Inside Soap UK 5 - 2019

“Rita can’t really be leaving the Kabin?!” No! Rita can’t really be leaving the Kabin, can she? We won’t allow it! However... if you think about it, Rita is in her 80s, and has been getting up at the crack of dawn every morning of the week to do the papers. Okay, we know that Gemma supposedly helps too, but she already has two jobs – the kebab shop in the day and the Rovers at night – so we don’t exactly see her leaping from bed at 5.45am to help Reet sort out Roy’s Trainspotters Monthly and Ken’s Guardian! So maybe Brian and Cathy are the shop’s future? After all, the Kabin loves a good double-act, and that’s been sadly missing ever since Norris went mountain trekking or whatever…

Shona is faced with a tough decision this week, as she visits her son Clayton in jail to break the news that his dad has died from an overdose – without telling her partner David that she’s gone. But this sudden bereavement turns out to be the very least of Clayton’s concerns, as he confesses to his mother that his life is in danger thanks to vicious prison bullies – and makes a desperate plea for her to get him out of there! With David oblivious to the fact that Shona’s spending time with the thug who killed his late wife Kylie, though, can Shona do as her son asks? “Shona’s not seen Clayton for quite some time, and she finds him in a complete and utter mess,” explains Julia…

Thankfully, there are some lighter moments for stressed Shona this week, as she and Leanne are outraged to learn that Nick and David plan on engaging ‘hot’ ladies to work at their new salon, to lure in male customers. Understandably appalled by this blatant chauvinism, the girls plan revenge! While the brothers prepare to interview a string of gorgeous girls, they’re stunned to realise that one of them, Andrea, is actually an Italian man. But will Nick and David listen to Leanne and Shona, as they insist that Andrea is the one to hire?…

While Shona is tied up in knots over Clayton’s predicament, things are set to take a very dramatic turn in the coming weeks – after Clayton makes a bold move just as his dad is being laid to rest! Our striking pictures reveal that being handcuffed to a burly prison guard won’t hold Clayton back – and in shocking scenes, he ends up using the distraction of his father’s burial to make a daring escape! There’s quite the scuffle when Clayton tries to leg it, with his mum Shona and her close friend Billy dragged into the fray while violent chaos descends. But the pair aren’t the only ones embroiled as the assembled mourners wade in, and the situation kicks right off! In the midst of the turmoil, unfettered Clayton…

Jacob finally breaks free of Maya’s twisted hold over him this week – sending his predatory teacher into absolute meltdown! After she meddles in his new relationship with Liv, Jacob warns Maya in no uncertain terms to back off, or he’ll tell David all about their affair. Realising she has lost control over Jacob, Maya frets and attempts to make a hasty exit from the village – until a nasty accident stops her… “What Maya experiences is pure, uncontrolled panic,” explains actress Louisa Clein, who plays her. “Her relationship with Jacob is about control and not being challenged. He’s young, he adores her, he looks up to her – and she’s his teacher as well, so there’s a sense of authority and power for her. Suddenly, when he gravitates towards…

Maya’s sick grooming of Jacob has made for uncomfortable viewing – but Louisa is pleased the story is having such a huge impact. “There’s been a strong reaction, which is good,” asserts the actress. “People are horrified by the story – they find it extremely uncomfortable, and that’s a good thing. We don’t want it to be romantic, and we don’t want it to be titillating. “I’m getting a lot of encouragement and support from some viewers as well, who say that Emmerdale is doing an amazing job at telling this story. That’s the beauty of the soap – we can reach an enormous audience.”…