Emmerdale star 'engaged to convicted drug lord she secretly visits in prison'

Daily Mirror

06-07-2025

Emmerdale actress, Lucy Pargeter, who has played Chas Dingle on the soap for years, is reportedly engaged to Elliott Walker, who is behind bars after pleading guilty to conspiracy to produce class B drugs
Emmerdale star, Lucy Pargeter, is engaged to a convicted drug lord, who she visited in prison last week - according to reports. Lucy, 48, who has played Chas Dingle in the ITV soap for 23 years, is said to have made the 500-mile journey from her home in Yorkshire to HMP Hollesley Bay in Suffolk, where Elliott Walker is serving a six-year sentence.
Walker, 54, was sentenced in December 2021 for his part in the creation of a giant drug production facility in Warwickshire after supplying equipment for what is believed to be Britain's biggest ever amphetamine factory. He is now said to be telling his fellow inmates that Lucy is his fiancée after some of the lags spotted the actress at the prison, when she was visiting.
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Talking to The Sun, a source said: 'Her [Lucy's] relationship has been the talk of the prison because some other visitors obviously recognised Lucy the other day as she's been on Emmerdale for ages.
'And Elliott has made no secret of telling other inmates she's his fiancée .'
The outlet has also published a snap of the actress getting into her car, which it says was taken outside the Category D nick last week when she went to visit Walker.
It is not known how and where Lucy met the felon, who is thought to be close to a release date.
Lucy, who split from her former partner in 2019, revealed in a podcast in 2022 that she was in an 'exclusive new relationship', but gave no further details.
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However, last year, the mum of three, who has played the iconic Chas on Emmerdale for 23 years, shared an Instagram video post in which she was wearing a diamond engagement ring.
Four years ago, Walker, from South East London, was locked up after admitting conspiracy to produce amphetamine.
He bought equipment for the drugs lab in picturesque Henley-in-Arden, which was raided by the National Crime Agency.
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It was said to be capable of producing 400kg of amphetamine — with an estimated street value of £10millon — every month.
Lucy, who has never married, shares daughter Lola, who was born in in 2005 and twins Betsy and Missy, who were born in 2017, with ex, Rudi Coleano.
The pair did get engaged in 2019, but later confirmed their split, with a spokesperson saying at the time: "Lucy Pargeter has confirmed she has separated from her long term partner Rudi Coleano and while no longer together their main priority is raising their three daughters."
The Mirror has approached Lucy's reps for comment on this story.