Emmerdale’s Paula Lane has put fans’ minds at rest by confirming that character Ella Forster is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Ella first hit our screens earlier this year, at a party with Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley). The pair hit it off straight away as they teamed up against Ella’s nasty boss.

She then found herself a job at the doctors surgery, where she began a relationship with local GP Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson).

However, everything took a turn for the worse for Ella when her biggest secret was exposed, after Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) did some digging.

In a shock twist, it was revealed that Ella had killed her best friend at 11-years-old.

After suffering an abusive upbringing, Ella made friends with a girl at school, and grew very fond of her mum. However, when the girl informed her that they couldn’t be friends anymore, Ella snapped, terrified of losing the only mother figure she had.

Despite Ella having paid for her crime, it continues to haunt her, and has meant that she’s never been able to stay in one place for very long.

When Liam found out, he was horrified – as were the rest of the villagers.

Because of their reactions, Ella fled the village, though she recently returned with another big bombshell: She’s pregnant.

Thankfully, it seems as though Ella won’t be driven out of the village again, as actress Paula Lane has revealed that she has signed a new contract.

‘I have just signed a new contract which will take me into next year, which is very positive,’ she told Inside Soap Magazine. ‘I’m very, very happy.

‘You never know how things will unfold, but I hope that I’m doing enough to develop a character that’s got some staying power, because I’m very settled here. I couldn’t have asked for more!’

There is still plenty more to come for Ella, it would seem, as new producer Sophie Roper teased.

‘Ella will continue in the show, but her past will continue to haunt her,’ she explained.

‘Her relationship with Liam will remain complicated and we’ll continue to question whether she’ll ever get her happily ever after and can she ever really escape the past that’s led her to this point.’