Emmerdale star Carryl Thomas will reprise her role as Cara Robinson after a five-year absence from the soap.

The actor, who has also had roles in Family Affairs and Holby City, previously appeared in the ITV soap across 2020, with the character departing the Dales in October of that year after originally arriving in January.

As per The Sun, Thomas will reprise her role as Cara next month, with the character returning to Yorkshire for the funeral of her son Nate, whose body was recently discovered in the lake following his murder by John Sugden.

While the nature of Thomas’s return has not been disclosed, it is likely that Cara will have some choice words for ex-partner Cain Dingle, who has come under suspicion for Nate’s murder following their altercation shortly before his death.

Cain isn’t the only figure to be accused of Nate’s murder, with widow Tracy being considered the prime suspect after some suspicious activity. Amid an ongoing spat with Cain and the Dingle family, Tracy chooses to ban the entire clan from Nate’s funeral.

“When Belle tries to reason with her, Tracy goes off the deep end,” said an insider for the soap. “Soon, anyone with the surname Dingle is persona non grata at Nate’s funeral. Tracy is so full of grief and anger that she’s channelling it wholesale into her hatred of Cain.”

With tensions escalating, Belle attempts to resolve the matter by reaching out to Tracy’s sister Vanessa, though the plan backfires as the latter understands and empathises with Tracy’s point of view.

“Vanessa sees how broken her sister really is,” said the insider. “When Tracy tells Vanessa that she feels the funeral is her one chance to make things right, Vanessa crumbles and realises she can’t go to bat for Belle and the Dingles.”

With Tracy and the Dingle family at loggerheads, how will Cara’s return impact the increasingly bitter feud? Will she stay neutral for the sake of her son and his memory, or will she pick a side?