Emmerdale 2024 preview: New faces, a family crisis and secrets exposed

What lies ahead for the village residents? (Picture: REX/ITV)

Having faced deadly danger at the hands of Damon ‘Harry’ Harris (Robert Beck), you’d think Emmerdale’s Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) would want a quiet life from now on. But 2024 sees Mack embarking on a life of car crime with partner in crime Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) – and it’s not long before Cain (Jeff Hordley) gets involved.

Meanwhile Cain’s brother Caleb Milligan (William Ash) is still intent on pursuing his risky affair with Tracy Robinson (Amy Walsh), but a huge complication arrives in the form of his wife – and Nicky (Lewis Cope)’s mother – Ruby (Beth Cordingly).

We’re promised the return of an old face to the village in January and there’s another new face when Paula Lane joins the show as Ella Forster.

Being a soap, we know we can always rely on births, deaths and marriages and the big wedding we’re looking forward to is Tom (James Chase) and Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper)’s on Valentine’s Day. Will it be happy ever after for the couple?

Here’s absolutely everything you need to know as we settle in for another year in the most dramatic village in the Dales.

Mackenzie and Aaron form a criminal alliance – and risk the wrath of Cain

Mackenzie faced a traumatic Christmas (Picture: ITV)

Following a harrowing Christmas and New Year period for Mackenzie Boyd, the start of 2024 sees him getting into even more trouble as he teams up with Aaron to steal cars. When they target a car that’s being fixed at the garage Mack provides a diversion and Aaron thinks the coast is clear – but by stealing a car from the garage they obviously risk the wrath of Cain.

Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw is predicting a huge power struggle between Aaron and Cain coming out of this story.

‘We’ll see some tensions building there between those two leading to a really brutal physical fight between Cain and Aaron in the new year. Which one of those is going to come out on top? Who’s going to win the fight? We’ll have to wait and see if both of them come out still standing.’

Meanwhile in the aftermath of what happened with Harry, Charity (Emma Atkins) is struggling to cope. Will Mackenzie be the support she needs? And will their relationship last in the long term?

Rhona clings to Ivy

Rhona’s emotions continue to be challenged (Picture: ITV)

Rhona (Zoe Henry) will continue to struggle with her feelings for baby Ivy. With the baby staying with the family over Christmas the bond that Rhona instinctively felt for her biological daughter has grown. Marlon (Mark Charnock)’s fears are confirmed when she admits that she feels like she’s Ivy’s mother and wants his help to make Ivy a permanent part of their family.

‘As she’s pushed to the extreme can she be talked round or is she going to lose everything in the quest to help baby Ivy?’ Laura said.

Caleb’s wife arrives amid his and Tracy’s affair

Caleb’s wife arrives (Picture: ITV)

At the start of the year Tracy does her best to get away from Caleb’s influence on her life by trying to get Gabby (Rosie Bentham) involved as an investor in her nursery idea. Meanwhile she plays a risky game when she considers telling Nate (Jurell Carter) the truth about her affair with Caleb in a bid to keep control over the situation. Is she really willing to blow her marriage apart?

Caleb isn’t so easily put off and insists that their relationship isn’t over. But he’s soon hit by a bombshell when his wife Ruby turns up in the village.

‘She’s going to be an absolute firecracker,’ Laura promised. ‘She’s going to put a real spanner into the Dingles. Is her and Caleb’s relationship really as over as he’s made out? We’ll find out in the new year, I guess!’

Bob and Cathy hit rock bottom

A party goes terribly wrong for the Hope family (Picture: ITV)

New Year’s Eve goes horribly wrong for Bob (Tony Audenshaw) when Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) takes Wendy (Susan Cookson)’s car to drive herself, Heath (Sebastian Dowling) and Angelica King (Rebecca Bakes) to a party in Hotten. When Bob realises what’s happened he and Wendy set off in pursuit – while Heath and Angelica encourage Cathy to put her foot down and drive faster and faster.

This will inevitably have lasting repercussions and test Bob and Cathy’s relationship – which has already been strained by Cathy’s health struggles – to the limits.

‘They’re going to hit rock bottom,’ Laura Shaw warned. ‘Is it going to tear them apart or will it pull them together?’

Huge, shocking story for Chas

Chas faces a surprise when the new year begins (Picture: ITV)

Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter)’s 2024 starts with the possibility of a surprising new romance – with GP Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson). The two start to become closer as they both realise they’re lonely and looking for love, and end up kissing.

