Samantha Elizabeth Giles (born 2 July 1971)^[1] is an English actress and author. She is best known for portraying the role ofBernice Blackstock in theITV soap operaEmmerdale. She had also portrayed Sally Boothe in the ITV drama seriesWhere the Heart Is andValerie Holden in theChannel 4 soap operaHollyoaks. She departed fromEmmerdale in 2019 to focus on other creative projects, such as writing herdebut novel,Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill, released in August 2020. In April 2021, it was confirmed that she would be returning toEmmerdale.

From 1998 to 2002, and again in 2004, Giles portrayed the role ofBernice Blackstock in theITV soap operaEmmerdale.^[2] For her role as Bernice, she won theTV Quick Award for Best Actress.^[3] Giles' other television credits includeDoctors,Dangerfield andMidnight Man. Her stage credits includeA Taste of Honey (as Helen),Dead Funny (Lisa), andSeason's Greetings (Belinda).^[4] In December 2007, it was announced that Giles was to join the cast of theChannel 4 soap operaHollyoaks in 2008 asValerie Holden, a role that she had taken over from actressJacqueline Leonard. She returned in July 2010,^[5] and left again in August 2010. In December 2010, Giles appeared onCelebrity Mastermind where her specialist subject was the works ofAlfred Hitchcock.^[6] Giles returned toEmmerdale in 2012. However, in 2019, Giles announced her departure from the series to focus on other creative projects.^[2] In August 2020, her first book, titledRosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill, was published.^[7] AfterEmmerdale producers offered a return to Giles in 2021, she accepted; her return scenes aired on 27 May.^[8]

• 1993, Rosalind inDouble D directed by June Brown
• 2004, Jennifer inParty Piece at theTheatre Royal Windsor directed by Mark Piper
• 2010, Marge inAbsent Friends at theOldham Coliseum/Harrogate/Anvil Arts Production directed by Nikolai Foster
• 2007, Lisa inDead Fully at the Oldham Coliseum and National Tour directed by Nikolai Foster
• 2006, Helen inA Taste of Honey - National Tour at the Oldham Coliseum directed by Stuart Wood
• 2006, Belinda inSeasons Greetings at theLiverpool Playhouse directed by Nikolai Foster

• Samantha Giles atIMDb 

• 1971 births
• Living people
• 20th-century English actresses
• 20th-century English novelists
• 20th-century English women writers
• 21st-century English actresses
• 21st-century English novelists
• 21st-century English women writers
• English soap opera actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses
• English women novelists
• Actresses from Maidstone

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