In the early-release on ITVX, the episode begins with the aftermath of a shocking murder that’s shaken the village of Emmerdale to its core. Celia Daniels emerges from the shadows, her calm veneer cracking to reveal something far darker and far more ruthless than anyone anticipated. For months watchers have watched Celia weaving business deals and friendly smiles, but tonight her true colours are revealed: she is not the kindly farmer’s wife or supportive landowner she portrayed, but the cold centre of a drug-trafficking empire and now a vengeance machine ready to strike.

The murder itself is the catalyst. A character is found dead in mysterious circumstances; the location, method and aftermath point to something more than random violence. Celia uses this moment to send a violent message: she has calculated targets, and she doesn’t intend to stop at one. Her voice, quiet yet chilling, appears in the episode: she warns that she knows who helped, who hindered, who stood in the way—and she will ensure three long-established village legends pay the price. These are not minor players. These are characters beloved by viewers, entwined in Emmerdale’s history. Their names are whispered in conversation—but Celia’s intent is clear: she will kill them if they don’t back down.

The early streaming drop allows viewers to see Celia’s full transformation: from boardroom deals to dark nights, from smiles to slaps, from passive partnership to active enforcement. One scene has her slapping April, showing she will use violence personally; another has her ordering Ray, a previously feared drug dealer, to cower in the presence of his “mum”. ITVX+1
Her threats escalate until the audience is left with no doubt: any of the three legends she names could be next.

In the village the atmosphere shifts. Moira Dingle, one of the targeted legends, senses something is wrong. She realises that the deal she struck with Celia may have been a trap. Trust dissolves. Meanwhile, the other legends—who have earned their places in the community through years of struggle, sacrifice and love—now face a threat they were never prepared to fight. Celia’s calculated attack on the fabric of the village goes beyond money: it is about power, fear and rewriting the rules.

Viewers are left reeling. Questions abound: Which three legends did Celia name? Will one be killed next? Does this mark a turning point for Emmerdale, where the safe village becomes a battleground? And crucially – will the fallout destroy Celia’s empire or entrench her deeper into the show’s heart of darkness?

This hour-long special, available early on ITVX, shifts the tone of Emmerdale from traditional rural drama into something sharper, darker and more suspense-driven. It reminds us that no character is safe anymore—and that even legends can become victims.

If you like, I can pull together which legends Celia threatened (based on fan speculation and official spoilers) and a timeline of how this storyline is expected to play out.