A compelling new fan theory suggests that Emmerdale's Charity Dingle could be facing the axe in a dramatic exit storyline.

Charity (Emma Atkins) first graced the ITV soap's screens in 2000, and has since cemented herself as one of the show's most cherished characters.

Over the years, she has been at the centre of some truly explosive storylines. From her numerous romances to the arrival of her long-lost daughter Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), life in the Dales has never been dull for Charity.

This is particularly true of late, as viewers will be aware that she is currently acting as surrogate for Sarah (Katie Hill) and Jacob Sugden's (Joe-Warren Plant) baby - while concealing a bombshell secret about the child.

Last year, she fell pregnant following a one-night stand with ex Ross Barton (Mike Barr), meaning the baby is actually his - yet Charity chose to keep the truth buried so that Sarah could still have the child she longed for, reports the Daily Star.

However, spoilers for the coming week have revealed that Charity goes into labour on the very day of Sarah's baby shower. Events quickly spiral out of control, with her life hanging in the balance.

Trapped in a hospital lift with Mack (Lawrence Robb) and Ross, Charity's panic escalates as her contractions intensify. In a desperate race against time, a midwife guides Ross and Mack through delivering the baby via intercom.

While Ross manages to successfully deliver the child, the situation takes a deeply alarming turn when he spots a rapidly expanding pool of blood on the lift floor - leaving Charity's fate desperately uncertain. "Charity is haemorrhaging," actress Emma Atkins has warned about the dramatic ordeal.

She added: "The odds are stacked against her, giving birth stuck inside a lift. Everyone's fraught with emotion and it's not looking good for Charity..."

Now, devoted fans are fearing that Charity could be killed off, or lose her life in childbirth. On an Emmerdale Facebook fan page, one viewer pondered: "Is Charity going to die?"

Another wrote: "She can't! We can't lose our Charity." A third penned: "I have a horrible feeling she will." While a fourth declared: "Please don't let Charity die! She's an asset in Emmerdale."

Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX