Emmerdale launched the new year with a storyline that left viewers reeling, delivering one of the soap’s most brutal and emotionally charged exits in recent memory.

The sudden death of Celia Daniels sent shockwaves through the village—and now, actress Jaye Griffiths has finally spoken out about the dramatic end of

her character’s reign of terror, offering rare insight into both the storyline and her emotional departure from the ITV soap.

Celia’s exit was anything but quiet. Despite having made countless enemies during her short but explosive time in the village, it was someone closest to her who ultimately sealed her fate. In a chilling New Year’s Day episode, Celia was stabbed to death by her own adoptive son, Ray Walters, bringing an abrupt and violent end to a character who had quickly become one of Emmerdale’s most feared villains.

Jaye Griffiths first appeared on screen as Celia Daniels in June, instantly making her mark as the feisty, intimidating farmer with a steely exterior and zero tolerance for disobedience. It didn’t take long for viewers to learn that Celia was far more dangerous than she initially appeared. Behind her tough, no-nonsense façade was the mastermind of a sprawling modern slavery and drug-dealing operation that preyed on the most vulnerable.

Under Celia’s control, teenagers April Windsor and Dylan Penders were ruthlessly exploited, forced into dealing drugs across the local area. Meanwhile, Bear Wolf found himself trapped in a nightmare of modern slavery, coerced into grueling manual labor simply to secure basic shelter. Celia ruled her operation with fear, manipulation, and absolute authority—qualities that made her both terrifying and compelling to watch.

At the center of it all was Ray Walters, her adoptive son and reluctant accomplice. For years, Celia controlled Ray through intimidation and emotional abuse, shaping him into a tool for her criminal empire. But cracks began to appear when Ray developed a genuine relationship with Laurel Thomas. Through Laurel, Ray glimpsed a different life—one rooted in love, family, and stability rather than fear and exploitation.

That growing bond became Celia’s undoing.

In the January 1 episode, Ray reached breaking point. Desperate to reclaim control over his own life and escape his mother’s suffocating grip, he confronted Celia in a moment that quickly turned deadly. In a shocking act that stunned viewers, Ray stabbed Celia to death, severing the toxic bond that had defined his life—and marking one of Emmerdale’s darkest moments in years.

Following the dramatic scenes, Jaye Griffiths spoke candidly about her exit, admitting that leaving the soap was far more emotional than she expected. Reflecting on her time on the show, she described Emmerdale as one of the best television experiences of her career.

“Working on Emmerdale has been one of my best TV jobs ever,” Griffiths revealed. “There’s still that expectation that women on screen are maternal, caring, and nurturing. Celia was none of those things—and I loved playing her.”

For Griffiths, Celia represented a rare opportunity to portray a woman entirely free of softness or sentimentality. She embraced the character’s ruthlessness, admitting it was liberating to play someone with no scruples or remorse.

“If Celia told someone she was going to hurt them, she did,” Griffiths said. “I’m glad I didn’t shy away from that. She was completely unfeeling, and that’s what made her such a shocker.”

Despite the praise she received from fans and critics alike—many hailing Celia as one of the soap’s most effective villains—Griffiths confessed that saying goodbye was incredibly difficult. She admitted she struggled emotionally during her final days on set, resisting the reality that her time on the show was coming to an end.

“It took me ages to learn my lines toward the end because I was so resistant to leaving,” she shared. “When it came to my last scene, I nearly cried.”

The sudden absence of the familiar routine hit hard once filming wrapped. Griffiths described how strange it felt to no longer have scripts to study or call sheets dictating her days.

“I’ve missed it so much,” she said. “To suddenly have no scenes to learn—it’s been really tough.”

When asked whether she imagined any alternative ending for Celia, Griffiths was clear: death was the only possible conclusion. In her view, redemption was never an option for a character like Celia.

“She had to be killed off,” Griffiths explained. “Otherwise, she would’ve gone on and done it to another family. There was no redemption for Celia unless she’d had a complete change of character—and that was never going to happen.”

Griffiths also shed light on the emotional dynamics behind Celia’s downfall. She explained that Celia’s loss of control over Ray was what ultimately pushed her into a fatal confrontation.

“She lost control suddenly,” Griffiths said. “Ray didn’t do as he was told. She wasn’t happy that he was in love with Laurel. The idea that Ray wanted to live some cute suburban life was completely preposterous to her. It didn’t even occur to Celia that he might want a different life.”

That refusal to acknowledge Ray’s humanity sealed her fate. Celia’s world depended on absolute dominance—and once that slipped, her reign collapsed violently.

Celia Daniels may be gone, but her impact on Emmerdale will linger. Her storyline exposed dark realities of modern slavery and exploitation while delivering unforgettable drama and moral complexity. Jaye Griffiths’ fearless portrayal ensured Celia was never a one-dimensional villain, but a chilling reminder of how power and control can corrupt absolutely.

As Emmerdale moves forward in the wake of Celia’s death, the fallout from her actions continues to ripple through the village—particularly for Ray, Laurel, and the young lives she scarred. For viewers, her exit marks the end of a harrowing chapter, and for Griffiths, it closes a role she clearly cherished.