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Privacy Notice Viewers fell in love with Paula Lane when she played troubled tearaway Kylie Platt in Coronation Street. Now the actress is bringing her on-screen charisma to another complex role as reformed killer Ella Forster in Emmerdale . Ella has arrived in the village with a bang. Not only has she romanced Doctor Liam Cavanagh, and become pals with Mandy Dingle, but she’s also revealed she brutally murdered her best friend when she was just 11 years old. Now she’s about to suffer the heartache of a silent miscarriage, which further complicates her relationship with Liam (Jonny McPherson), who accuses her of never being pregnant in the first place. Her storylines have been dark and heavy, and Paula says playing such emotional scenes means she has to keenly guard her mental health. In an exclusive interview with OK!, the star confesses that it’s exercising in the Yorkshire Dales that keeps her sane.
Paula joined the cast of Emmerdale in November last year
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“Like anybody I can struggle with my mental health,” Paula tells us. “There’s a hell of a lot going on in the world and it’s hard sometimes to pick yourself up, but I really try to focus on myself. I reset myself every day and that might be through yoga, a walk with the dogs, or a run. Exercise for me is key in terms of just releasing and getting myself in a happy place. I love to run, I’m very, very fortunate that I live in a beautiful place where I use a lot of mindfulness.” One of Paula’s most powerful scenes saw Ella relive her childhood trauma to Cain Dingle, who is played by Jeff Hordley. She recounted the events that led to her murdering her best friend Joanne on her own birthday. Afterwards, Paula was glad to be supported by her castmates Jeff and Jonny, before decompressing on the way home to see her husband, actor Tom Shaw, and their children Arthur, nine, and Penny, eight. “I use that time to reflect on the day and I allow myself that time to really mull over it,” says Paula. “By the time I get home, and I’m around my kids and Tom, I’ve done that work, I’ve gone through it in my head. Then I don’t need to kind of give it any more of my energy.”
Paula makes sure to look after her mental health amid heavy storylines
Her storyline might feature heavy scenes, but Paula is proud to be starting a conversation about miscarriage and breaking the taboo around it. “One in four pregnancies results in a miscarriage so to raise awareness is important,” says Paula. “I wanted to do justice to it for women out there and for their partners as well because it does happen to people, and unfortunately not everyone does have their happy ending. It’s an awful situation to be in and I wanted to play that and do that justice.” Paula met her husband Tom – who has also starred in Coronation Street and Emmerdale , as well as crime drama DCI Banks – when she was 17 and they were both embarking on their acting careers. Now they also run drama school the Lane Shaw Academy and both their children are enrolled. So Paula was thrilled when her son Arthur landed a role alongside Matt Smith in a movie called Starve Acre, due to be released in cinemas this September. It was a big decision to let Arthur star in a movie at such a young age but, explains Paula, acting is in his blood.
Paula made an appearance on Call the Midwife in 2021
“Tom has been an actor from being 17 when I first met him, and that’s been our life together,” she shares. “Then obviously, we’ve had the children and about two years ago, we got wind of this open casting call. They were after a Yorkshire boy aged between, I think, five and seven. And it was in every café, every restaurant, everybody knew about it. So I just said, ‘Come on, let’s put him up for it.’ He has it in his blood, he’s a brilliant performer. His delivery is just fantastic. “So he went up for it and then there was a recall, and then a final recall and he ended up getting the bloomin’ role! We just couldn’t believe it, we were in shock. Then the parent side of you kicks in and you say to yourself, ‘Oh, my God, do we actually want him to do this?’” Arthur had a great time on the shoot and loved filming with former Time Lord Matt. “It was a big leap for any child to be thrust onto a feature film set with these actors that were very, very famous,” says Paula. “We will see where it goes, bless him, though he takes everything in his stride. He’s gone to his football camp today with his sister, and we try not to get too fixated on making that decision for him. I want him to really decide if acting is what he wants to do. And equally for our daughter Penny as well. Because if it’s just dipping their toes, then that’s absolutely fine as well. I don’t want them to feel too much pressure at this stage.”
Paula shares a daughter and a son with her husband, Tom
Young Penny and Arthur have already tasted fame after starring together in a TV advert together. “Penny is in the academy too,” says Paula. “They did a Dairylea advert together, so they had quite an intense shoot in London doing that and they had that experience. They look really young in it as well, which is quite funny now they’re growing up so quickly. They’re auditioning all the time, but it’s just getting that balance between keeping their childhoods and keeping it fun.” Starring in Emmerdale is a dream come true for Yorkshire star Paula, who had auditioned for the soap many times growing up before finally bagging the role of Ella. In the end, she decided to make her own luck and won the role after inviting Emmerdale producers to come and see her in the play Quality Street .
Both Paula and her husband are both actors
“Even when times are good, even when you’re doing work, it’s so important to keep networking, because you are a business at the end of the day,” explains Paula. “I was quite bold with it. I do think I manifested it. It’s important that you set yourself goals and chase them because, why not?” Paula loves being an actress, but being a mum is the greatest role of her life and she hasn’t ruled out having more children. “I would never say never. I’ve still got a little bit of time to kind of make that decision,” smiles Paula, 38. “But for now we have a mad Labrador called Stoodley who is way harder than having children. Somebody told me that when he turned two, it was just going to calm down, but I’m yet to see it. He’s taking all my energy at the minute!” Also on Paula’s wish list is an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, especially after watching former co-star Ellie Leach win last year. She says, “I love dancing, I would absolutely meet that challenge!”
Paula confesses she’d love to have a go on the Strictly dancefloor
She even reckons she could rough it in the jungle on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – though she admits she’d miss her children. “I am quite hardy so in terms of sleeping and camping out, I’m alright with stuff like that,” says Paula. “I’d be up for the challenge with the creepy crawlies. I live rural and my house is usually freezing so I’m used to battling the elements, but I’d miss home a lot and my kids. I’d be one that blubs all the time for the camera!”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnCoronation StreetEmmerdaleStrictly Come DancingDramaMatt SmithPaula LaneI’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
