Emmerdale newcomer Serena Sugden, played by Casey Al-Shaqsy, has been a hit with fans since her debut last month, but confusion arose over her connection to the Sugden family. Now, Al-Shaqsy has taken to social media to clarify the relationship, ruling out the fan theory that Serena isn't a true Sugden.
Serena's family link explained
In an Instagram Stories video, Casey explained that Serena is the great granddaughter of Edward Sugden. In the first Emmerdale episode in 1972, characters attended the funeral of Jacob Sugden, who was Edward's brother. Jacob was the father of Robert's dad, Jack Sugden, making Robert and Serena second cousins once removed. The characters simply refer to each other as cousins for simplicity.
Serena's role in Charity's storyline
Serena's first scenes involved her comforting Charity Dingle, who had reached breaking point after being sexually assaulted by Dr Caitlin Todd. Charity had fled to a lake in the woods, where Serena found her. It turned out Serena worked for the Samaritans and encouraged Charity to open up about her struggles and Dr Todd's blackmail. Serena advised Charity to come clean about her baby secret to help the police case against Dr Todd.
Arrival in the village
At the end of the episode, viewers saw Serena's Satnav directing her to Emmerdale, revealing she was the newest Sugden family member. Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw previously expressed excitement about bringing the Sugdens back to the forefront, starting with Robert and Aaron Dingle buying Emmerdale Farm.
Cast and crew reactions
Shaw said: 'The Sugdens are a core part of the Emmerdale fabric, and we are thrilled to welcome Casey to the family. Her character will be at the heart of some extremely gripping and unexpected storylines, forcing her to make difficult choices that will have dramatic consequences for some of the village’s biggest names.' Casey added: 'I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining such an iconic show and playing a Sugden! Serena is a fantastic character with so much going on beneath the surface. I can’t wait for the audience to see the drama unfold.'
Upcoming drama
Future spoilers hint at a villager taking deadly revenge, Robert involved in a serious accident as Serena's secrets are exposed, and Kev revealing a shocking truth about Serena.
