Charley Webb, best known for her role as Debbie Dingle on Emmerdale, has revealed she is undergoing assessment for autism and ADHD, sharing the news during an appearance on the Girls Next Door podcast.
The 37-year-old actress, who starred on the ITV soap from 2002 to 2021, spoke candidly about her journey, saying she has only just started the process with doctors. “I’ve sort of just been diagnosed with that… More autism – autistic/ADHD. I’m like ‘what?’,” Charley explained.
Reflecting on her experiences, Charley added, “I think ADHD is such a big subject now, and I think everyone is probably on the spectrum somewhere, like, it’s how deep you go into it. But it does make a lot of sense for me for things like people thinking that I’m really cold. I think that could just be a little bit of the autistic side of me if it is true.”
The mother of three, who shares her children with former Emmerdale co-star Matthew Wolfenden, also spoke about sensory sensitivities. “Noise for me – the trigger of noise. I go from nought to 60 in like one second… If I go somewhere really busy, I find it so overwhelming,” she said.
Charley emphasized the importance of understanding oneself, noting that conversations about ADHD and autism were rare years ago but are now more common. “It’s something that’s within you… It’s genetic. Like ADHD, for instance, one parent would have to have it in order for a child to have it,” she added.
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, affects how the brain functions and can make focusing or sitting still difficult. With the right support and strategies, symptoms can be managed effectively.
Charley’s openness comes as she continues her life beyond the soap that made her a household name. Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX.
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