Samantha Giles has revealed that she is returning to the Dales. The 41-year-old actress is set to reprise her award-winning role of Ashley Thomas' ex-wife Bernice Blackstock on ITV1 soap Emmerdale. "It's so lovely to be asked back to Emmerdale. The show is on top form and I'm really looking forward to being part of the team again," she told the Daily Star Sunday. The soap's series producer Stuart Blackburn hinted that the character's comeback will create some tension. "Bernice Blackstock has always been one of Emmerdale's most popular characters. Linked to Nicola, Ashley, Diane, Rodney and her daughter Gabby, she remains right at the heart of the show," he said. "With the recent separation of Ashley and Laurel, and problems ahead for Diane, the time is right for Bernice to come back and really stir things up." Samantha originally appeared on Emmerdale as Bernice between 1998 and 2002, where her alter-ego had a torrid affair with chef Carlos Diaz during her marriage to Ashley. The Where The Heart Is actress, who has also appeared on Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks, later made a brief return in 2004.
