Emmerdale star Olivia Bromley has revealed a turning point ahead for Dawn Fletcher and Joe Tate’s controversial relationship. The couple, who first got together when Dawn cheated on her husband Billy, will be brought closer next week during an emotional heart-to-heart over the past.

In upcoming scenes, Dawn is totally open with Joe for the first time, as she shares harrowing details of what her life was like before she moved to the village in 2018. This includes how she was coerced into sex work and drug addiction.

Olivia has now spoken about the emotional moment in an exclusive interview with Soap Scoop, the weekly podcast from Inside Soap magazine which contains cast chats every Tuesday.

After fierce fan debates over whether Dawn and Joe are really suited, Olivia suggested that next week’s episodes will explore the potential for a much stronger bond between them.

“Joe Tate is the epitome of what Dawn would see as a different class to her,” Olivia explained. “He’s very put together. He’s not super emotional in lots of ways. With Dawn, shame over her past has really been a big problem, so for her to open up to him is a massive deal.

“As soon as she starts to feel judged by him – and that she’s not worthy of him and that he sees her as her past in a difficult way – it could really cause a rift between them.

“But what’s actually really nice is that Joe welcomes her to open up properly. I think it’s the first time you actually go: ‘I get why these two characters might be together’.

“It’s actually really a sweet bond between them. So I think it could bring them closer.”

Olivia also discussed the chances of Dawn reuniting with Billy in the future. The pair haven’t shared much screen time together recently, but could they ever find their way back to each other?

“I love working with Jay [Kontzle, who plays Billy] obviously,” Olivia explained. “It’s funny when you’ve worked with someone for ages. It’s very weird because you’re just used to your partner. They are your screen husband. And then I’m like: ‘Got a new one!’ It’s funny.

“I think with Dawn and Billy, it got really toxic. I don’t know if there’s any coming back from what she’s done to him. The way that she’s hurt him is really bad. So I don’t know whether he would have her back, but who knows?”

Hit play below for the full interview with Olivia, which includes all the details of a controversial new storyline involving Clemmie, Carl and the King family.