Emmerdale actress Isobel Steele says she cried filming the scenes in which her character, Liv Dingle, was crushed to death.
During a fierce storm on screen tonight a caravan was sent careering down the street, smashing into Liv and pinning her against a shop wall.
The helpless young woman then said her emotional last goodbyes to husband Vinny, played by Bradley Johnson.
Isobel reveals there wasn’t a dry eye among the cast and crew as they shot the dramatic scenes.
She says: “Liv is a young girl and her death is a tragic one. I know it will be a shock to viewers but sometimes people can die in circumstances you would never expect.
“Very suddenly, people must deal with grief and that can be very tough. I am very proud of the way we’ve filmed these
heartbreaking scenes and they are some of the best I have ever been involved in on the soap, but it has also been very emotional.
“It felt so real and as if I was actually dying and saying my final goodbyes. I was genuinely really upset because I knew I was leaving for good.
“I didn’t have to pretend to cry because I was crying anyway. We were all emotional.”
The actress confesses she had mixed feelings when she was told Liv would die as part of the major storylines to mark Emmerdale ’s 50th birthday – even though it was her decision to exit the ITV soap.
“I first told the producers I wanted to leave in September 2021,” says 21-year-old Isobel.
“I joined when I was 15. I knew I didn’t want to stay for ever and at some point you must make that call.
“Last September it felt the right time to move on and I wanted to give the producers a year to come up with a great exit for Liv. As an actress, you take a risk deciding to go.
“And so, when they phoned me in April to tell me Liv was going to be killed in a storm, I had mixed feelings.
“I was excited because it meant I got to be in the 50th celebrations with a huge storyline, but equally I knew it meant I would never be coming back.”
Massive wind machines were used by the crew to create the storm.
Isobel says she watched the “episode at home with my family“. She adds: “It felt like my character had come full circle especially with Aaron, played by Danny [Miller], also being on set as he was there at the start with me.“
Isobel, who is likeable and warm and who comes across as far older than 21, says her seven years playing Liv have been a blast.
As she reflects on her time in the show, which last week was named best soap at the National Television Awards, Isobel says becoming close friends with cast members such as Lisa Riley and Bradley are highlights.
She adds: “The best thing about being in Emmerdale has been growing up on the show.
“I went from larking around at school to a job that you get paid for. In fact, at the start, I would have done the job for free.
“I have made some amazing friends and they have helped me navigate my way through it all.
“I could have lost control if I hadn’t been around those core Dingles.
“They are fantastic at their job and genuinely interesting. Working on the soap has given me confidence too. Early on, I used to mumble and people struggled to understand me but the exposure has helped a lot. It’s also made me very level-headed.”
She says the cast gave her an amazing send-off, adding: “I had a party for the whole team and a meal with some of my closest friends.
“That was emotional, too. They made a goodbye video for me.
“When you leave a show and it is a death, everyone makes such an effort. I felt very loved.”
Isobel, who is also a singer and uploads tracks on her YouTube channel, reveals her dream would be to work on a period drama.
She intends to go to auditions over the next few weeks as she plans her next move. Isobel says: “My parents have been so supportive about my decision to leave Emmerdale.
“It is not easy leaving a soap and it is a bit nerve-racking when you’ve had so much stability for years, but they are excited to see me in other things.”
