Faith Dingle

Faith Dingle is the ex-wife of Shadrach Dingle and the mother of Cain and Chas Dingle.

1974-2016: Turning her back on her family
In the early 1970s, Faith had a fling with Zak Dingle, her partner Shadrach's brother and later gave birth to a son that she named Cain. Zak and Shadrach thought Cain was Shadrach's son and she married Shadrach in 1975. In February 1978, Faith gave birth to a daughter, Chas. After Faith left, Chas took her place and made sure that Cain went to school often enough not to cause trouble and cleaned up after Shadrach after his many benders.

On Cain's twenty-sixth birthday, Faith shocked Zak by telling him that he was Cain's father. Four years later she returned to help celebrate the Dingles ten years in Emmerdale. She tried to build bridges with Cain's daughter Debbie Dingle, but Cain would not allow it.

Faith married a man named Brian Roberts. She didn't get along with Brian's daughter Eileen who thought Faith was only after her father's money. Faith and Brian were only together for a few years when Brian passed away. In 2016, Faith was diagnosed with breast cancer. In July, Faith had a double mastectomy but went into cardiac arrest on the operating table. Faith was resuscitated but the surgeons couldn't put in the breast implants at that time.

2017-: Return and helping Sarah
In January 2017, Faith donated £20,000 to a fundraising page set up to fund proton beam therapy for Debbie's daughter, Sarah. The following month, skint and homeless Faith came to Emmerdale but got locked in a barn at Wishing Well Cottage. Sarah found Faith and secretly began bringing her food and medicine. She also stole a donation tin and gave the contents to Faith. Faith used the money to book in the B&amp;B but collapsed in her room and an ambulance was called. Cain, Chas and their family were shocked to see Faith and were stunned to learn that she had donated the £20,000. The Dingles were grateful for the donation and Cain paid for another night in the B&B, making Chas unhappy. Cain's estranged wife Moira agreed to let Faith stay at Butlers Farm with her, Debbie, and Debbie's children Sarah and Jack.

Debbie got a fake passport so she could travel to Prague with Sarah during her treatment but Cain insisted Debbie should not break her bail conditions so Faith went with Sarah. Faith returned a few weeks later and Moira allowed her to stay at Butlers Farm. Debbie persuaded Chas to sit down and talk to Faith. Faith accepted that she shouldn't have left Cain and Chas with Shadrach and asked Chas if she could start making things up to her and Chas agreed as she was tired of hating her mother. Unfortunately when Chas went to hug Faith, Faith pulled away because of her mastectomy but Chas felt rejected again. Faith told Moira about her mastectomy and Moira encouraged her to tell Chas everything. Faith couldn't so Moira told Chas. Faith decided not to get breast implants, not wanting to chance having another cardiac arrest.

Background information

 * Brigitte Coles was used as Faith's body double in Episode 7785 (29th March 2017) when Faith revealed her mastectomy scars.
 * Fleur Keith portrayed a younger Faith in Episode 7992 (17th November 2017).