Emmerdale has kicked off 2026 with a shocking death in the major storyline involving Ray Walters and Celia Daniels, which has seen the villainous duo have a grip on the area with their criminal operation.

Over the past few months, the pair have had teenagers April Windsor and Dylan Penders perform various criminal acts, while Bear Wolf was also a worker at a gruelling manual labour camp.

 

 

In Wednesday’s (31 December) episode, Celia prepared to kill Bear in a bid to tie up any loose ends, while she also ordered her son Ray to dispose of April. After a taut confrontation, Ray had a change of heart and told April to run away.

In tonight’s (1 January) instalment of the ITV soap, a visibly nervous Ray struggled to contain his emotions in front of Laurel, with the villain calling himself a “coward” for his past actions – though he didn’t specify to Laurel what he was referring to.

After Marlon knocked on the door, Ray was spooked, with Laurel urging him to stand up to Celia. He heeded her advice and told his mother that he decided to let April walk free, though she slapped him around the face for his trouble.

Celia still ordered Ray to deal with the matter, but he flat-out refused to be cowed any longer. This instigated Celia’s venomous streak, and she spitefully mocked Ray’s past all the way back to childhood as he stood with a tear in his eye.

Following Celia’s horrific tirade, she tried to smooth things over with Ray, and offered him a hug. Just as it looked as if she had manipulated him once again, Ray turned the tables and stabbed her.

“I’m so proud of you,” she remarked as she collapsed to the floor, with Ray looking at the blood – both literal and metaphorical – that was now on his hands. Will he be able to conceal his crime and live with Laurel, or will his various misdeeds catch up with him?

Emmerdale has kicked off 2026 with a shocking death in the major storyline involving Ray Walters and Celia Daniels, which has seen the villainous duo have a grip on the area with their criminal operation.

Over the past few months, the pair have had teenagers April Windsor and Dylan Penders perform various criminal acts, while Bear Wolf was also a worker at a gruelling manual labour camp.

In Wednesday’s (31 December) episode, Celia prepared to kill Bear in a bid to tie up any loose ends, while she also ordered her son Ray to dispose of April. After a taut confrontation, Ray had a change of heart and told April to run away.

In tonight’s (1 January) instalment of the ITV soap, a visibly nervous Ray struggled to contain his emotions in front of Laurel, with the villain calling himself a “coward” for his past actions – though he didn’t specify to Laurel what he was referring to.

After Marlon knocked on the door, Ray was spooked, with Laurel urging him to stand up to Celia. He heeded her advice and told his mother that he decided to let April walk free, though she slapped him around the face for his trouble.

Celia still ordered Ray to deal with the matter, but he flat-out refused to be cowed any longer. This instigated Celia’s venomous streak, and she spitefully mocked Ray’s past all the way back to childhood as he stood with a tear in his eye.

Following Celia’s horrific tirade, she tried to smooth things over with Ray, and offered him a hug. Just as it looked as if she had manipulated him once again, Ray turned the tables and stabbed her.

“I’m so proud of you,” she remarked as she collapsed to the floor, with Ray looking at the blood – both literal and metaphorical – that was now on his hands. Will he be able to conceal his crime and live with Laurel, or will his various misdeeds catch up with him?