Emmerdale’s Paula Lane has revealed how she feels picking her children Arthur and Penny up from school after Ella Forster’s dark ‘child killer storyline’ in the ITV soap

After arriving in the Dales earlier this year, it’s been a tumultuous time for newbie Ella Forster. While initially introduced as a compassionate GP receptionist, she quickly became involved in one of the soap’s darkest plots yet when Ella revealed that she had brutally murdered her 11 year old best friend Joanne as a child.

For star Paula Lane – who took on the role of Ella after forging a soap career on Coronation Street as Kylie Platt – it was a meaty storyline to get stuck into. “Yeah, most people didn’t see that one coming,” she says. “I’ve had a few messages actually, like via social media. All very positive on the acting front.”

However, it didn’t come without worry for Paula, who shares children Arthur and Penny with partner Tom Shaw. “I have to admit, when I was picking my kids up from school, I asked ‘Was anything said today? Has anybody mentioned anything about Mummy?’ You do feel a bit ‘Oh, God, this is challenging stuff, because you’re working around children.”

Paula opens up on Ella’s dramatic Emmerdale journey so far

She adds: “I’m a mother. If somebody did that to my child, I would find it enormously difficult to forgive. That’s what’s brilliant about this storyline is that it kind of does get you questioning it quite a lot.”

Joanne’s killing took place on the day of Ella’s 11th birthday, and this week on Emmerdale, she celebrates her 30th – which doesn’t end well.

With Ella attacking Wendy after bumping into a figure from her past, Paula teases the “amazing” episode to come. “I don’t think she’s ever been as unhinged as she is in that scene,” she says. “Has she lost it? Or is she doing it for a good reason? Is she almost putting on a front?”

While it was a great challenge to take on, Paula admits that the attack scene wasn’t without its technical considerations. “It was quite cathartic to just be given free rein. But again, there’s a lot to think about from the actor’s point of view, you’re trying not to bang your mic and you can’t overlap the dialogue,” she says. “But those scenes are amazing.”

The shock ‘child killer’ revelation also came unbeknownst to Paula, who was unaware of the dark twist when she first joined the soap. “When I took the part of Ella, I didn’t know that this storyline was going to be the storyline it is now,” she explains. “But any actor worth their salt will take something very gritty.”

Paula joined the soap earlier this year (Image: ITV)

“Combined with the writer, and the director, I just knew that they were going to make it something really magical,” she says, although Paula admits that she was nervous to play it out initially, unsure on which way the audience was going to go.

“But that’s what’s great about her because you never quite know when something’s going to trigger. And that’s what’s fantastic about this because it can go any which way now.”

Although Paula says the public feel like she ‘did her time’ in prison for Joanne’s murder, the same couldn’t be said for her onscreen boyfriend Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson). The shock revelation drove a wedge in their relationship, with Liam ordering Ella to leave the village for good.

He couldn’t get rid of her that easily however, with the pair getting back in touch after Ella discovered she was pregnant before learning that she had suffered a silent miscarriage. On why Liam and Ella are now on speaking terms, Paula says: “I think it’s through the guilt of him doubting her about the pregnancy. [They’re] just friends. But it’s not in the romantic sense.”

Although, she does tease it may not be the end for the pair. When asked if viewers could see a potential reunion between the pair, Paula says: “Maybe one night with a takeaway and a bottle of wine? Who knows? So there is potential there. Obviously, it’s good to explore different relationships.”

She adds that there could be a romance on the cards for Ella with a certain Emmerdale bad boy. “Oh, this is funny, because it did flash up on my phone about her and Cain (Jeff Hordley),” says Ella, who has previously filmed scenes with Jeff where Ella retells her childhood trauma to Cain.

“When I did film that very intense scene, I went ‘Ooh, what’s going to get picked up here?’ I think it’s just speculation, but I joked previously that you always like a bad boy, because they can take you to different places and things. So we’ll see!”

Another fan theory Paula couldn’t ignore was viewers believing she was related to Meena. “I enjoyed reading [the fan theories] to begin with just because I found them quite funny,” she says. “Because obviously, there’s absolutely zero connection unless she’s come across her in prison.

“So you never know, them crossing paths could be a theory.”