A Shock In Store For Charity!

Emma Atkins may be super-grounded, but her Emmerdale character is spiralling off into a pregnancy drama

-  SUE CRAWFORD

I'f anyone were to suggest the benefits of cold water swimming to Emmerdale's Charity Dingle, the feisty landlady would probably tell them to take a running jump.

But unlike her screen character, it's actually one of Emma Atkins' favourite ways of staying fit and well.

"If I'm at the sea or a river I go in," she explains. "I've got a chest freezer in the garden which I've converted into a bath. In the winter I'll crack the ice and get in. I'll do two or four minutes. I'll usually put on a piece of music, because that helps me get through it, and I do some deep breathing." The benefits of cold therapy were highlighted recently on the BBC series Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof. Emma says she has been following his method for a couple of years.

"It helps with mental health and gives you a feeling of euphoria," she says. "I can vouch for the benefits." Emma is also a fan of forest bathing. The idea, which originated in Japan, simply means slowing down and immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere.

"Forest bathing is great escapism," Emma enthuses.