Lucy Pargeter has been in Emmerdale as Chas Dingle for almost 20 years.
Chas is one of the show’s most iconic characters. Part of the legendary Dingle family, she’s also the landlady of the village pub, The Woolpack, and has been at the heart of many of the soap’s most dramatic stories.
But what about the woman who plays her? Who is Lucy Pargeter? Is she married? How how many children does she have? And what was the health scare that left her needing surgery?
Read more: Who is in the cast of Emmerdale 2022? Meet the full line-up
Who plays Chas Dingle in Emmerdale and what else has Lucy Pargeter been in?
Actress Lucy Pargeter arrived in Emmerdale as Chas Dingle in 2002 dressed as a nun. However, she was really a stripper hired for her cousin Marlon’s stag do!
Lucy was born in March 1977, making her 45 years old.
Prior to Emmerdale, she was in a band called Paperdolls, who toured with Boyzone.
Her acting career saw her have a part in the rebooted Crossroads, as well as roles in Soldier Soldier, and Dalziel and Pascoe.
She has also taken part in various reality TV shows, including Soapstar Superstar in 2006, where she finished in third place.
In 2013 she flew to Australia to take part in I’m A Celebrity and ended up in third place again behind David Emanuel and winner Kian Egan.
Is Lucy Pargeter married?
In 2019 Lucy announced she had split from long-term partner Rudi Coleano.
The actress and football coach had been together for more than 12 years.
A spokesperson confirmed the couple had separated, telling Digital Spy: “Lucy Pargeter has confirmed she has separated from her long term partner Rudi Coleano and while no longer together their main priority is raising their three daughters.”
How many children does Lucy Pargeter have?
Lucy and Rudi share three children together. Their first daughter, Lola, was born in 2005.
Twins Missy and Betsy, whom she calls the ‘Twirls’, followed in April 2017 after Lucy underwent IVF.
Lucy revealed she and Rudi had been trying to conceive a sibling for Lola for 11 years.
Struggles as a single mum
Lucy has previously opened up about her struggles as a single mum especially during the lockdown periods of 2020 and 2021.
When asked if she loved or loathed lockdown, she said: “I hated the film Groundhog Day and I hated the monotony of the whole thing. I went into it thinking I’m going to be really creative and do something different everyday.
“Then tiredness kicked in, and monotony kicked in, and missing my mates, and then the massive weight of responsibility kicked in.
“I’m here on my own with my three kids. I’m used to being a single mum but then you have to put into the mix that you’re actually trying to fight to keep your children alive and the fear of what would happen if I became sick. It’s all the implications.
“It’s a life and death situation for so many people and that has hit me massively.”
Health fears over her breast implants
In 2019 Lucy had her breast implants removed, after they stopped her breathing properly for 11 years.
The mum-of-three underwent the operation after enduring years of illness which she attributes to her boob job.
She told The Sun: “They are out. I’m as flat as a pancake, I look awful but feel good.
“When I woke up in recovery, the first thing I did was panic because I could breathe – I could take in a massive breath.
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