Loose Women viewers praise ‘brave’ Emmerdale star Jaye Griffiths as she breaks down and visibly shakes while recounting her horrific domestic abuse

Emmerdale’s Jaye Griffiths broke down in tears as she opened up about her experience of domestic violence on Thursday’s Loose Women.

The 62-year-old actress, who took on the role of villain and farmer Celia Daniels in the series earlier this year, was previously in an abusive relationship where her partner “beat” and “gassed” her for five years.

Last month he admitted he was ‘exhausted’ from ‘lying’ to those around him about what was going on.

During a highly emotional interview on the ITV daytime show on Thursday, she spoke powerfully about what a revelation it was for her to now be able to make her own decisions about even the most basic things in her life.

Visibly shaking, he said: ‘When I choose between drinking tea or coffee it’s okay because there will be no consequences for my actions. If I choose tea, the world won’t collapse.

‘Those little decisions you can finally make for yourself… because you’ve never done this before, all you’ve ever done is try to keep the peace your whole life.

The 62-year-old actress, who took on the role of villain and farmer Celia Daniels in the soap earlier this year, had previously been in an abusive relationship for five years which saw her partner ‘beat’ and ‘gaslighting’ her.

‘And suddenly you’re back and you’re alone and you can do things. You can achieve small victories.

‘I never knew what would trigger and what not to do. If you made the tea the wrong way, there could be consequences, if you put the milk in the wrong place…

‘Then you get your own fridge and it doesn’t matter where you put the milk. My boundaries are so concrete now. And the people around you will help you, they don’t want you to be in the nightmare you’re in.’

Loose Women panellists Kaye Adams and Frankie Bridge were quick to reassure him on the show.

He said last month he felt “ashamed” to talk about what was going on at home, which led to him “disappearing” from public life.

It was recently revealed that Jaye’s Emmerdale character was behind the drug gang terrorizing the village.

Celia didn’t hesitate to show her cruel side either, even violently striking young April Windsor, played by Amelia Flanagan, and threatening her life.

However, while playing the villain, Jaye had to grapple with her emotions stemming from past experiences away from the series where she was abused and controlled by a former partner.

During a highly emotional interview on the ITV daytime show on Thursday, she spoke powerfully about what an epiphany it was for her that she could now make her own decisions in her life.

He said: ‘I never knew what would trigger and what not to do. If you made the tea the wrong way, there could be consequences, if you put the milk in the wrong place again…’

People watching Loose Wives at home were quick to praise her bravery

Last month he said he was ’embarrassed’ to talk about what was going on at home, which led to him ‘disappearing’ from public life

Kaye told Adams How to Be 60 podcast: ‘I couldn’t tell anyone because I was too embarrassed. I disappeared for about five years.

‘Now you use the term gaslighting – but I couldn’t make up my mind, I didn’t know if what I thought was real was real, because he kept telling me I was wrong and the day after he hit me I would buy jewellery.’

Explaining how far the horrific abuse went, Jaye said: ‘If I turned the house heating on it could have consequences like ‘you’re wasting my money’ so I wouldn’t turn it on.

‘If I hadn’t worn it and the house was cold, there would have been consequences, so I thought, ‘What should I do?’ You live in a world like: What’s best?”

Jaye continued: ‘I lived in this twilight existence and had to start over.

‘I had to learn that just because someone walks behind you doesn’t mean they’re going to beat you up, that sometimes people say the right things.

‘But it took a very long time. When I finally went to the police, they told me that a woman is shot an average of 37 times before she tells anyone. All I did was lie: ‘No, I’m fine, thank you, I’m fine’ and it’s exhausting.’

Jaye, who also appeared in the TV series Casualty, Doctor Who and Silent Witness, began to rebuild her life after her relationship ended.

‘You start with the little things. I like tea but I don’t drink milk, I like black coffee, I don’t like bread. I’m allowed to change my mind and I’ll have a sandwich. “I want herbal tea because I can make it,” she explained.

‘These small choices are your foundation, because you can make decisions without consequences, then time passes and you become stronger.

‘Looking back now I think: damn. People say to me: ‘Why didn’t you leave?’ And I want to stab them in the eye and say: ‘Where to? So tell whom? So what are you going to do?”

Jaye has since been happily married and lives in Hertfordshire with her partner of more than 20 years, but admits it has taken her ‘years’ to open up again.

The actress joined Emmerdale earlier this year as the terrifying Celia, who was revealed to be behind a drug-dealing gang in the final episode.

Speaking about the role before joining the soap in June, Jaye said: ‘I was delighted to land this role; Without giving the game away he is so different from anyone I’ve played before and I can’t wait to get to the heart of his story.’

She told Kaye Adams’ How To Be 60 podcast: ‘I couldn’t tell anyone because I was too embarrassed. I disappeared for about five years…’

Jaye is no stranger to the industry and has appeared in various TV shows over the years.

The star played Sally Johnson in The Bill, Sheena Whitehead in Casualty and Lilly Morton in Holby City between 1993 and 2003.

She also starred as Professor Janet Mander in Silent Witness between 2008 and 2012.

Jay also played Helen Marlowe in Criminal Justice and Nicola Taybarn QC in Coronation Street.

More recently she played Jac in Doctober Who in 2015, Helen Stritch in EastEnders and Hannah Ware in Holby City the same year.

The TV favorite also played Ella Gardner in Casualty between 2016 and 2019.

She recently played DI Karen Flitcroft in Death In Paradise, Miss Eira in Vikingskool and Marti Kapp in Vera.