Angela Lonsdale confirms Emmerdale exit as DS Reid this week
Angela Lonsdale has confirmed she is leaving Emmerdale, with her final scenes as DS Reid airing this week amid Charity Dingle's dark sexual assault storyline involving Dr Caitlin Todd. The actor shared the news on Instagram, thanking cast and crew after joining the ITV soap to investigate Charity's case.
Key Takeaways
- Angela Lonsdale confirmed on Instagram that her final Emmerdale episodes as DS Reid air this week.
- She joined the soap after Charity Dingle reported a sexual assault by Dr Caitlin Todd.
- Recent episodes showed the CPS dropping the case against Todd due to a lack of evidence.
- A flash-forward has already revealed Dr Todd is dead, teeing up a summer murder mystery.
- Lonsdale thanked co-stars including Emma Atkins and Caroline Harker for the sensitive storyline.
Why is Angela Lonsdale leaving Emmerdale?
The Digital Spy report says Lonsdale will not stick around as Charity's case reaches a turning point. On Instagram, she posted a behind-the-scenes montage and wrote that it was "an honour and a privilege to play DS REID and be trusted with such a sensitive storyline."
She also called working with Emma Atkins (Charity), Michelle Hardwick (Vanessa), Lawrence Robb (Mack), and Caroline Harker (Dr Todd) one of the highlights of her career. After thanking cast and crew for making her feel "part of the family from day one," she confirmed her final episodes air this week.
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What did DS Reid do in Charity's dark storyline?
According to Metro, Lonsdale arrived in Emmerdale in June 2026 as DS Reid after Charity reported the assault. Reid questioned Charity gently, later brought Dr Todd in for interview, and continued pressing the blackmail angle as the case stalled.
Todd denied the allegations and claimed the encounter was consensual. With insufficient evidence, she was released and left for Sheffield. Earlier this week, Reid told Charity and Mackenzie Boyd that the CPS would drop the case against Todd for lack of evidence—an update that also signalled the beginning of the end for the detective.
The Manchester Evening News notes Lonsdale is a former Coronation Street star who previously appeared in The Bill, Doctors, Wolfblood, Our Girl, and Holby City before this Emmerdale stint.
What happens next after DS Reid's exit?
Dr Todd first targeted Charity after learning a secret about baby Leyla's true parentage during Charity's surrogacy for Sarah and Jacob. The blackmail campaign escalated into the assault that brought police into the village.
Viewers already know Todd will not face prison for her crimes on screen: a flash-forward showed her dead, launching a whodunnit. Suspects include Charity, Mack, and Vanessa, though Emmerdale often springs surprise killers.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX. Support is available via Rape Crisis on 0808 802 9999 for anyone affected by sexual abuse.