Emmerdale child star Amelia Flanagan has become a very familiar face on the ITV soap after winning the role of April Windsor and joining the famous Dingle family almost a decade ago.

The 15-year-old from Leeds arrived in the Dales as the daughter of Donna Windsor, played by Verity Rushworth, and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), and went on to win three consecutive Best Young Actor awards.

But speaking exclusively to OK! about her life on one of the country's most loved television shows, Amelia says she has one thing to thank for her getting the role – a banana costume.

‘My 3 kids are all TV stars on Emmerdale and Corrie but I’m not a pushy parent’

She told us: "The director asked me if I could dress up as any character in the world, who would it be? I think everyone else said “a princess”, but I said “a banana” and I think that’s why I was chosen for the role.

"Within six months April was wearing a banana costume in Emmerdale!"

Amelia is now part of a soap acting family, with her twin siblings Will and Bella, aged 12, both starring in Coronation Street as cousins Joseph Brown and Hope Dodds.

Amelia was involved in one of the most dramatic storylines of the show last year – Marlon's heartbreaking stroke.

The teenage star – who won the Best Young Actor gong at the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Inside Soap Awards – told OK! it was one of her favourite plotlines to work on.

"I liked the intense scenes, the emotional ones where I’d have to cry," she said. "It was really relatable for people and I like that. "Recently I’ve been doing more sassy scenes which are fun, and Will and Bella will probably say that’s what I’m like in real life!"

On her relationship with actor Mark, 55, who joined the soap back in 1996 and plays her on-screen dad, Amelia said they'd built a great relationship on set.

"It’s brilliant! I have a really good relationship with Mark because I’ve worked closely with him for the last 10 years, since I came into Emmerdale," she explained.

"When you spend that much time with somebody you really get to know them."

Amelia's parents Rachel and Chris, who spend lots of their time ferrying their three actor children to and from the Emmerdale and Coronation Street sets and school, told OK! they're keen to ensure the kids also have a good education behind them.

Retail manager Chris said: "We know that soaps aren’t forever for younger actors. We know they could be recast, or if a key member of the soap family leaves it means the whole family leaves, so at the moment they’re really making the most of the opportunity – and we’re making sure they put in their best effort at school so they’ll do well with their exams.

"But it’s always up to them what they do, that’s why it’s important they have a good education behind them."

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