Emmerdale’s Carrie Nicholls was thrown deep into a quagmire of murder and mystery when she arrived in the village, but viewers will finally get a glimpse of her past with the sudden arrival of her stunning younger sister, Lexi.

TV newcomer Sally Oliver will debut in the ITV1 soap in July as Lexi turns up unannounced and ready to raise hell in the village.

Fresh from a spell in a foreign prison after being convicted on drugs charges, Lexi’s arrival will send a timely reminder to her sister that in Emmerdale, skeletons abandoned in closets invariably come back to haunt you.

Sally, 23, trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and has since enjoyed a successful career in theatre. Her casting in Emmerdale will mark her first foray into British serial drama.

Sally says: “I’m thrilled to have been offered this fantastic opportunity. I’m so excited to be joining such an established show and I can’t wait for Lexi to make her mark on the village.”

Kathleen Beedles, Emmerdale Series Producer, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Sally to the cast and viewers can look forward to some explosive storylines after Lexi’s arrival. She’s a loose cannon and that can only spell trouble for Carrie and the Kings.”