But we know from Laura Shaw that huge drama is headed Chas’s way and it’s going to be ‘shocking for all her family and friends and villagers around her.’ Laura also hinted that this could be the thing that finally brings Aaron and Chas back together again as mother and son repair their fractured relationship.

Could Chas be facing a health battle? That could certainly focus Aaron’s mind on what his priorities should be and help him to put his anger with his mum behind him. Or do the Emmerdale fates have something else in store for Chas?

Paula Lane makes her debut as Ella Forster

Former Corrie star Paula Lane has joined Emmerdale (Picture: ITV)

Another new character arriving in early 2024 is Ella Forster, played by Paula Lane. Ella is described as being ‘hard-working, down-to-earth, doesn’t mince her words, always sticking up for people if she sees they’re in trouble.’ We’ll see this quality in her very first appearance when she sticks up for Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) at a veterinary ball.

This indirectly leads to her ending up in the village and getting a job at the doctors’ surgery.

Paula Lane said: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to be here. It’s very surreal. I’m just really excited about starting a new chapter and putting my stamp on it.’

It won’t be long before Ella is making her mark on the village – and catching the eye of one man in particular.

Will Lydia mend her relationships with Sam and Kim?

Lydia recently left the village after discovering the truth about Craig’s death (Picture: ITV)

2023 turned out to be a horrible year for Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick) after she was raped by her former friend Craig Reed (Ben Addis). When Cain and Sam (James Hooton) decided to dish out some Dingle justice to Craig, Lydia felt betrayed that Sam had gone against her wishes and had beaten Craig up.

Even worse, when Craig was found dead it seemed that Sam could have been responsible. The truth was that Kim (Claire King)’s horse had killed Craig in a freak incident, but when Lydia found out that Kim had been riding the horse at the time she was seriously upset that her friend had hidden this fact from her.

Lydia left the village to spend Christmas with her mum as she tried to process all this. Although she assured Sam she loves him, their future was left in doubt, as was her friendship with Kim.

In 2024 Kim refuses to give up on her friend, and eventually this brings about a partial reconciliation with Lydia.

‘We’ll see in the new year if they can get their friendship back on track,’ Laura Shaw said. ‘Similarly for Sam and Lydia – are they ever going to get through this? Hopefully the new year’s going to bring some new hope for them.’

Huge storyline for Moira

What lies ahead for Moira? (Picture: ITV)

Moira (Natalie J. Robb) is set to make a major confession to another villager as she tries to help them deal with a problem. This is something that Moira has been keeping to herself for her whole life, and if it comes out it could blow her world apart. Is she really safe confiding in this person?

And what could the secret be?

Jacob and Victoria’s romance causes shocks

Jacob and Vic look to the future (Picture: ITV)

It’s not long before the news of Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant) and Victoria (Isabel Hodgins)’s relationship gets out. It starts with Gabby getting the wrong end of the stick and thinking that Jacob has developed feelings for her, but she soon realises the truth.

The loved-up couple realise they can’t put off telling Leyla (Roxy Shahidi) and Pollard (Chris Chittell) any longer and they arrange a meeting. How will Jacob’s family members react to the news – and specifically the detail that it was the reason that David (Matthew Wolfenden) left for London?

Wedding bells for Belle

Following their festive engagement where Belle Dingle proposed to Tom King with the help of Torvill and Dean, there’s a wedding planned for the couple – and because they’re in a soap the big day is planned for Valentine’s Day.

Although the two seem to be blissfully happy at the moment, viewers are aware that, prior to the engagement, there was a nasty incident where Tom lashed out at Belle after she originally turned down his proposal. Was this really a one-off, as Tom insisted? Or could we see that side of Tom re-emerge?

An old face returns, and other hints

Laura Shaw told us that ‘we’ve got a familiar face returning in the new year. This person comes back to help one of our villagers who’s in a little bit of trouble. We’ll leave you to guess who the familiar face might be coming back in January.’

So not long to wait – but with the person’s identity currently a mystery, who could it be?

Elsewhere, Pollard continues to face up to his Parkinson’s diagnosis and enlists Rodney (Patrick Mower)’s help in confronting his fears.

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There’s a new addition to Charity’s family when grandson Oscar (Harley Hamilton) arrives, wanting to reconnect with his parents Ryan (James Moore) and Gail (Rachael Gill-Davis).

But with Oscar curious about his family background, Charity is forced to reveal uncomfortable truths about Ryan’s father, rapist Mark Bails. How will Oscar react?

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2024 doesn’t get off to the best of starts for some village residents.