ITV Coronation Street star ditches soap for Emmerdale and says 'I manifested it'

Paula, who played Kylie in Coronation Street, has joined the cast of Emmerdale after she says she "manifested" the soap acting role.

ITV Coronation Street star Paula Lane has swapped the soap for Emmerdale. ITV soap star Paula, who played Kylie in Coronation Street, has joined the cast of Emmerdale after she says she "manifested" the soap acting role.

Paula has joined the cast of Emmerdale as newcomer Ella Forster almost eight years after her Coronation Street character Kylie was killed off in heartbreaking scenes after a stabbing in Weatherfield. Viewers will see Ella sticking up for Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) at a veterinary ball.

She then meets doctor Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker) which Emmerdale bosses have teased will "lead to an opportunity" in the upcoming episodes. Paula said: "She is 29, she is a single woman who is very professional and she doesn't mince her words but she's not scrappy.

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"She's definitely a good friend to have on your side and I'm really pleased she finds a friendship with Mandy. I think them two definitely are going to be a great pair. There's no family ties that I'm aware of in the village but that can change. Hopefully there's going to be a romance on the cards."

She explained: "I'm always a big believer in going with what's put in front of you and the past seven years have been really exciting. I've covered loads of theatre, raised my family and had guest role on different TV programmes.

"I think when you are such a familiar face it's nice to give the audience a bit of a breather and I feel like I've changed as well personally. It's a good bit of time that has passed and I think it's healthy." She went on: "I think it is a natural fit and obviously being from Yorkshire as well I feel like I'm going to fit in here and it works for me family wise so as an actor that's brilliant. I just feel like I'm going to feel very much at home here.

"Timing was right, I think a manifested it and then a conversation came about and then through that a seed was planted and the magic happened, a little bit of coincidence but it really did fall in my lap and I feel really grateful and very thankful. I want to do the best with it that I can.

"To create a brand new character, it's going to be really important for me moving on is that I'm going to be developing something different to what people seen seven years ago now. I think enough time has passed to be able to branch out and be seen as something different."