Explaining the decision to introduce a female serial killer in the form of Meena, Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks spoke to Express.co.uk and other media about the unique perspective it brought to the show.
The producer said: “We’re always looking for that next big, massive story and we’ve not had a serial killer for a while, probably since Lachlan.
“So we were chatting about what was next and it just felt really right to bring a female serial killer into the mix, and one that didn’t feel like one we’ve seen before on screen.
“Usually there are two types of serial killer on soaps, one that rumbles all the way through killings and we see a conscience or a regret, or we see the kind who do it as a necessity.
“With Meena, we wanted a character who would act out and kill for sheer enjoyment, for the pursuit of glory and we wanted to showcase a female character that just lacked empathy, and lacked a conscience and just enjoyed the drama and the theatrics of being a killer.”
Will Mary adopt some of Meena’s disinter characteristics to ensure she doesn’t get blamed for Marlon’s murder?
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV, with an hour-long episode airing on Thursdays.