Emmerdale actress Louisa Clein is currently involved in one of the most controversial storylines in soap history.
Her character Maya Stepney had groomed, manipulated and eventually bedded schoolboy Jacob Gallagher – something which has sickened viewers and prompted complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom.
Read more: Emmerdale SPOILER: Graham tells the police Joe is alive
Many soap fans have even questioned the morality of a 39-year-old actress kissing Joe-Warren Plant, who is only 16 in real life, like his character.
Now actress Louisa has admitted the Emmerdale scenes ARE weird and difficult to film.
Talking to TV Times, she revealed: “It’s awkward, of course. But Joe-Warren is a joy to work with and so mature for his age, and everyone is very conscious of not making our scenes titillating.”
Read more: Emmerdale star compares his character to celebrity ‘lookalike’
Children’s charity Barnardo’s have been closely involved with the storyline, and the producers and cast have always insisted the scenes are supposed to be uncomfortable to watch…
Louisa explained: “From the research we’ve done and the input from Barnardo’s, women who do this are emotionally immature and needy. It’s not that they fancy little boys; it’s about control.
“Often they’ve had some kind of abuse as a child themselves, and their emotional maturity has been stunted at the age that happened. So what Maya wants is reassurance, adoration and utter devotion; a relationship where she is totally unchallenged.”
Some fans have called for the storyline to end, and others were left repulsed this week when David prepared to leave his girlfriend Maya and son Jacob home alone for a week without him.
However, Louisa recently told her 11,100 Instagram followers that the storyline, albeit uncomfortable, IS making a difference.
Alongside a letter send out by a school about an assembly targeting grooming, she wrote: “When you get messages from people saying that this is what schools are now sending out, directly because of the storyline in #Emmerdale… That’s why we’re doing it.”
The ITV soap has reassured fans that Maya WILL face justice for abusing Jacob.
Producer Kate Brooks insisted the soap will make sure the story has the “right outcome” while speaking at a press event about the grooming and abuse storyline.
Asked about the outcome of the storyline being true to life, Kate said: “We’ve got a responsibility.
“A lot of people watch the show, a lot of teenagers watch the show, and also we would never just tell one of these stories lightly, we have a duty to make sure the right protocol is carried out, and the right outcome.”
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