's bound to cause more chaos...