Casey Al-Shaqsy, who joined the cast of Emmerdale as Serena Sugden earlier this year, has admitted that she was left starstruck by Jeff Hordley's Cain Dingle, revealing that she used to fancy him when she was younger.
Speaking to Metro about settling into her role, the actress said: 'I think I actually got starstruck by Cain. I don’t get starstruck. I talk to everybody. And I saw him, and I was quiet for once, and I walked past him, and I was like, hello, I’m Casey, can’t wait to work with you. I was a bit awkward because I was like, that’s Cain! And I used to fancy him as well.'
Overwhelmed by the Dingles
Al-Shaqsy also described feeling overwhelmed during a christening scene involving the Dingle family, saying she almost threw up while watching it back.
'When we did the christening, I watched it back and, like, thank God you can’t tell, but I almost threw up. So I’d been there for two weeks, and I’d had lovely interactions with everyone. I’d had Woolpack scenes. I’d worked with Emma, I’d worked with all these amazing people. I was like, great, I feel settled,' she explained.
'And then I got into that christening, and it was all the Dingles in one corner. Then it was Matty and me. There was Sarah and Jacob, and then Charity and Mackenzie, and I was literally stood there, and I went, 'Can I sit down?' And I had to leave the room. I couldn’t sit with everybody because I just felt really overwhelmed.'
'It made me feel really sick because I was just like, this is such an iconic family that I look up to so much and such incredible people. They’re so kind and wonderful that I was like, I don’t feel well. That’s the only time I’ve ever felt like that. But that was a big day.'
Serena's secret mission
Since her arrival, Serena has been revealed as the distant cousin of Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). This week's episodes of the ITV soap have shown that she also came to the village for another reason: she is friends with DS Thea Ramsden (Chelsea Edge), who is investigating Dr Caitlin Todd's (Caroline Harker) death. Serena has been asked to break into Home Farm to find something that can destroy Kim Tate (Claire King).
Al-Shaqsy revealed more about the friendship: 'They are very, very close friends. Serena’s sort of journey into the village was to see her family. She does want to get closer with her family. But she’s mentioned to her best mate, 'I’m going to Emmerdale'. And she’s gone 'I need you to do me a favour'.'
'So whilst all the drama’s happening with her own life, she is then doing her usual Serena way and is looking out for somebody else and trying to get all this information for her. Obviously, we can’t get into why yet, but she didn’t know that Ramsden was on the case.'
She added: 'So when she turns up at the village, it’s kind of like you’re kind of ruining everything here. And it wasn’t Serena’s choice to make it a secret; it was Thea’s. She’s trying her best to keep the secret like Thea wanted her to.'
'But she’s also like now you’re here working on a case that I’m involved in; you’re making my life very difficult right now. And there’s going to be times it’s going to be trials and tribulations between them because it’s like you’re literally putting me in such an awkward position.'
What lies ahead for Serena
Teasing what's to come, Al-Shaqsy said: 'All she does is care about other people and do stuff for other people. But if you watch the show, when’s the last time you see anyone do anything for her other than give her a place to stay? Everyone is always asking things of her, and she’s always doing things for other people.'
'Thea tries to help her a little bit as well, but that’s only because there’s something in it for her. She gets a bit of friction with Sarah. She gets a bit of friction with Thea. And then the friction for her with her family, with Brian, is just like, this is something else!'
'I always say Serena doesn’t lie; she just doesn’t tell people the whole truth. She tells the truth, but leaves bits out, and that’s what gets her into trouble. She knows that’s upset people in the past, and now she’s keeping another secret because it isn’t hers to tell; it’s Thea’s.'
