Emmerdale has never been short of powerful villains, but few arrivals in recent years have unsettled viewers quite like Jaye Griffiths’ chilling turn as Celia Daniels.

Since stepping into the ITV soap earlier this year, Griffiths has delivered a performance so disturbing and controlled that fans have been left shaken.

Yet amid the darkness of the storyline, another conversation has quietly taken over social media and fan forums alike—how has Jaye Griffiths barely aged a day

since her breakout roles more than two decades ago? It’s a question that has sparked disbelief, admiration, and no small amount of nostalgia. For many viewers, Griffiths’ face feels instantly familiar, even if they can’t quite place where they first saw her. As Emmerdale’s current storyline intensifies, curiosity about the actress behind Celia has surged—and with it, amazement at how remarkably unchanged she looks since the early 2000s.

Jaye Griffiths’ arrival in Emmerdale marked a major turning point in the show’s recent narrative. Introduced as Celia Daniels, the mother of Ray Walters, her character initially appeared mysterious and calculating. It didn’t take long, however, for that mystery to turn menacing. Celia was revealed to be the mastermind behind a dangerous drugs operation infiltrating the village, exploiting fear, desperation, and vulnerability to tighten her grip.

Together, Celia and Ray orchestrated a deeply disturbing scheme that targeted some of Emmerdale’s most vulnerable residents. Under the pretence of settling fabricated debts, they manipulated Dylan Penders and April Windsor, grooming them into criminal activity with chilling precision. The storyline crossed into especially dark territory when Celia forced April into attending prostitution appointments, coercing and terrorising the teenager under the guise of “paying what she owed.”

One of the most harrowing moments came when April assaulted a client in self-defence and was led to believe she had killed him. Unbeknownst to her, the man survived—but Celia and Ray cruelly concealed that truth, using April’s fear and guilt to maintain control. The psychological manipulation was brutal, and viewers were left horrified by Celia’s cold, calculated cruelty.

Griffiths’ portrayal of Celia has been widely praised for its restraint and realism. Rather than playing the villain with exaggerated theatrics, she delivers menace through calm authority, quiet threats, and an unnerving lack of empathy. It’s a performance that has reminded audiences why Griffiths has remained such a respected presence in British television for decades.

As the storyline escalates, fans have been asking a simple question: where have we seen her before?

The answer stretches back more than 20 years.

One of Griffiths’ earliest and most beloved roles came in the early 2000s when she appeared as Jenny Wendell in Weird Sister College, a spin-off of the cult children’s series The Worst Witch. Airing from 2001 to 2002, the show introduced Griffiths to a new generation of viewers and showcased her natural screen presence at a young age. Clips from that era have recently resurfaced online, prompting astonishment at how little she appears to have changed.

During a 2001 appearance on SMTV Live, Griffiths spoke enthusiastically about her role in Weird Sister College and the enduring appeal of magical storytelling. “Everybody loves magic,” she said at the time, clicking her fingers playfully. “We’d all like to be able to go like that.” When asked what superpower she’d choose, she laughed and replied that she’d like to be invisible—so she could go anywhere and do anything.

Two decades later, there’s an irony in that comment. While Griffiths may have once joked about invisibility, her career has quietly but consistently remained in plain sight, marked by an impressive range of roles across British television.

Following Weird Sister College, Griffiths built an enviable résumé. She appeared as Rose Henderson in the BBC series Bugs, and later as D.I. Sally Johnson in The Bill, where her performance further cemented her reputation as a serious dramatic actress. She went on to take roles in Doctors, Silent Witness, Casualty, and its spin-off Holby City, demonstrating her versatility across genres.

Her work wasn’t limited to medical and crime dramas. Griffiths also appeared as Yavalla in The Outpost, bringing depth to a fantasy role that echoed her early work while showcasing her growth as an actor. Along the way, she made memorable guest appearances in rival soaps, including Coronation Street and EastEnders, seamlessly moving between ITV and BBC productions.

Despite such a prolific career, Griffiths has always maintained a low public profile. She’s never chased celebrity status or tabloid attention, instead letting her work speak for itself. Perhaps that discretion has contributed to the shock audiences now feel when comparing her current appearance to footage from 20 years ago. Time seems to have passed lightly over her, a fact that fans describe as both astonishing and oddly emotional.

There’s a sense of bittersweet nostalgia in seeing Griffiths back on screen in such a high-profile role. For viewers who grew up watching her early performances, her presence on Emmerdale feels like reconnecting with a familiar face from childhood—only now, she’s portraying one of the show’s most disturbing antagonists.

The “very sad news,” as many fans phrase it, isn’t about loss or tragedy in the traditional sense. Instead, it reflects the emotional weight of watching a beloved actress embody such darkness, and the unsettling reminder of how time passes for audiences far more noticeably than it does for some of the stars they grew up with.

As Celia Daniels’ storyline continues to unfold, one thing is certain: Jaye Griffiths has delivered a performance that will be remembered long after the character exits the village. Her ability to command attention, evoke fear, and provoke conversation proves that her talent has only sharpened with time.

Ageless, formidable, and unforgettable—Jaye Griffiths has returned to Emmerdale not just as a villain, but as a powerful reminder of why she has endured in British television for over two decades.