Emmerdale favourite Bernice Blackstock's, played by actress Samantha Giles, debuted a brand new look during last night's episode of the long running ITV soap and viewers couldn't concentrate on anything else.
During the latest visit to the village, Bernice went to visit her sister Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) following her recent attack. Nicola was targeted by a group on gang girls earlier this month and has been struggling the effects ever since.
She was left shaken when she heard a knock on the door and later a shadow appeared, although she hid her inner torment from her sister after realising it was Bernice.
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Bernice suggested she made a pitch for the Green Initiative with her to the council leaving Nicola feeling thrown, after Bernice left Nicola was left feeling like a prisoner in her own home.
Desperate not to be left alone Nicola pleaded with her dad Rodney Blackstock not to leave, she ended up asking Bernice to come over and help with the presentation.
Later in the show panic flooded over Nicola when she was the only one available to pick up the kids from school, she struggled with flashbacks of her attack as she made her way to the car. Overwhelmed, she accidentally collided with David Metcalfe’s van after slamming on the accelerator.
Despite the drama, viewers were distracted by Bernice's dramatic new look as the actress ditched her wig. Of course it wasn't long before social media was flooded with comments.
Taking to Twitter, one fan penned: "Sounds like Boomerang Bernice’s wig needs to make a triumphant comeback" another added: "What Bernice done too her hair?" a third person posted: "What the hell does Bernice look like" while a fourth social media user said: "I love your sparkly hair Bernice."
Actress Samantha Giles was forced to address the reason she was wearing a wig as she returned to the village last year following a fierce backlash from viewers.
Samantha revealed the reason she wasn't styling her own hair was due to to Emmerdale's coronavirus protocols, the soap star temporarily opted to wear a wig rather than attempt to style her notorious locks herself while the show's hair and makeup department were unable to work.
Samantha had insisted the wig was necessary for Bernice due to the lack of a proper hairdresser service. Speaking on podcast The God Cast, she added: “I can’t do my own hair, it’s very thick. Bernice is obviously a hairdresser, and her look is very coiffed.
“So the make-up department knew I wouldn’t be able to do my hair. The wig was the best option.” She told This Morning: “I’ve had a lot of flak about it, the wig, actually.”
She later ditched the wig after it became a big talking point amongst fans, Samantha said: “The wig has had more publicity than anything at the moment. I had the latest message from upstairs, as we call them, to say, ‘Just do whatever it takes, just get the wig off her.’
“It will be one of two people who does it, so it’s still very Covid safe. I still have to do my own make-up, but at least I get my hair done. Thank goodness.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm
You can visit our Emmerdale homepage to find the latest gossip about the soap and its stars. There you'll also find our Emmerdale features and news about the show's 50th anniversary plans.
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