Amelia Spencer has been forced to grow up before her time over the years, having lost her mum, been kidnapped and now found herself caring for Dan following his allergic reaction in Emmerdale.
It’s been troubling for her but has moulded her into a character of empathy and strength that viewers love. And with another big year ahead, Metro.co.uk caught up with the talented Daisy Campbell to reflect on the journey so far – and to find out what happens next when caring Amelia becomes an important ally for a struggling village.
It’s clear that teenager Amelia still adores playing the character as ever as she enthused to us: ‘It’s such a wonderful experience playing Amelia. I’ve been playing her for 10 whole years in May and I really can’t believe it. She’s such a character and is so fun to play with all the different emotions she experiences. She’s had to deal with a lot recently, with her dad’s injury, and her becoming a young carer, it’s been good to play.
‘What I love about Amelia is how supportive she is to the people around her. She doesn’t just think of herself; she always thinks and worries about others and that’s what makes her the thoughtful person she is. I feel like I can really connect with Amelia myself as I like to think I’m a lot like her in real life!
‘She’s kind , loving, friendly and also very supportive. She is so open hearted and generous which really shows how she is towards the people around her.’
And one person who is really going to benefit from that in coming weeks is traumatised vicar Harriet Finch, who is dealing with the aftermath and self loathing of disposing of DI Malone’s body and also being instrumental in having Lucas taken away from Dawn.
Speaking about the bond that develops between them, Daisy mused: ‘Harriet has always been a good friend to Amelia and she’s always been there for her. They always seem to stick by each other and look out for one another. So I think she’s worried about Harriet at the moment as she really doesn’t seem her happy, joyful self. Anything that appears different to usual, Amelia tends to pick up on it and she knows something’s not right!
‘In Amelia’s eyes, I definitely think Amelia likes to think Harriet’s part of the family in some way. The Spencer family is so small now, so I think Harriet is like a motherly or even sister figure in Amelia’s life.’
With that said, it could be in time that they end up being just as supportive to each other as Amelia hasn’t exactly got it easy at the moment. But Daisy is proud to characterise a young carer, the struggles they face and the ways in which they deal with life.
She explained: ‘It’s very tough. Deep down, I think Amelia tries to hide it and really put on a brave face so that it doesn’t affect anyone else. It’s like she likes all the weight on her shoulders so others around her can be happy. It’s a really big responsibility to carry out something like that at such a young age. She’s only 14 so providing for her dad and giving him 24 hour care while balancing school on top of that and also trying to have a social life, is really hard for a young person to do.
‘She really does feel like she is the adult in the house at the moment – I feel like she kind of likes the responsibility as all she wants to do is make sure her dad is okay and that she’s also making him proud in the same way.
‘In some times she feels as though her and her dad can’t get back from this and this is how her life will be from now on. I think Amelia really confides in religion and praying to help her feel as though everything is going to get better and they both together are going to get back from this.
‘I think she also confides in Harriet as she helps her to see the brighter side of things and she’s really a good friend and mentor towards Amelia. Amelia doesn’t have many friends in the show but she seems to have gained a few this year, Sarah being one of them. Amelia does end up sharing her problems with Sarah and over the last few months they both seem to share their problems together, which I sense makes them feel they are not alone and everyone goes through something.’
The show has been widely praised for its sensitive and non-sensational portrayal of this situation that is so real for many teenagers. And Daisy herself has been widely praised for emotional and mature performances. It’s clear from speaking with her that she has relished being gifted with the trust of the story and hopes that it has helped viewers understand the plight of young carers.
She shared: ‘I feel so, so proud. I’ve always wanted a storyline which I can use to raise awareness of real world problems so when I got told about this, I really wanted to get my teeth into it and do all the research I could. It took months of research and the crew at Emmerdale really helped me and Liam (Dan) to see the real problem with what young carers go through at such a young age!
‘I also made sure on my part that I did every single bit of research for this. I’m just so happy that Emmerdale trusted me with this storyline and I’ve had so many messages from people telling me that they are young carers and it makes them feel like they are not alone – that makes me feel like I have done my job right.’
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