ELLA Forster has opened up about how she became a child killer in an emotional Emmerdale episode.
The receptionist – who is played by actress Paula Lane in the ITV soap – had been hiding a huge secret and last night it was finally revealed that she killed her friend as youngster.
In tonight’s episode Ella’s secret was exposed and she was forced to come clean to boyfriend Liam Cavanagh about how she killed pal Joanne.
She explained how she was 11 and did a horrible thing but that she had changed with the help of specialists and social workers.
But as Liam realised she had pretended to be Joanne to get closer to her mother June as she suffered dementia, he was horrified.
Ella told him: “I never said I was Joanne, I just didn’t correct her when she said it – there was no malice in it.”
Meanwhile in the pub, Leyla had discovered Ella’s secret and promptly told half the pub, so when Manpreet found Ella outside and dragged her there insisting they both needed a drink, things got even worse.
Marching up to her, Leyla returned the stolen picture and said simply: “Your secret’s out.”
“I’m sorry,” she said to a sickened Manpreet. “I’m not like your sister, I’m not.”
Leyla tried to force a sobbing Ella out of the pub but she stood her ground and ordered a drink and insisted she would go on her own terms this time.
But in a shock twist Cain Dingle arrived, having been called by Charity, and he wanted to help Ella.
“Come on, I’m listening,” he said to her, mostly realising she was the same age as his son Kyle when he became a killer.
Ella opened up about her hard start to life with her and her brother having to fight over a mattress by the backdoor of her drug dealer dad’s house.
Forced into working for her dad as a drugs courier- and worse she couldn’t talk about – Ella revealed how she had been neglected for years.
But then Joanne showed her kindness and ignored the state of her and they became friends.
Joanne’s mum June took her in in the days and fed her and convinced Ella that she deserved a better life.
“It was my eleventh birthday, I’d had cake and they’d sang for me, the first time ever for that,” she said.
“Me and Joanne were in the park across the road and I could tell she wanted her pals back. And I thought great she can have them and I’ll still have June.
Emmerdale's child killer plot is brave not sick
The Sun's Soaps Editor Carl Greenwood on the controversial new storyline
EMMERDALE has taken a big swing with its latest bombshell child killer storyline – and I for one am glad that they have.
These are exactly the types of storylines that soaps should tackle.
For all the sensationalism, huge stunts and so-called issues-based storylines – the hearts of soaps should be people.
And they shouldn’t shy away from damaged people like Ella.
Yes, she’s a killer and yes she killed a child as a child – but she’s settled in the right place – Emmerdale makes Midsomer look like the safest place in the UK.
Undoubtedly there is going to be a backlash to this storyline.
It’s only a matter of time before there are comparisons to real-life cases like Jamie Bulger’s killers or Mary Bell, but they would be unfair.
But as unseemly as it could be described – this is a powerful storyline.
Bosses have played a blinder by casting Paula Lane – and by slowly integrating her into the village and showing her true personality.
This is a careful, nuanced storyline that explores something that most show’s wouldn’t dare. Bosses should be applauded for that.
“But she said I had to stay away because they wouldn’t be her friends if she was still friends with me. I knew she felt torn and rotten, and I begged but she kept saying no.
“The terror of not having June, no more safety, no more love, no nothing. I just lost it.”
She added through sobs: “We ran and pushed each other, she fell over, she got up and ran again but she fell over. I was on top of her and I was banging and banging her head.
“We were both crying but then she just stopped. And it was over. Kids were all screaming. June came running from the house, and she ran to Joanne and just held her.
“She was howling like an animal. I walked home and I sat on the mattress and I waited for the police.”
Cain went to get another drink and found Liam listening at the door but he just walked away.
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Later Cain found Ella ready to drive off but he did his best to change her mind by opening up about Kyle and asking her not to go.
Will she decide to stay in the village? Or will she run away?
