Emmerdale’s Ella Forster (Paula Lane) has been an inscrutable woman of mystery since arriving in the village, but no-one could have expected the secret she has been keeping – that, when she was only 11-years-old, she killed her best friend in a frenzied attack.
Ella’s boyfriend Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) was left reeling at the funeral of June when one of the grieving attendees yelled after Ella that she was a child killer.
Arriving home, Ella was desperate to explain to Liam, and admitted that it was true – she had killed Joanne when she too was just a child.
As viewers know, Liam’s own teenage daughter Leanna Cavanagh was murdered by Meena Jutla and so it has spooked him even more than it would have done.
It was clear that no matter what Ella told him as she assured him that she had served her punishment and was not a danger to society after being released from prison six years ago, Liam was not going to allow her in his life.
‘I think this relationship is now almost definitely cooked!’ actor Jonny McPherson admitted. ‘I mean never say never but I would say it’s almost definitely it.
‘On multiple occasions Ella could have told him the truth. She had so many chances to open up and tell him about her past but she didn’t.
‘And just the fact she moved into his house and they were actually cohabiting. He was living at such a close proximity to someone who had killed somebody’s daughter. So many layers of lies. He feels utterly betrayed and very upset.’
‘I don’t think there is any coming back from it.’
At the same time as Ella was trying to get across that she was no monster, having been driven out of communities before when the truth of her past emerged, Leyla and Suzy were across in the Woolpack making the discovery for themselves.
Coming across an article in which Ella’s own brother spoke about the awful things she had done, they were stunned into silence when a bereft Ella entered, needing a drink.
In tears, Ella confirmed to them that the article was true and that no-one there could understand the upbringing and life she had endured.
With many of the locals clearly frightened to have her around, Ella parted with a few details of what had happened as we were given flashbacks to a young girl sitting distressed as police sirens blared outside.
Ella conceded that no-one wanted to hear her side of things as, no matter what, she would be exiled from the village anyway.
Paula Lane explained: ‘Ella is so ashamed of her past and she knows that as soon as she reveals all she risks losing everything with Liam.
Every time the truth has come out in the past, she has had to move on and start again, so it’s incredibly painful to share and know that there is no going back now.
‘It’s a heaviness she carries all the time in the back of her mind. Pretending to carry on as normal is a short term fix and behind closed doors the guilt is very real.
‘Every birthday is a reminder of what happened and will never allow her to fully move on.
‘She has always had to run when the truth has been exposed. I expect she’s experienced this reaction quite a few times and then has found herself living out of her car again.’
However, a deeply understanding Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) – whose own young son caused the death of Al Chapman – approached her tenderly and assured her that he would listen.
As they went through to the back, Ella took him through what had happened. Her drug dealer dad had been jailed and she had spent her early childhood forced to deliver drugs – and unspeakable things she refused to divulge.
Living in a hovel and constantly wearing dirty clothes to school and having nothing to eat, young Ella was overwhelmed when Joanne befriended her – and when she went to her home, June was the mother figure that she never had.
Ella was able to experience things she had never had before – warmth, love, care and home-cooked meals.
So when Joanne tried to cut off the friendship as the other girls wouldn’t hang out with her while she was friends with Ella, she was left panicking, knowing it would mean she wouldn’t be with June anymore.
Things escalated, with the girls scrapping and Ella explained that she lost it and repeatedly slammed Joanne’s head off the ground, only realising too late that she had gone too far.
With June in hysterics and everyone gathered around in shock, Ella calmly went home and waited for the police, before spending all her teenage years and young adult life in prison.
She had worked closely with psychologists and probation who got her back on her feet and, as Cain could see, she was not the girl defined by the crime so long ago.
But will anyone see it that way? Liam had heard some of the story while listening outside but what will he make of it?
Instead of running away, Cain urged Ella to have a conversation with Liam – but will she go through with it? And what reception will she get?
