Brenda Walker in Emmerdale has had a lot of trauma in her life – not least her own battle against a brain tumour. As she counselled Moira ‘one brain tumour sufferer to another’ in Thursday’s episode (September 19), viewers were reminded of her plight.
So what happened when Brenda had a tumour? Did she have surgery? And is she okay now?
Brenda Walker in Emmerdale
Brenda was the adoptive mum of Genesis Walker – known as Gennie. Gennie had come to the village to get to know her biological father, Shadrach Dingle and Brenda arrived to visit her in 2008 after Gennie had been in an accident.
Brenda settled down in Emmerdale too. She started a romance with Terry Woods, but had feelings for Bob Hope.
Brenda had started to work in the cafe and clashed with Bob a lot over her ideas to modernise. Soon anger turned to passion and the pair got together. Brenda is now co-owner of the cafe.
Meanwhile, Gennie got together with Nikhil Sharma and was planning her wedding when tragedy struck.
Brenda diagnosed with a brain tumour in Emmerdale
Brenda was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She was told she’d need to have a risky operation.
Worried Gennie decided not to go ahead with her wedding until she knew Brenda was going to be okay. However, Brenda was nervous about the operation and refused to have it.
She didn’t even tell partner Bob she was ill and carried on as normal. She did confide in Dan Spencer though, leading Bob to think she was having an affair with his mate! Brenda knew she had to come clean about the tumour. Bob promised to stand by her whatever she decided.
Brenda went back and forth over having the surgery, but eventually refused it. Gennie was heartbroken when Brenda also refused to attend her wedding.
After a change of heart, Brenda did go to the big day, but she collapsed whilst there and suffered a seizure. She was taken to hospital and told she would be fine, but it made her rethink her decision not to have surgery.
Although Brenda survived the operation, she was told her cancer could be recurring. Worried Brenda had chemotherapy to try to prevent that possibility. She was upset when her hair started falling out and Gennie shaved her head.
Bob promised to love her with or without hair and Bob proposed. They had a sweet handfasting ceremony, arranged by Gennie.
But just days later, Gennie was killed. At first her family thought she died in a car accident, though she was actually a victim of Emmerdale serial killer Cameron Murray.
Brenda and Bob
Though Brenda and Bob were happy for a while and Brenda grew very close to Bob’s children Cathy and Heath, it wasn’t long before Bob was back to his old cheating ways. He had an affair with Laurel Thomas.
Heartbroken Brenda found out and didn’t know what to do. But she decided to go ahead with the plans for their proper wedding.
It turned out this was a mistake as Brenda couldn’t make it past the reception. She told her new husband she knew what he’d been up to and threw her ring at him!
Brenda continued to be a mum to Heath and Cathy despite the split. She was devastated when she lost her second child after Heath died in a car accident at new year.
Brenda and Eric in Emmerdale
Brenda then got together with Eric Pollard. They seemed happy until he dumped her without warning last year.
Soon it was revealed Eric had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He was determined not to tell her as he didn’t want her to end up as his carer. Eventually Brenda found out and they reunited.
They were further rocked earlier this year when Pollard reverted back to his scheming ways and blackmailed Jai Sharma. Brenda was fuming when she found out and ordered her other half to put it right or else she would leave him for good.
Who plays Brenda Walker in Emmerdale?
Lesley Dunlop plays Brenda in Emmerdale. She is an acclaimed TV actress, having started her career in the 1970s as a child in BBC adaptation of A Little Princess.
She went on to be a successful adult actress, securing leading roles in Where the Heart Is, and also played Zoe Callendar opposite Anton Rogers in the long-running BBC sitcom May to December.
She’s so dedicated to her career that she even shaved her head when she was playing Brenda’s brain tumour storyline!
Lesley has two daughters with her former partner Christopher Guard and in 2016 she married her Emmerdale co-star Chris Chittell, aka Eric Pollard.
Read more: Moira’s death sealed as she refuses surgery?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
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