As fans of Emmerdale will of course know, Rachel Breckle is pregnant, and factory boss Jai Sharma is the baby’s father…

The child was conceived during a drunken one-night stand, and ever since Rachel discovered she was pregnant – and decided to keep the baby after Jai begged her to – she and Jai (Chris Bisson) have been trying to work out a mutually beneficial was forward.

That has of course included Rachel agreeing to keep the news of who is the baby’s father a secret, and in return, Jai has promised that neither she nor the baby will want for anything. Anything by way of material things that is…

However, Rachel’s struggling with the concept that her baby will be “a dirty little secret” and in an interview with What’s On TV about the storyline, Gemma Oaten – who plays tracksuit loving Rachel – has revealed that she thinks her character’s protectiveness towards the baby will be significantly increased once the infant arrives…

She said, “I think she’s going to be fiercely protective and loyal of him or her, especially with how things may or may not develop.”

And when asked if it’s likely that Jai’s wife Charity (Emma Atkins) is going to find out the truth about who is the baby’s father, Gemma replied, “I’m sure Charity’s going to find out some day…

“But I don’t know where or when, and I’m preparing myself for when it happens because I think she’s going to rip Rachel apart!

“But I think [Rachel’s] going to defend her child to the end of the earth really.

“And I think because she had such a difficult upbringing herself, she’s going to be even more protective of the little one when it comes along.

“But I’m just dead excited to find out whether I’m having a boy or a girl.”

Gemma also revealed that she’s very excited that she’s starring in the show during its landmark 40th anniversary.

Of that, she said, “When I auditioned for the role one of the things I said to Stuart (Blackburn, producer) – and he said ‘Are you a stalker?’ – was ‘It’s the anniversary in October’.

“It’s just amazing to be part of it all. It’s fantastic.”

Also a part of the current storylines are Mark Charnock and Dominic Brunt, who of course play the role of former friends Marlon Dingle and Paddy Kirk, who, in tonight’s episode, are both going to be arrested when a fight breaks out as Marlon tries to stop Paddy and Rhona (Zoe Henry) taking his son Leo to New Zealand.

Here’s a sneak peek…