One of Emmerdale's most despicable characters is poised for a dramatic departure, with the final chapter for crime boss Celia Daniels now confirmed. Portrayed by actress Jaye Griffiths, the villain's tenure orchestrating a large-scale organised crime operation is set to conclude in what promises to be an explosive storyline.
The Reign of a Soap Villain
Celia Daniels has cemented her place as one of the most vile characters ever to emerge in soap land. Her time in the Dales has been marked by a complete absence of humanity, committing heinous crimes that have shocked viewers. As the mastermind behind a vast criminal enterprise, she has been involved in drug trafficking and human trafficking, forcing vulnerable people into prostitution and modern-day slavery.
Alongside her subordinate, Ray Walters (Joe Absolom), there are few lines the crime boss won't cross in her ruthless pursuit of money and power. Their victims include Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle), a formerly homeless man drawn into the organisation, and April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan), who was groomed, manipulated and terrorised into dealing drugs and engaging in sex work. Even Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) found himself enslaved, forced to live and work in barbaric circumstances.
An Exit Always Planned
In an interview with Metro published on November 20, 2025, Jaye Griffiths acknowledged that her character's evil nature meant she was always destined to have a limited shelf life. "I knew it was finite, which I am very sad about, because I would like to stay forever, but it’s such a strong arc," the actress revealed about her stint on the popular ITV soap.
Griffiths described working on Emmerdale as "heaven," adding: "It’s one of the nicest places I’ve ever worked, and I’ve done a little bit of work before! It is gentle and kind and professional and funny, and people care that it’s good."
Embracing the Villainy
The role of Celia represents a significant departure from the characters Griffiths is usually offered. "I usually get the upstanding, morally robust people. Doctors, police officers, lawyers," she explained. "Whereas Celia, her compass is buried. She doesn’t need one, she just needs to make money."
According to the actress, what makes Celia such a compelling villain is her complete lack of self-doubt and conscience. "The reason that Celia works is because she has no little voice in her head," Griffiths noted. "That self-critical, nasty voice that stops us doing many things. Celia doesn’t have one of those. Celia has, 'what do I want? Well, then I’ll get that', and that’s it."
How Will Celia Meet Her End?
Given the extensive torment Celia has inflicted on the villagers, her exit is expected to be explosive. While justice typically prevails in Emmerdale, Griffiths believes prison might not be in the cards for her character. "The idea that she would get caught is inconceivable. Inconceivable," the star stated confidently. "No, she will move blame. She will throw anyone under the bus before herself. I mean, no, she’s not going to prison!"
Should her cover be blown, Griffiths imagines Celia would react with mere annoyance rather than panic. "It won’t be the first time that it’s had to be dissolved and moved," she suggested, hinting at the character's resourcefulness.
Several villagers are likely candidates to play a role in Celia and Ray's downfall. Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) has grown increasingly worried about his daughter April's involvement with the organisation. Meanwhile, Ross Barton (Michael Parr), who is also protective of April, could unleash his violent side when the truth emerges.
"I imagine when Ross does find out, there’s going to be hell to pay," confirmed Michael Parr, who plays Barton. "I think if Ross is provoked and you hurt the wrong people around him, the old Ross is gonna come out."
The Challenge of Playing Evil
Griffiths revealed that embodying Celia's "shut down" humanity presented unique challenges. "When you have to shut down, shut down all feeling, shut down any regard you have for the people you’re with. That is exhausting," she explained.
The actress described how during rehearsals, particularly for violent scenes, crew reactions would remind her of the character's terrifying nature. "You hear the crew go, 'ooh' and then you have to go, 'oh, I’m nice, really, I’m not really a sociopath, please don’t eat me! It’s just pretend!'"
She found the process of "shutting down" emotionally both fascinating and draining. "Shutting down is really interesting, so nothing you do will make me change my mind. It doesn’t matter if you cry or beg or scream or fight, nothing's happening because it’s just you and your world, I don’t care. Simply don’t care," Griffiths said, channelling her character's mindset. "That’s very freeing, but very tiring, because caring about your fellow humans is what makes you a human. Empathy for your fellow humans is what makes life, life."
As Emmerdale viewers await Celia Daniels' inevitable downfall, the only certainty is that her exit will be as dramatic and unforgettable as the misery she has inflicted upon the village.
