Emmerdale's Paula Lane: "Ella is so ashamed of her past"

Ella revealed the tragic details in full during a heart-to-heart with Cain (Jeff Hordley) as her partner, Liam (Jonny McPherson), listened on.

At the end of the episode, Cain presented Ella with a dilemma - does she stay and face the music, or does she run away like she always has?

Paula Lane spoke to press including RadioTimes.com about the latest storyline to rock the Yorkshire village.

What was going through Ella’s mind when Liam turned up at the graveyard?

Paula Lane: Ella was so shocked to see Liam at the graveyard. I think in her head she was so baffled as to why he had turned up and then, when it looked like the situation was about to escalate, she had no choice but to intervene and reveal herself.

She opens up to Liam about everything that happened with Joanne. Is this a relief, in a way?

PL: 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. I guess she feels he deserves the truth, especially with everything he went through with Leanna.

Has keeping this secret eaten away at her?

PL: 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.

Soon Ella is outed in The Woolpack, and the response she gets is hostile. Is this something she’s experienced before?

PL: In a conversation with Mandy, Ella says she 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.

Going forward, will Ella have someone she can rely on?

PL: Mandy and Ella from day one found something in each other that just sparked. I think because the two have admitted they both have dark pasts and haven't made the best choices in life, there is a real empathy there and protective nature for each other.

What’s it been like working with Jonny McPherson on this storyline?

PL: Jonny has welcomed me into the fold and we have a great time on set. He makes me feel super short, as he's so tall! We both take our work seriously, but then in between we have lots of laughs - mainly about our dogs in real life! A lot of the scenes have been very intense and emotional, so it's important to be able to shake it off and relax.

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Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

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