Well, who’d have thought it? Bernice and Lawrence! Samantha Giles explains to Soaplife the attraction between Emmerdale’s odd couple...
What does Bernice feel for Lawrence?
“She has fallen in love with him because he’s so kind and lovely to her and they get on really well, but she’s in denial about the physical side of things - which is non-existent.”
That’s going to be a problem for hot-blooded Bernice…
“Yes, it has the potential to be disastrous. Sex is very important to her.”
Then Kerry creates doubts…
“Kerry [Laura Norton] says that she sees Bernice with a gay old man and suggests that while Lawrence might be lovely, he’s not exactly a stud like Andy.”
Why does Bernice then go to see Andy?
“She wants to make sure that there’s no chance at all with Andy [Kelvin Fletcher]. She still has feelings for him, but has tucked them away in a box.”
So is Lawrence who she’s “settling” for?
“It’s not that. Lawrence [John Bowe] is kind, he accepts her for who she is, doesn’t seem to find her irritating. She has always been quite interested in money but, in this instance, money isn’t the attraction. She has been so badly let down by men in the past, it’s nice to be with someone who is solid and reliable.”
So why isn’t Diane happy for her?
“Diane [Elizabeth Estensen] sees him and Chrissie [Louise Marwood] as the enemy. They’re trying to oust Robert [Ryan Hawley] from their house and Chrissie is responsible for the crash that killed Val [Charlie Hardwick].”
And their engagement party goes horribly wrong, right?
“Yes. It’s at Home Farm and they have lovely champagne and nibbles with friends and family, but then Cain [Jeff Hordley] turns up and has a go at Chrissie and Lawrence. Bernice is devastated that it’s ruined.”
Can their relationship last?
“It could - but Bernice will have to adjust her expectations if there’s going to be no sex. And that has got the potential for a lot of drama, which is quite exciting.”
Emmerdale, ITV.
