A couple of weeks ago in Emmerdale, we discovered that Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) is Celia Daniels’ (Jaye Griffiths) son.
The local farmer was confirmed as the person in charge of the drug dealing operation that April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) are a part of.
Ray isn’t Celia’s biological son, she found him on the streets when he was younger, took him in, and raised him in a world that makes interacting with criminals seem like the norm.
‘I think he’s had a bit of a troubled life’, star Joe Absolom told us recently, reflecting on his character’s upbringing.
‘And I think he’s got an interesting set up with his mum. I think when he comes to Emmerdale, the village, he finds characters that challenge that and make him question that. I think that makes him more human at times.’
During a handful of occasions, we’ve seen a different side to Ray when he chats to Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) in The Hide. The dealer uses this location so he can subtly speak to Dylan and April without raising any suspicion. Because he visits often, he’s often approached by employee Laurel.
‘I think when he meets Laurel, there’s something that brings a side out to him that he didn’t know he was going to have, but the writers did!’, Joe explained.
‘I like it because it has a different side of him, it’s more human. What’s good about being on soap in many ways is if you do one show, you kind of just do those episodes and that’s it. But in this you couldn’t.
‘Since I’ve arrived, I’ve been paying kids to deliver drugs, I’ve been delivering drugs myself, I’ve been pimping out other characters. And I’ve taught Dylan how to drive. There’s a real gamut of opportunity for the Dales.’
Joe went on to reveal that when Ray interacts with Laurel, he’s reminded of the different way he lives his life, and the possibility of having it changed by a new relationship.
‘I think he sees a family, he sees her with her kids and sees a family life that he never had because he was adopted very early on by Celia when he was eight.
‘I think to Ray, he’s interested in the fact Laurel is this kind of woman who has a business, a family and children. She lives in a nice house as well. I think it’s attractive to Ray in lots of different ways.’
