BRASH and bold Val Pollard was a character fans loved to hate in Emmerdale. But before she ever portrayed her in the ITV soap, Charlie Hardwick showed off the magic that made her character iconic during a screen test.
A force to be reckoned with, Val Lambert first set foot in the Dales in 2004, meeting up with her older sister, former pub landlady Diane Sugden.
Much like Diane, Val was not one to mince words but the flamboyant, straight-talking character took things to another level as she'd like to get a rise out of villagers.
Not one to shy away from havoc, from creating it to taking part in it, Val told it like it is but also like it isn't, depending on which was more interesting in her eyes.
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