Emmerdale’s Laurel Thomas is set for another shock on the soap next week amid the ongoing fallout from partner recent Jai Sharma's fraud.
The drama began when Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) tried to apply for a mortgage in order to buy Mulberry Cottage, unaware that Jai (Chris Bisson) had taken out a fraudulent loan in her name amid his ongoing financial woes.
He tried to stall her to hide the truth, but the web of lies unravelled when she applied for the loan anyway and her application was rejected straight away.
Jai was then forced into admitting the truth of what he had done when Laurel almost went to the police.
ITV spoilers now reveal that their housing situation could now result in Laurel being forced to leave the Dales.
The drama kicks off next week, when Laurel fights tears as she realises that she’s going to have to look outside the village in order to find a place within her price range.
This situation goes from bad to worse when Kim then informs devastated Laurel that she’s found a buyer for Mulberry in later scenes.
The soap’s master manipulator tells an emotional Laurel that she has 40 days to vacate the property.
But Jai is then put in the position of facing a life-changing choice on the soap when Kim approaches him with a proposition.
In later scenes, Kim asks Jai for his shares in the Hawksford Outdoor Pursuits centre, saying that in return she will give him enough money to pay off his loan and put a deposit on Mulberry.
What will Jai decide to do? Could this be the last we see of Laurel in the village?
This comes after Charlotte Bellamy, who plays Laurel, admitted she can’t see how the couple come back from Jai’s betrayal on the soap, as her character has been left “devastated”.
Charlotte told Digital Spy: “Mulberry for her is a house that has so many memories and he's put that all at risk. He's not only disrespected her, but also her memories and her past.
“It was Ashley's house originally and he left it for her, and left her money for the children as well. Jai actually asked her for the money that Ashley has left in trust for the children as well, so he sort of goes to new lows.”
She added on the Laurel and Jai relationship: “I think when the trust is broken she starts looking back at what she had before. She becomes very nostalgic. In scenes we're doing now with Alfie - who plays Arthur - we talk about his dad and things like that and I think it's rocked her, really – understandably.
“As far as whatever the future holds, who knows?” Charlotte said. “It's a soap, people split up and get back together and whatever all the time. You just do what you're told!”
Emmerdale airs these scenes in the week beginning Monday, February 28 on ITV.
