In one of Emmerdale's most disturbing storylines to date, criminal matriarch Celia Daniels (played by Jaye Griffiths) has taken manipulation to terrifying new heights by demanding teenage accomplice Dylan Pender (Fred Kettle) commit murder.
A Birthday Party From Hell
What should have been a celebration of Dylan's birthday turned into a nightmare when Celia crashed the festivities with what might be the most twisted gift in soap history. Instead of cake and presents, she presented the terrified teenager with Robbie - the suspected police informant within their criminal organisation - and instructed Dylan to kill him with a baseball bat.
The shocking scenes, which aired on November 28, 2025, saw Celia drag a bound and terrified Robbie to Butler's Farm before handing Dylan the weapon and demanding he prove his loyalty through violence. The moment marks a dramatic escalation in Celia's ruthless campaign to mould Dylan into her ideal criminal successor.
Celia's Ruthless Ambitions Revealed
According to actress Jaye Griffiths, who portrays the villainous Celia, this brutal test serves a specific purpose in her character's master plan. 'Celia wants Dylan to be her new Ray,' Griffiths revealed, referring to her drug-dealing son played by Joe Absalom.
'She wants Dylan to prove he's loyal by being in charge of the consequences, and the consequences for this lad Robbie are with a baseball bat,' the actress explained. However, in a surprising twist, Celia apparently feels secretly thrilled when Dylan cannot bring himself to carry out the violent act.
Griffiths elaborated: 'He won't, and Celia is secretly thrilled - it means he's not the muscle, that's not him. He's meant to be a manager.'
From Bad to Worse for Exploited Dylan
When Dylan fails to execute Robbie, Celia doesn't hesitate to bring in one of her forced workers, Mick (Leon Harropp), to complete the grim task. She then leads a horrified Dylan away from the scene, proudly revealing her intention to place him in charge of managing her human trafficking victims.
The realisation dawns on Dylan that he's been thoroughly exploited by the woman he likely saw as a mentor. Like many young people caught in county lines drug operations, Dylan comes from a troubled background - viewers first met the wayward teen when he was living in a Leeds squat, where he saved April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) from a predator.
Griffiths shed light on why Celia sees such potential in the vulnerable teenager: 'Celia has a fondness for Dylan because he reminds her of Ray. There is something so still about Fred, the way he plays him, that is always very attractive. Celia has a soft spot for him and she's prepared to overlook her gut instinct that says he's not all as he seems.'
The Net Closes on Emmerdale's Crime Queen
With police already investigating her drug empire, Celia's world might be closing in. However, according to Griffiths, the villainess might face a different kind of punishment than viewers expect.
'Her comeuppance is that she's lonely,' the actress revealed. 'She has a penthouse that you never see because she's never in it. What is her life? What does she enjoy? She never goes home. She has all this money in the bank, and yet she does nothing.'
Griffiths painted a picture of a profoundly isolated existence: 'She doesn't go anywhere, she doesn't have friends, she manipulates everyone she meets - it's a lonely existence.'
As Emmerdale fans await Celia's eventual downfall, this latest twist confirms her position as one of the most calculating and dangerous villains ever to terrorise the Yorkshire Dales.
