Rhona Gets Rid of Mary for Celia in the Most Appalling Way in Emmerdale

Emmerdale is no stranger to harrowing storylines, but the soap is currently plunging viewers into one of its most disturbing arcs yet, as Rhona Goskirk is pushed to commit an act so cruel it threatens to shatter her family forever. At the heart of the drama is the terrifying presence of drugs boss Celia Daniels, whose grip on the village tightens with every episode, forcing Rhona into an impossible decision: sacrifice her relationship with her own mother, or risk her life.

Rhona (Zoë Henry), her husband Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), and their children are already living in a state of constant fear when the full extent of their nightmare comes to light. Their daughter April (Amelia Flanagan) finally breaks down and confesses that she has been coerced into dealing drugs for Celia and her son Ray (Joe Absolom). What initially appeared to be teenage mood swings and secrecy is revealed to be something far darker and far more dangerous.

 

Before Marlon and Rhona can even begin to consider going to the police, Celia ensures they understand exactly who they are dealing with. In a chilling confrontation, she turns up uninvited and shows them a live stream on her phone: April’s boyfriend Dylan (Fred Kettle) being deliberately run down by Ray. The message is unmistakable. This is not a threat; it is a demonstration. Celia is ruthless, methodical, and utterly without remorse.

The realisation hits hard. This isn’t just about April anymore — it’s about the safety of their entire family. Every decision from this point on is made under the shadow of Celia’s power and the knowledge that one wrong move could cost someone their life.

Desperate to escape the danger closing in around them, Marlon and Rhona hatch a plan to flee the village with their children. It’s a last-ditch attempt to regain control, but it’s doomed almost as soon as it begins. Ray intervenes, making it clear that there is no running from Celia Daniels. The family is trapped, watched, and vulnerable.

As upcoming episodes unfold, the tension only escalates. Dylan survives the hit-and-run and is left recovering in hospital, while Marlon and Rhona maintain a constant vigil at his bedside. Their hope is fragile but vital: that Dylan will eventually be strong enough — and brave enough — to tell the police everything he knows. If he talks, Celia and Ray could finally be exposed.

But for April, that possibility is terrifying. Fully aware of what Celia is capable of, she is convinced that Dylan speaking out would seal their fate. Torn between her love for him and her fear for her family, April secretly begs Dylan to stay silent. It’s a heartbreaking moral dilemma for a girl already pushed far beyond her years, and one that threatens to tear her apart from the inside.

Meanwhile, Celia makes it abundantly clear that she is now in charge. She holds court in Marlon and Rhona’s own home, calmly asserting her dominance and reminding them that every person they love is within her reach. Marlon, usually a pillar of warmth and humour, is reduced to a man paralysed by fear, painfully aware that he can no longer guarantee his family’s safety. Keeping their heads down seems like the only option left.

Just when the pressure feels unbearable, another complication looms. Rhona’s mother Mary (Louise Jameson) is due to return to the village after spending time away on a retreat. For Rhona, Mary’s homecoming sparks pure panic. She knows her mum too well — Mary’s background in journalism means she is naturally inquisitive, perceptive, and relentless when something doesn’t add up. There is no chance Mary will miss the tension hanging over the household, and even less chance she’ll drop the subject once her suspicions are raised.

Rhona is faced with a horrifying realisation: Mary’s curiosity could get her killed.

At first, Rhona tries gentle persuasion, encouraging her mum to leave the village again and stay away. But her attempts only fuel Mary’s concern. The more Rhona deflects, the more determined Mary becomes to uncover the truth. With every conversation, the danger grows.

Cornered and desperate, Rhona resorts to the unthinkable. In a calculated move designed to push Mary as far away as possible, she launches a verbal attack so brutal it leaves no room for doubt. She says things no daughter should ever say to her mother — words intended not just to hurt, but to devastate. Rhona paints Mary as unwanted, unnecessary, and a burden on the family, all in the hope that the sheer cruelty of the rejection will drive her out of the village for good.

It is one of the most appalling acts Rhona has ever committed, and viewers know the truth: it’s done out of love and fear, not malice. But Mary doesn’t have that knowledge. All she experiences is rejection on an unimaginable scale.

Louise Jameson has spoken powerfully about Mary’s emotional state during this heartbreaking twist. She described the storyline as a classic dramatic device, likening it to something straight out of Shakespeare — where the audience is let in on the secret motivation behind an act that, on the surface, seems unforgivable.

Mary, she explained, believes she is being “booted out” because she is no longer valued or wanted. In her eyes, she brings nothing but grief to her family and is being told, in no uncertain terms, to leave. The pain of that misunderstanding cuts deep, and the emotional fallout could be permanent.

The question now is whether Rhona’s cruel strategy will actually keep Mary safe — or whether it will backfire in devastating ways.

As if the situation weren’t volatile enough, Jaye Griffiths has teased that Celia’s plans are far from over. According to the actress, Celia doesn’t do Christmas, and the festive season won’t bring peace or goodwill where her character is concerned. Instead, Celia is already planning her exit strategy. April’s family has become an “irritant,” business pressures are mounting as Moira begins asking too many questions, and Ray’s unexpected emotional attachment is complicating matters further.

Celia’s solution? Move on. Find another farm, another location, and start again — a chilling confirmation that this criminal operation is part of a long-established pattern. The implication is terrifying: Celia and Ray have done this before, and they will do it again.

For Rhona, Marlon, April, and Mary, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Lives, relationships, and moral boundaries are all on the line as Emmerdale hurtles toward its next explosive twist. Whether Rhona’s sacrifice will save her mother — or cost her everything — remains to be seen.