Emmerdale is set to welcome a family member to the Sugden clan and teased that the new character, played by a Wicked star, will become embroiled in the aftermath of a 'traumatic situation'09:50, 10 Jun 2026Updated 09:50, 10 Jun 2026Emmerdale's Sugden clan are set to get a new family member - and teased that she might end up involved in the aftermath of Dr Todd's assault on Charity Dingle.‌ITV have recently announced that West End star Casey Al-Shaqsy, known for her roles in the Wicked, Hamilton and Six: The Musical UK Tours, will be joining the soap. The star will play Serena Sugden, the newest member of the Sugden clan.‌In recent weeks, some of the family have been battling against the villainous actions of Dr Todd, played by Caroline Harker. Jacob Sugden, played by Joe-Warren Plant, was being bullied by her at work, but Dr Todd proved to be far worse than he thought.‌In the past week, fans were left shocked and "sickened" when the doctor sexually assaulted Jacob's grandmother-in-law Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins). The assault storyline, which some fans have said went "too far" continues this week.When revealing Al-Shaqsy's casting as Serena, Emmerdale bosses teased what her arrival in the village may mean. They said: "The arrival of Serena marks an exciting new chapter for the iconic Emmerdale family, as the show looks to strengthen the dynasty's presence in the village. Casey began filming in April, with her character set to arrive on screens later this month."‌But they also added that she may soon be involved in the fallout from a "traumatic situation", which could be the assault of Charity, as she is closely connected to the Sugdens. They said: "Serena will find herself at the heart of the drama when she is drawn into the aftermath of a character's traumatic situation, finding herself conflicted about what she has become involved in. Soon, her presence raises questions about her true motivations for settling in the Dales and where her loyalties ultimately lie."Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw added: "The Sugdens are a core part of the Emmerdale fabric, and we are thrilled to welcome Casey to the family. Her character will be at the heart of some extremely gripping and unexpected storylines, forcing her to make difficult choices that will have dramatic consequences for some of the village's biggest names."‌Al-Shaqsy shared her own excitement at joining the soap. "I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining such an iconic show and playing a Sugden!" she said. "Serena is a fantastic character with so much going on beneath the surface. I can’t wait for the audience to see the drama unfold.”Ahead of Serena's arrival, Charity has reported Dr Todd to the police, but some fans have predicted that the sinister doctor will be out for revenge now. Dr Todd had been blackmailing Charity as she knew that the Dingle woman was the biological mother of the baby she gave to granddaughter Sarah and her husband Jacob, rather than Sarah's child that Charity was supposed to be carrying as a surrogate.Taking to social media one fan said: "I'm certain Todd will manipulate the story to turn it back on Charity, Vanessa will definitely believe Todd (hopefully not and it'll bring them back to together but I'm not sure if that will, Vanessa is fickle).Article continues below"Jacob and Sarah will believe how evil Todd is but they might not back Charity up of the truth comes out and they're heartbroken (though they wanted a baby, they got a baby, its still related to them if not directly their direct DNA). Cant decide if Mack will forgive her."Emmerdale 8PM weeknights on ITV1 and STV or from 7AM on ITVX, STV Player and YouTube.For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .