EMMERDALE fans have been busy trying to guess who Ella Forster REALLY is.

The character has been the subject of viewer speculation ever since she arrived on the ITV soap and now the receptionist has finally been unmasked.

ITV

Paula Lane plays character Ella Forster[/caption]

Who is Ella Forster in Emmerdale?

In November 2023, it was announced that Paula Lane had joined the cast of Emmerdale, playing newcomer Ella Forster.

Speaking about her role, the actress said at the time: “I’m so excited to be joining the cast of Emmerdale.

“Everyone has been so welcoming and I can’t wait to start a new chapter playing the role of Ella.

“I’ve already heard there are big plans for her and I can’t wait to see her navigate a new life in the village and hopefully make some friends!”

Ella Forster arrived in the Dales in January 2024 as the new receptionist at the doctors surgery.

During her time in the village there has been a lot of speculation from fans that she is hiding her real identity.

What was Ella Forster’s big secret?

It turns out that Emmerdale’s Ella has been hiding a secret – and it’s a HUGE one.

It was revealed that she had killed her friend when she was just a child.

After Ella’s secret was exposed she was forced to come clean to her boyfriend Liam Cavanagh.

She explained how she was 11 and “did a horrible thing” but that she had “changed” with the help of specialists and social workers.

However, things didn’t end there and her secret was revealed in the Woolpack with nearly half of the village finding out.

Feeling sorry for her, Cain Dingle went to comfort her, as his son Kyle was around the same age when he had become a killer.

Ella opened up about her hard start to life with her and her brother living with their drug dealer dad.

Forced into working for her father as a drugs courier, she told of how she had been neglected for years.

She revealed how a school friend called Joanne and her mother June had taken her in, and showed her “love and kindness”.

ITV

Ella’s big secret has finally been revealed[/caption]

Sadly things took a tragic turn when Joanne said she could no longer be friends with Ella, and that meant she couldn’t stay with her and June.

The two girls got in a fight and Ella kept “banging and banging” her friend’s head on the ground until she went quiet.

Opening up to Cain she said: “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.”

What else has Paula Lane starred in?

West Yorkshire actress Paula Lane is best known for playing the feisty Kylie Platt on Coronation Street, who was the half-sister of character Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly).

However, after six years on the soap Paula revealed in 2016 that she had quit Corrie for good.

At the time she revealed how she wanted to take a break from acting for a while to “focus on her family”.

Speaking to OK!, Paula said: “I think it’s got to be a clean break, I don’t think I’m going to take anything.

I’ve done six years of solid work [on Corrie] so I think I owe it to myself to have a natural break.

Paula Lane

“I have to put Kylie in a box, literally. I think that’s the healthiest option.”

She explained: “I feel like I’ve got to nurture this new baby. Arthur only had 11 weeks with me before I went back to work.

“I’ve done six years of solid work so I think I owe it to myself to have a natural break.”.

Paula added: “There have been a couple of offers of work already, but I feel like it’s too soon.

“If anything amazing comes up I’d have to take another look at my plan.”

Paula’s character was killed off in July 2016.

Prior to Corrie, Paula was cast immediately in the ITV 1960s-based drama Heartbeat where she made her television debut playing a teacher, Wendy Kelshaw.

Over the years she has starred in plenty of TV shows including Postal by Terry Pratchett for Sky.

Paula has also starred in The Royal, BBC soap Doctors, and featured in the short film War Wounds alongside Stephen Mangan.