![\"Laurel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/22_12_emm_laurel_ray_02-7f37.jpg\")
\n\t\tLaurel Thomas had no idea who Ray Walters really was (Picture: ITV)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tLaurel Thomas had no idea who Ray Walters really was (Picture: ITV)<\/p>\n
Emmerdale<\/a>\u2019s Laurel Thomas<\/a> (Charlotte Bellamy<\/a>) thinks she\u2019s found her Mister Right in the charming Ray Walters<\/a> (Joe Absolom<\/a>).<\/p>\n The only drawback? He\u2019s a bit too attached to his mother, Celia Daniels<\/a> (Jaye Griffiths<\/a>). But that shouldn\u2019t be a problem\u2026 not since he stabbed her in the chest<\/a>. It\u2019s certainly one way to cut that umbilical cord.<\/p>\n It seemed an unlikely match for the biggest sweetheart in the village, whose romantic history includes big softies like the Reverend Ashley Thomas (John Middleton) and the delightfully nerdy Marlon Dingle<\/a> (Mark Charnock<\/a>), but she\u2019s fallen for the smooth-talking charms of Ray without having any idea who he truly is.<\/p>\n Viewers were horrified to see an oblivious Laurel embark on romance with a ruthless drug-dealer and people trafficker who runs a modern slavery operation, previously under Celia\u2019s watchful eye<\/a>. <\/p>\n Together, mother and son exploited hundreds of vulnerable teenagers like April Windsor<\/a> (Amelia Flanagan<\/a>) into drug dealing and sex work, as well as grooming and coercing Bear Wolf<\/a> (Joshua Richards<\/a>) into forced labour in dangerous conditions.<\/p>\n While Ray was a willing participant, he was constantly directed and bullied by Celia, who had adopted him and saved him from a broken home. In many ways, he\u2019s just another one of her victims<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t Hence why Ray fell for Laurel<\/a>. She offered him a warmth and closeness that he\u2019d never had before, as well as the chance for a normal life. Laurel fell hard for him, sharing their first Christmas together\u2026 all the while Ray was extorting two thousand pounds a week out of Marlon and Rhona Goskirk<\/a> (Zoe Henry<\/a>) to stay away from April.<\/p>\n Laurel\u2019s only issue with Ray was his weird relationship with his mum, how intrusive she was and how nervous he was around her. Celia certainly didn\u2019t hide her disapproval of her son\u2019s new girlfriend. <\/p>\n Recent problems in the village meant that it was time for the dastardly duo to flee Emmerdale and build their operation from scratch in pastures new. Celia feared that forming this emotional attachment would make Ray weak and get them both caught. <\/p>\n To be fair, she had a point. Due to Laurel\u2019s influence, he finally found the strength to defy his mother and refused to kill April on her orders. Livid, Celia raked up Ray\u2019s traumatic childhood and lambasted her adoptive son as a failure who nobody but her could ever love\u2026 which ended in him stabbing her to death. <\/p>\n \t\t When Laurel wanted Ray to stand up to his mum, somehow I doubt that\u2019s what she had in mind.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \t\t With Celia gone for good, Ray is finally free to pursue a happy future with Laurel. Or at least, in his head. But that bubble gets popped pretty quickly in today\u2019s episode when Laurel crosses with April\u2019s boyfriend Dylan Penders<\/a> (Fred Kettle<\/a>), who\u2019s also been coerced into drug dealing. And when Laurel enthusiastically reveals that Ray is staying in the village, Dylan can\u2019t help but wonder how much she truly knows about her boyfriend.<\/p>\n And later, when Ray calls round to tell Laurel how he stood up to Celia, we\u2019re thrilled to realise Dylan\u2019s spilled the beans when a terrified, sickened Laurel tells Ray that he\u2019s a monster and she never wants to see him again. She slams the door, leaving Ray screaming her name as his dreams of a happily ever after up in smoke in front of his very eyes.<\/p>\n Nothing\u2019s left for Ray in the village now \u2013 except revenge. He\u2019s already set to appear in Corriedale<\/a>, and we know that the soap-spinoff will end with a tragic death. If Ray finds out that Dylan is the reason he\u2019s lost Laurel, Celia might not be the only one to die\u2026<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Ray](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/17_12_emm_ray_laurel_celia_01-26a7.jpg\")
\n\t\tCelia Daniels did not approve of Ray and Laurel\u2019s relationship (Picture: ITV)<\/p>\n![\"Ray](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/28_11_emm_ray_april_dylan_01-35f6.jpg\")
\n\t\tDylan Penders questioned how much Laurel really knew about her beloved (Picture: ITV)<\/p>\n![\"Soaps](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767427871_602_SEI_278522320-46a3.jpg\")
\n\t\tNow you can ensure you never miss a story from the Soaps team<\/p>\n
\nMORE: Fresh death rocks Emmerdale as a dead body is stashed<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: The truth of Ray and Celia finally exposed in Emmerdale but beloved character is missing<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Emmerdale\u2019s April freed at last by unexpected saviour in major Celia twist<\/a><\/p>\n