Seasoned BBC soap star joins Emmerdale with explosive entrance - hospitalising beloved character in brutal attack
A BBC soap star is set to join Emmerdale with an explosive entrance - and will hospitalise a beloved character in a brutal attack.
Actress Jaye Griffiths, 61, will take on the role of farmer Celia on the ITV show in the coming months.
Her alter-ego, who is renting a neighbouring farm from Kim Tate, is introduced when she enquires about renting two of Moira Dingle (Natalie J. Robb) fields - but Moira isn't interested.
Moira is later glad she didn't give in when Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) is viciously attacked by Celia's guard dogs under suspicious circumstances.
Speaking about her upcoming role, Jaye said: 'I was delighted to get this role - without giving the game away she is very different to anyone I have played before and I can't wait to really get into the heart of her storyline.'
Producer Laura Shaw added: 'We are absolutely delighted to have Jaye Griffiths joining us to play the role of Celia.
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'Having recently taken over a nearby farm, not much is known about mysterious Celia's past before arriving on the outskirts of the village.
'While Celia has a tough edge with an air of respectability, the audience, and our villagers, will soon start to see what this woman is truly capable of.'
Jaye is no stranger to the industry and has appeared in various TV shows over the years.
The star played Sally Johnson in The Bill between 1993 and 2003, Sheena Whitehead in Casualty and Lilly Morton in Holby City.
She's also landed the role as Professor Janet Mander in Silent Witness between 2008 and 2012.
Jay has also played Helen Marlowe in Criminal Justice and Nicola Taybarn QC in Coronation Street.
More recently, she played Jac in Doctober Who in 2015, as well as Helen Stritch in EastEnders, and Hannah Ware in Holby City the same year.
The telly favourite also played Ella Gardner in Casualty between 2016 and 2019.
More recently she played DI Karen Flitcroft in Death In Paradise, Ms Eira in Vikingskool and Marti Kapp in Vera.
Jaye keeps her private life out of the public eye, however she is married to Paul Bezodis.
The pair share two dogs.
This isn't the first bit of exciting news in regards to the ITV soap.
Earlier this month it was revealed Coronation Street and Emmerdale are set to make soap history with a landmark crossover episode.
Fans of the ITV soaps will be over the moon to know that characters from Weatherfield and The Dales will be teaming up for a dramatic stunt that will change their lives forever.
The crossover, which will be a one-off special hour-long episode, is to mark the channel's new power hour of soap - which starts in January next year.
So Coronation Street and Emmerdale joining forces is set to launch the new ITV1 and STV scheduling pattern.
ITV's press release explains: 'The distinctive worlds of Emmerdale and Coronation Street will merge for one night only in a 'mash-up' of our two favourite communities.
'The producers, scriptwriters and production teams have conceived an ingenious way of linking the two universes, but with characters then returning to the soaps they are renowned for inhabiting in Manchester and Yorkshire.
'The episode will be self-contained, but the consequences of the high-stakes drama will have repercussions for both communities and see them linked forever as familiar faces depart and exciting new characters arrive into both soaps.'
Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
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