Emmerdale star Charlotte Bellamy has discussed the future of her character Laurel Thomas’s new storyline with local vicar Charles Anderson.

Laurel and Charles gave into temptation this week after their tensions over the Harvest Festival turned into unexpected passion.

The pair had been bickering over how the church should mark the occasion, with Charles and his mum Claudette both fearing that Laurel’s ideas were too modern for a religious setting.

Laurel annoyed Charles by sticking to her original plans without his blessing – confident in her ideas after her own long history with the church. After all, Laurel’s late husband Ashley did used to serve as the village’s vicar.

In the end, Laurel and Charles’s row took a turn as they shared a passionate kiss and headed upstairs together.

Discussing her first reaction to the storyline, Charlotte admitted: “I didn’t see it coming! I think it’s probably a little bit of a rebound, and the fact that he’s got a dog collar on, probably.

“It’s a bit of fun, really. And I think after Jai, she needs a bit of fun, doesn’t she?”

Asked whether Laurel’s feelings for Charles run any deeper, Charlotte replied: “No, I don’t think so. I think she’s going to be quite happy being single for a while and being her own woman. She’s got her friends, like Nicola, and I think they’re going to have a bit of fun.

“I think that’s quite important to see – that you don’t have to be partnered off, do you, as a woman? But at the same time, you can have a bit of fun as well.”

Laurel struggles to keep her connection to Charles under wraps next week as her best friend Nicola finds out what’s going on.

Laurel’s teenage son Arthur is also taken by surprise when he catches his mum with Charles at Mulberry Cottage.

Charlotte laughed: “Nicola thinks it’s hilarious, like two women do in that sort of situation, when something’s just surprising and out of the blue.

“With Arthur, can you imagine how mortifying that would be? It’s every parent’s nightmare. But Alfie [Clarke], who plays Arthur, played it very well. And he’s so funny. He’s a real teenager himself, so he plays that very well. You wouldn’t be able to un-see that though.”

For more Emmerdale gossip, don’t forget to check out our collection of 7 huge spoilers for next week and 19 spoiler pictures.