Emmerdale star Katherine Dow Blyton has revealed that her character Harriet Finch has no plans to give up her scandalous romance with Will Taylor.
Her blossoming passion with former tormentor Will (Dean Andrews) will enrage Moira Dingle (Natalie J. Robb) in scenes airing next week, with Moira publicly outing Will as a former drug trafficker when she assumes he sold Matty (Ash Palmisciano) some weed.
"Harriet is still very nervous about everybody finding out about Will. Harriet doesn't tell her, but Moira finds out indirectly," Dow Blyton has now explained.
"Bob realises there's something going on – he finds some flowers that Will left. Bob knows there's somebody but doesn't know who, then realises that it's Will. The ground is opening underneath them.
"Dan also finds Harriet's crucifix in the back of the van after she's been in there with Will – or the love wagon as we've renamed it! Dan puts two and two together, Bob puts two and two together. In a little village like this, secrets come out eventually."
The tension between the two sides explodes when Moira discovers that Cain (Jeff Hordley) knew about Will and Harriet's romantic history all along.
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"Cain's not happy about [the rekindling] because of Will stalking Harriet and trying to squish her with a coffin," the actress admitted.
"But Harriet basically says Cain can't judge. Will has made mistakes, done his time and hopefully been rehabilitated. Who are we to judge? Let him without sin cast the first stone."
This all leads to a volatile environment at the upcoming festival, as Dow Blyton teases: "Harriet is in full swing, thanking everyone for their generosity. The harvest festival is taking place around the time of Holly's death – Moira's daughter who died of a heroin overdose.
"Harriet says to Moira that she knows it's a bad time and asks if she can mention Holly in her prayers at the harvest festival. Moira is very touched by that, but in the meantime, finds out that Will has been involved in drugs. She bursts in to the full church and lets rip, giving Harriet what-for."
"Harriet is mortified," the star added. "She says this isn't the right time and she can explain. Will is there but he leaves, as do the rest of the parishioners.
"Harriet is mortified and she does feel like she's let everybody down, because she's told little white lies along the way."
Dow Blyton also hinted that Moira could be putting Harriet's position in the parish in danger by outing Will's past.
"He was in prison for 18 years on a very serious charge," she pointed out. "She knows she has to tread very lightly. She knows she's going to be judged. They've just got to be brave and strong enough as a couple to say this is how it is. She certainly didn't want everyone to find out in such a horrific way."
Nevertheless, Dow Blyton is hopeful that Harriet and Will will be able to move beyond that backlash in order to make a life together in the future.
"She is a vicar first and foremost and I always say that. She's not perfect by any stretch," she acknowledged. "But I think her heart's in the right place and she wants people to know the Will that she knows now – not the criminal.
"She loves Dawn, and Lucas is on the scene. She's never lived with a family unit since she was an undercover cop 18 years ago. I think in her heart, she will be hoping to find some sort of happy ending. Watch this space."
However, she admitted: "You can't ever hope for a happy-ever-after in Soapland, but Harriet is absolutely delighted that she's back together with Will. She never stopped loving him.
"Harriet knows that it's going to be a rocky road, but I think she has her fingers crossed behind her back, hoping this is it."
Dow Blyton also made light of the unlikely attraction between Harriet and Will, given all of the animosity over the role she played in putting him in prison.
"Aren't we all attracted to bad boys?" she joked. "Let's face it, we have to look at the availability of single men in the village!
"Also, they're not just bad boys – they're not just one-dimensional. They make mistakes and they've got little dodgy areas, but I think they're very well-rounded men."
Another bad boy who shares a long history with Harriet is Cain. Will the vicar always feel strongly connected to him as well?
"I think she'll always have a special place in her heart for Cain, because she did fall very, very heavily for him," Dow Blyton admitted. "But she knows that's not ever going to be a possibility. But she will always look out for him and hopes that he's on side to look out for her.
"There ain't going to be a romance with Mr Dingle, he's got his hands full, let's face it."
Emmerdale currently airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our Emmerdale homepage
Digital Spy Soap Scoop video – hit play below for all the latest Emmerdale spoilers, as another of Andrea's secrets is revealed and Moira causes big trouble for Harriet.
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