Who did Ella Forster kill?

Amid the accusations against Ella, neighbours have been quick to point out her chequered past as a convicted murderer. The soap revealed in 2024 that...
Joel Harley
By Joel Harley

Amid the accusations against Ella, neighbours have been quick to point out her chequered past as a convicted murderer. The soap revealed in 2024 that Ella was hiding a dark secret – that she’d killed a child and served a lengthy prison sentence for the crime.

But who exactly did Ella kill?

Who was Joanne Phillips?

The child that Ella killed was an 11-year-old named Joanne Phillips. Also a child at the time, Ella had bonded with Joanne’s mother, June, after she’d learned about her tough upbringing (as the daughter of a drug addict and dealer).

Growing close after June invited her around for tea, Ella grew close with her and Joanne. However, tensions grew when Joanne attempted to reconcile with a group of former friends from their school.

As a deeply unpopular child herself, Ella feared that she’d lose June if Joanne moved on. Succumbing to a fit of jealousy, she attacked Joanne, ‘banging and banging her head on the ground’ until she was dead. After killing Joanna, Ella returned home, where the police picked her up.

How long did Ella serve in prison?

After killing Joanne, Ella went on to serve a lengthy sentence in a Young Offender’s Institute and, later, an adult prison. After being deemed no longer a threat, Ella was released from prison. She struggled to adapt to life on the outside, becoming a pariah as her secret was revealed whenever she attempted to settle down.

Joining Emmerdale in January 2024, she soon grew close to Doctor Liam. She eventually opened up to him about her secret, but he felt terribly betrayed by the revelation – having himself suffered the loss of a daughter when Leanna was murdered by Meena Jutla.

After leaving the village in shame, Ella briefly reconciled with Liam last year, amid a false pregnancy scare. However, their romance was short-lived, as Liam had developed feelings for Chas, dumping her so that they could be together.

Is Paula Lane still leaving Emmerdale?

Ella’s story comes amid rumours that actor Paula Lane will leave the soap this year. The news was revealed on the actress’s Spotlight page, which is linked to her Instagram bio.

This suggests that Ella’s exit from the soap is imminent – although she recently re-followed the soap on Instagram and removed the end date of February 2025 from her Spotlight page.

With no official confirmation given as to the character’s fate, we’ll have to wait and see how Ella’s story plays out.