Emma Barton has so far got away with killing James Barton… But Arthur Thomas has now seen how wicked she can be. So what will she do? Gillian Kearney reveals more
Emma Barton’s new relationship with God is all about seeking redemption and doing penance for killing James Barton.
Ashley Thomas was the only person who saw her up on the bridge with James before he fell and now Ashley’s dead. So Emma thought her guilty secret was safe. But now Ashley’s son Arthur is onto her. He’s seen that video of Emma trying to confuse Ashley and make him forget what he saw – and he tells Emma.
“She realises she is in trouble,” Gillian Kearney told Soaplife. “She has to think on her feet and will do whatever it takes to destroy the evidence.”
Does Emma ever consider confessing? “There is that nagging feeling that never leaves her and there are days when she thinks the truth should come out, but when she was hit by the Bible bus, she felt that God was keeping her safe and that the secret wasn’t meant to come out.”
What happens when Emma goes to the Thomases' house? “Emma is getting close to Laurel [Charlotte Bellamy] and wants Arthur to be in the choir. She’s noticed that something is not quite right with him, so she calls round. She’s got her nurse’s uniform on and suggests to Laurel that she gives him the once over because he is off school. Arthur is scared of her and accuses her of making people cry.”
Does she realise why he is so afraid? “He explains that he has seen the video and Emma tries very hard to explain her way out of it. She thinks fast on her feet and makes out that she was trying to help Ashley. She is very troubled by this latest development.”
What will she do now? “She knows that she has to do something. I don’t think she would consider hurting Arthur. She must get rid of that video footage before it’s seen by Laurel or anybody else. She feels awful, because the video is so precious to Laurel. It is doubly painful knowing that Ashley is gone now, but she knows she has to get rid of it.”
What does Emma think of her behaviour in the video? “She watches it and is horrified by what she sees. At the time, she was in the depths of grief and despair.”
What is next for Emma? “Who knows? I am always asking myself ‘What will she do next?’ She is always up to something and it gets worse. She is interesting, though, as I see her as a nice person who has lost her way.”
Emmerdale, ITV
