Jaye Griffiths joins Emmerdale as new farmer Celia

Her first scenes will air at the end of June.

Emmerdale has today announced that it'll be welcoming a new farmer onto the scene at the end of June, played by esteemed actress Jaye Griffiths who's best known for her roles in The Bill, Casualty and Doctors.

When a neighbouring tenant farmer calls on Moira Dingle to enquire if she can rent two of her fields, Moira is quick to shrug her off, but this lady, Celia, clearly means business.

Celia’s reputation precedes her as Moira isn’t keen to deal with this woman, despite bad finances on her own farm. And soon when poor vet Paddy is brutally attacked and hospitalised by one of Celia’s guard dogs we start to get the measure of her true colours from her reaction to the attack.

Celia is renting a neighbouring farm in Emmerdale from Kim Tate, but with the Barton’s and Sugden’s as farming families already well established within the community there is definitely conflict on its way.

On joining Emmerdale, 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."

To which the show's producer, Laura Shaw added "We are absolutely delighted to have Jaye Griffiths joining us to play the role of Celia. 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."

Emmerdale continues Mondays to Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV1 with first look episodes available from 7am on ITVX