Oaten: Dales cast gave me stick

Gemma Oaten has revealed her co-stars didn't waste any time in making her feel part of the Emmerdale family.

The Hull-born actress joined the soap as no-nonsense Rachel Breckle last summer and found her fellow cast members were keen to involve her in their banter.

"From the first day I walked in they started taking the mickey out of my accent and putting me down, messing my hair up, getting me in headlocks," she said.

"They just completely brought me into their family. It's been brilliant."

Gemma would like her tomboy character to find romance in the soap - but admitted Rachel faces some tough times ahead.

"There's big stuff coming up but it's not happy stuff," she said.

"The thing I love about Rachel is she's such a mix - I get the scenes that are just hilarious, the stuff she comes out with, but I'm also getting to show the sensitive side and there's some really gritty stuff coming up."

Gemma added: "Everyone talks about romance between Marlon (Dingle) and Rachel, they're lovely together. I'd like to do some more stuff with James Hooton who plays Sam (Dingle), but at the moment I know she's starting to take a little interest in David (Metcalfe, played by Matthew Wolfenden).

"But that's possibly not going to go her way."