Manipulative child abuser Maya Stepney (Louisa Clein) has everything under her control again in Emmerdale as she continues to groom confused teenager Jacob Gallagher (Joe Warren-Plant).

Jacob had turned on Maya and had even threatened to expose their affair to David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) which caused her to panic and attempt to flee the village. But after she ended up in hospital, she turned the situation to her advantage once again, leading an emotional Jacob to tell her that he loved her.

Maya engineered it so that they resumed their relationship and she warned Jacob that he can never tell anyone about what is going on. As she weaved her malicious spell over him, viewers were left more unsettled than ever and that won’t change tonight.



As Maya and Jacob continue with their secret, Maya knows exactly what she is doing and how to play it – and David remains completely oblivious. Meanwhile, Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele) is also unaware of what Jacob is going through and as they continue to bond, will she end up hurt in the process?


A spokesperson for Barnardo’s said: ‘Maya has been using familiar grooming tactics, playing with Jacob’s affection for months, emotionally blackmailing her pupil to keep quiet about their illicit liaisons.

‘When abusers befriend and groom a child, they create emotional ties whereby the child believes them to be their boyfriend or girlfriend and believes they are in a loving “relationship” initially.’

The story of Jacob and Maya is set to continue and while many viewers have expressed their discomfort with the scenes, they have also stated that it’s an important angle and storyline to tell.

Maya continues to carry out her actions in plain sight while Jacob is unaware that what is happening to him is wrong.

But will Maya take a risk too far?

Emmerdale continues on Friday 8th February at 7pm on ITV.

Need support? Contact Childline or Barnardo's For those affected by this storyline, contact Childline on 0800 11 11 or visit Barnardo's for support and advice www.barnardos.org.uk

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