Emmerdale viewers will see Liv Flaherty “spiralling” in upcoming scenes, as the teenager hits rock bottom amid her alcoholism battle.
Actress Isobel Steele has revealed that after Liv is wrongly led to believe her friend Belle Dingle has betrayed her, she suffers a huge setback.
Liv began drinking again just months ago, as she struggled to cope with the recent truck crash that led to the death of Paul Ashdale.
After being beaten up by Paul, she left him trapped in the barn after the crash only for it to explode, injuring her and killing him.
The death has haunted her ever since, and her drinking is getting out of control – with her family not able to get through to her.
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In upcoming scenes, she remains in denial over whether she can stop boozing before making a shocking discovery.
Her ex Vinny Dingle has been trying to motivate her to stop drinking, amid her hopes they will reconcile after they split before his father Paul’s death.
But his mum Mandy is desperate to keep them apart, fearing she isn’t good enough for him.
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She takes Vinny’s phone, and when Liv is unable to call him Mandy lies that Vinny has blocked her number.
But Liv is left even more heartbroken when his mum claims that Vinny has taken Belle Dingle out for a drink because he “needs someone normal”.
Liv soon spots the pair together and confronts Vinny, with him realising what’s happened – leading to him fuming at his mother for her actions.
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When Vinny says he just wants to be friends, Liv is gutted and begins drinking again.
Speaking to The Mirror and other press, actress Isobel revealed the lies about Belle and Vinny’s confession send her to rock bottom.
She said: “I think it will have an impact on her attitude towards Vinny because she’s got a relationship with Belle, and I think we assume they have more of a relationship off screen.
“When we have a scene together, me and Eden (Taylor-Draper), they tend to be quite heartfelt, emotional scenes, so I think people assume we have a relationship off screen.
“She also confides in her about things she can’t talk to Aaron about, which is quite nice to play.
“So it would feel like a massive betrayal because this is someone she has gone to in the past for help, and she has helped her and is genuinely a good friend and almost family, and with her ex-boyfriend…. it’s not a good situation for her.
“It also plays into the whole the family is against me thing… she now has Belle who she thinks is going against her, so she’s gonna feel isolated.”
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On her heartbreak over Vinny, Isobel went on: “Even though she knows there are a lot of issues and a lot to work with, it probably isn’t the right time. She knows that, but when she gets it confirmed, that’s the upsetting bit about it.
“She’s been pushed to get better and that hope to get back together has driven her, so when it gets shut down and he goes, ‘no, we’re just gonna be friends,’ that will absolutely crush her because she has been thinking that eventually they will be back together, and the romantic idea is made up in her head, so when it’s confirmed that’s gonna really send her spiralling.”
On what’s ahead, the actress continued: “It’s hard to know where rock bottom is, because I’ve read scripts a few times and thought, ‘oh this is rock bottom. Oh no, no this is’.
“It’s how far can you push her? If she’s yet to hit rock bottom it might be a good thing because hopefully she can come to her senses on her own, and realise she can’t live like this.
“But if she has hit rock bottom then it is not a great tactic because she’s not well and vulnerable. We will have to see if she does get back on her feet.”
Emmerdale airs every night at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.