Celia Daniels may think she’s tightened her grip on Ray Walters in Emmerdale, but tonight’s episode proved the damage she’s doing is finally starting to show. After utterly destroying his relationship with Laurel, Celia left Ray a shaken, humiliated wreck – yet this uneasy peace feels far from permanent.
Ray tried to stand up to his controlling mum after a disastrous dinner, only to be crushed once again. Still, with Christmas looming, the question is whether Celia’s hold over him is finally starting to slip.
Celia reduces Ray to tears in Emmerdale
Laurel’s decision to invite Celia to dinner on Wednesday December 17 was doomed from the start – and Ray knew it. Despite his pleas for his mum to behave, Celia wasted no time asserting herself.
She opened with a brutal question to Laurel: “Why do you like my son?” And from there, things only got worse.
As Celia clocked just how serious Ray was about Laurel, she realised this relationship threatened her control. When Ray briefly left the room, Celia seized her moment, branding him a player and planting seeds of doubt. It worked instantly, and a shaken Laurel asked Ray to leave.
Sensing his mum had interfered, Ray headed straight home to confront her. Celia, unimpressed and dismissive, belittled Laurel and Ray’s feelings alike. When Ray tried to push back, she quickly put him in his place with a vicious reminder of who really holds the power.
Calling him weak and mocking his need for her control, Celia left Ray humiliated. Her final jab – telling him to wipe his face before anyone saw him crying – was the final blow. Alone, devastated and angry, Ray lashed out, punching the wall in frustration.
Ray rebels as Christmas approaches
Later in the week, Celia forces Ray to promise he’ll end things with Laurel – and he reluctantly agrees. But by Christmas Bear can see how heartbroken Ray is and urges him to grab happiness while he still can.
Those words strike a chord. Ray decides to take another chance and is thrilled when Laurel agrees to meet him for lunch. He goes all out, preparing a ‘fake’ Christmas lunch, and the spark between them quickly returns.
For the first time in a long while, Ray allows himself to hope they might actually spend Christmas together. But with Celia insisting they leave the village, that dream may still be snatched away.
By New Year, Ray is daring to imagine a fresh start – until he’s handed a terrible task that could change everything. Will this finally be the moment he refuses to obey his mother? Or is Celia’s control still too strong to break as 2026 approaches?
Read more: Emmerdale fans divided over ‘too dark’ storyline – but poll reveals surprise verdict
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
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