Harriet Finch confirmed as first Emmerdale Storm Week victim

Kim Tate (Claire King) also ventured out to look for her, but Harriet took a fall in the woods, with the quad bike she was driving leaving her trapped.

Kim soon found Harriet and, despite their recent animosity over Kim's new husband Will Taylor (Dean Andrews), she managed to free her. But a bolt of lightning struck, knocking them both out.

By the time Kim came to, it was too late for poor Harriet. As Kim arrived back at Home Farm to break the awful news of Harriet's death, her body was found by partner Dan (Liam Fox), who was in the midst of his own rescue mission for Amelia.

Now that the secret of her alter ego's shocking demise is out, star Dow Blyton has spoken about her exit scenes - saying that she found it tough to read through those initial scripts. But when it came to filming, there were plenty of distractions!

"I got very emotional reading it. On the actual day I was covered in blood and I had various bits of woodland hanging out of my hair. We had these industrial wind machines which were literally blowing sand and debris into your eyes.

"So when it came to it, it wasn’t as emotional because the technicality of what you have to do takes away from the emotion, so I managed to get through the day without sobbing."

The actress added that Harriet's final moments weren't actually the last scenes she filmed.

"The death wasn’t my last scene though, but on my last day I received flowers and lovely gifts and messages," she said.

"I don’t think it will hit me that I’m not going back for a couple of weeks because it feels like I’m on a break but it will slowly hit me."

Asked what the future holds for her now, Dow Blyton says she plans to take some time out: "For the first time in my life I don’t have any plans. I think I need time to decompress and to re-evaluate what I want the next part of my life to be.

"I have so many big decisions but I’m going to feel my way for the rest of this year and reconnect with my friends in London. Just live my life for a bit and not set my alarm for 5:30 in the morning.

"I’ve done a few self tapes so there’s always something bubbling away, but I’m leaving it up to the universe for a couple of months just to see where life takes me."

Dow Blyton also reveals that she will certainly miss playing Harriet - but there is one exception to that! "I will very much miss playing her - although I won’t miss wearing the police uniform!"

She added: "What I loved about coming into Emmerdale and what really made me want to play Harriet was because she was coming in as the vicar. I loved playing the vicar and the fact that she was flawed and she was a bit off the wall.

"She had a sense of humour and I loved the character. I’ll very much miss her but she’s with me obviously. We’re not too dissimilar."

Keep watching Emmerdale from 7:30pm on ITV all this week, as the rest of the villagers continue to face danger and destruction.

Read more:

• Emmerdale 50th anniversary review: ITV soap eyes future in bold, brave Storm Week
• Emmerdale 50th anniversary spoilers: Day-by-day guide to Storm Week
• Who dies in the Emmerdale 50th anniversary Storm Week?

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV and ITV Hub. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Soaps hub.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.