Emmerdale: Charity learns baby is Ross Barton's, considers abortion

In tonight’s episode of Emmerdale, Charity Dingle learned the results of a paternity test and was told the child she is carrying is Ross Barton’s, a revelation that sets in motion a series of secrets and a decision that could upend several relationships in the village. After confiding in her sister Chas, Charity booked an abortion and wrestled with whether to tell her husband Mackenzie Boyd and the intended parents, Sarah and Jacob Gallagher, who believe Charity is carrying Sarah’s baby as a surrogate.

The storyline traces back to earlier tensions after Charity agreed to be a surrogate for Sarah Sugden and Jacob Gallagher, a plan opposed by Mackenzie. Following a drunken row at home and a kiss with ex Vanessa Woodfield that led to Charity being thrown out, she later slept with Ross. When she discovered she was pregnant, uncertainty about paternity prompted her to arrange a test, the results of which arrived in tonight’s episode. Chas urged Charity not to worsen the situation, but Charity, fearful of fracturing her family and of losing her granddaughter and husband, moved to conceal the truth.

Actor Emma Atkins, who plays Charity, described her character’s state, saying, "The...