Emmerdale actress Samantha Giles who plays Bernice Blackstock has revealed the real reason she is wearing in a wig following criticism from viewers.
The ITV soap star, who has recently returned to the Dales following her departure in 2019, has said the reason she's not styling her own her is down to Emmerdale's coronavirus protocols.
After discussions with the team, Samantha opted to wear a wig rather than attempt to style her notorious locks herself with the show's hair and makeup department currently unable to work as normal.
To get the latest email updates from LeedsLive, click here.
The actress explained: "I had to have a wig really because I've got very, very, very thick, coarse, frizzy hair and I can't do it myself. Bernice is a hairdresser, so obviously she is not going to be seen looking anything less than having a coiffed look."
But Samantha admitted that she's still been receiving guidance from the crew on maintaining her signature look.
"I've still got someone on the other end of a monitor saying, 'Can you tell Sam just to brush the wig and move these bits?'" she revealed.
"So that has all been really hard.
"We have to do everything, really, we have to do all our own props, the costume, as nobody can touch us."
The 49-year-old actress admitted she's looking forward to coronavirus restrictions easing and normal service resuming.
"It all sounds like we're being precious but if you have got a difficult or emotional scene, you don't want to be fannying about checking your blusher or your hair or that your collar's tucked inside your coat.
"You want to be concentrating on the lines and the work."
But some viewers have apparently slated her for wearing a wig, following her comeback.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
