Ella Forster’s (Paula Lane) nature is called into question in Emmerdale next week as she lashes out at a much-loved favourite after a particularly challenging day.

The character, as viewers know, rocked up in the eponymous village earlier this year and it didn’t take fans long to work out that she was harbouring a big secret.

After landing a job as the GP’s receptionist, Ella became popular with the locals, with Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) striking up a friendship with the newcomer while Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) embarked on a relationship with her.

But the life that Ella built for herself in the village was soon dismantled after her tragic past was exposed by Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi). When she was just a child, Ella killed her best friend Joanne and subsequently went to prison for it.

After a few weeks away, Ella returned to the village to gather up the rest of her belongings, but Mandy insisted that she stay put and fight to prove that she’s not the cold-blooded killer that everyone is making her out to be.

Despite her reservations, Ella did just that.

But things take a devastating turn, with next week’s events potentially set to undo all of her hard work.

Mandy gets wind of the fact that Ella’s 30th birthday is approaching and thus she makes it her mission to mark the occasion. Ella is taken aback when her friend wishes her Happy Birthday and treats her to a full beauty treatment at the salon, with before and after photos.

Ella, however, loses it when she realises that Mandy has shared the transformation online, ordering her to remove the pictures from the salon socials at once.

In heated scenes, Ella destroys her birthday cake and heads for the footbridge, where Liam accompanies her and tries to calm her down. After some persuasion, Ella agrees to go to her surprise party but matters are complicated further when June’s nephew Gary shows up and makes a scene.

Discussing the scenes in question, star Paula Lane said: ‘Gary returns an outs her again in the Woolpack on her birthday, which she was so reluctant to celebrate in the first place, but everyone was like: “No, come on, do it”. So she’s put herself out there, she has opened herself back up. And then he makes a return.’

Ella is left shaken after Gary hands her a photo of Joanne and thus she rushes out, fearing that her life has imploded once again. But Gary’s not finished as he gives chase, with Ella falling to the ground, which Paula tells us ‘triggers something’ in Ella.

Wendy Posner (Susan Cookson) comes to Ella’s aid, ushering Gary away from her. But as Ella sits in the waiting room, she snaps and lashes out at gentle Wendy, attacking her.

‘I think it’s that survival instinct,’ admits Paula. ‘Ella’s still really rattled by [what happened]. And I guess we just have to ask ourselves, what makes somebody switch like that?

‘I think she just feels she doesn’t belong in this place. She doesn’t belong in this world. And actually, she’s probably safer elsewhere.

‘I don’t think she’s ever been as unhinged as she is in that scene. Has she lost it? Or is she doing it for a good reason? Is she almost putting on a front?’

The question is: just how far will Ella go? And does this prove that – despite her claims – Ella is still capable of such violence? What’s more, will Wendy be okay?