Emmerdale Spoilers for Next Week – Monday 19th to Friday 23rd February

Next week on Emmerdale, Charity attacks Mackenzie, Ruby turns to an unlikely source as she seeks revenge on Caleb, and reality sinks in further for Belle.

Charity’s (Emma Atkins) struggle with PTSD reaches a dramatic crescendo next week, when a night terror causes her to attack husband Mackenzie (Lawrence Robb).

Charity’s mental health has been in decline since accidentally shooting dead Damon ‘Harry’ Harris (Robert Beck), the villainous father of Chloe (Jessie Elland).

Although the police concluded that Charity wasn’t at fault, after the gun went off as she tried to dive in and save Mack following his kidnapping, Charity’s guilt has continued to eat away at her. The situation wasn’t helped by the fact that Chloe used the incident as leverage, in order to cut Mack out of their baby boy Reuben’s life for good, by threatening to lie about what really happened unless Mack let her depart with their son.

Whilst those around her have noticed that Charity isn’t her usual self, Charity has buried her head in the sand and refused help.

“Charity’s guilt is just overflowing and she can’t function as a mum, a partner,” Emma Atkins tells us. “She’s left reeling with this shock and I think that shock mentality is making her close off from everyone.”

Next week, Mack is relieved when Charity finally admits that she could do with some help.

Deciding to try and help herself, Charity goes to visit Harry’s grave in the hope of putting the ghosts to rest, just as she did with DI Bails’s grave last year.

“I think she feels she needs a release,” Emma explains. “She feels haunted by Harry so she decides to visit his grave to see if she can get any forgiveness of some kind. She tells him to stop haunting her and that’s her way of trying to get herself back as she’s slowly losing her own sense of self.”

Things take a turn when a defiant Charity then begins to trash his grave. It’s a cathartic experience as Charity feels the power coming back to her.

“She has this outburst where she tells him it was an accident and tells him to stop tormenting her,” Emma adds. “It’s torture and every which way she turns she doesn’t find the solution.”

Returning home, there’s relief when Charity is finally able to get some sleep. But it’s short-lived, as she then begins to be plagued by further nightmares of Harry.

As Charity continues losing her grip on reality, things escalate when she starts having visions of Harry, leaving her petrified. Meanwhile, Liam observes Charity’s behaviour and senses that something is seriously wrong. Despite Mack’s concern, Charity feigns indifference.

“She doesn’t think anything can fix her,” Emma sighs. “She’s gone into complete hibernation from the world and she thinks if I just bury my head it can just go away but the more she tries to sleep the worse it becomes. It’s a vicious circle, she’s spiralling within her own hell. She doesn’t believe that therapy can help her in any way.”

After drifting off on the sofa, Charity’s sleep is disturbed by a car and the sound of a bin being knocked over. Assuming in her fragile state that Harry is coming after her, Charity quickly grabs something from the drawer to defend herself.

“She’s suffering from what I can only describe as severe sleep deprivation,” Emma explains. “I spoke to a psychologist about this and sleep deprivation can be a terrible form of mental torture. You’re not seeing the world as a balanced human being, you’re seeing it from a very different perspective. Everything feels hyper. She’s hypervigilant, she’s hyperalert. Her vulnerability levels are through the roof.”

“Her mind plays tricks on her as Mack lets himself into the house and she’s having a night terror,” Emma adds. “He walks round the sofa, realises that she’s dreaming and gently touches her leg.”

At that moment, Charity lashes out and attacks Mack in self-defence, leaving her husband with serious injuries!

Will Mack be okay?

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Elsewhere in the village, Ruby (Beth Cordingly) turns to an unlikely source as she seeks revenge on husband Caleb (Will Ash).

Ruby caused chaos at Tom (James Chase) and Belle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) wedding by revealing Caleb’s affair with Tracy (Amy Walsh). Needless to say, the news that Caleb had been having it away with his nephew’s wife didn’t go down too well with the Dingle clan.

Next week, Caleb begs with Moira (Natalie J Robb) to help him find a way to get back on side with the family, leaving Ruby frustrated by his persistence. Wanting to have Caleb all to herself, and jealous of Caleb putting the depths of his feelings for his family before her, Ruby is quietly fuming.

Wanting her revenge on her husband, Ruby approaches his arch enemy, Kim (Claire King), the woman he tried to defraud and who he holds responsible for the death of his biological father Frank Tate (Norman Bowler) back in 1997.

Kim’s surprised by the unexpected visit, as Ruby makes her an offer. She wants to join forces so they can bring Caleb down together…

Will Kim be tempted?

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Also next week, reality sinks in further for Belle after she returns loved-up from her honeymoon with Tom.

After what turned out to be a dramatic wedding day, Belle is hoping that things can now settle down as she begins married life. But the bubble doesn’t last.

When Belle makes the decision to try and be more assertive, Tom is quick to dismiss her efforts and makes it clear that he is the one that is in control.

Later, at the salon, Belle ends up in a discussion with Mandy (Lisa Riley) and Lydia (Karen Blick) about their sex lives. Inspired by a suggestion from Mandy, a playful Belle decides to give Tom a bit of a surprise over at the vets.

Untying her coat and giving him a flash of what’s underneath, Belle’s cheeky plan quickly backfires. Instead of finding it saucy, Tom is mortified at his wife’s behaviour.

Tom sharply lashes out at Belle as he belittles her, leaving her utterly humiliated.

“Soaps can show behind the public face of a relationship,” Eden explains. “I think it’s the best thing as a viewer as you have a sneak peek behind closed doors. And actually things like this could be going on behind many closed doors to some degree.

“Sometimes it just takes that reflection on screen to make you think again. People might recognise and see the little red flags and the aspects of controlling behaviour.“

Will Belle have second thoughts about marrying Tom? Or will she continue to suffer in silence?