As Emmerdale continues to unravel the dark legacy left behind by Ray Walters, the actor who brought the chilling villain to life, Joe Absolom, has spoken candidly about his exit from the ITV soap — and the very real fears that follow when a major role comes to an end.

Ray’s death may have brought a sense of closure to viewers desperate for justice, but for Joe Absolom, the final scenes marked the end of an intense, demanding chapter that pushed him both creatively and emotionally. In recent interviews, the actor has admitted that while he understands why Ray had to be killed off, stepping away from Emmerdale has left him facing the unsettling uncertainty that comes with life as a “jobbing actor.”

A villain who left a permanent mark on the village

Ray Walters arrived in the Dales as a shadowy presence — a drug dealer sniffing around the cannabis operation run by Mackenzie Boyd, Ross Barton, and Lewis Barton. At first, he appeared to be just another criminal passing through, but it quickly became clear that Ray was something far more sinister.

Joe Absolom’s portrayal leaned into quiet menace rather than explosive violence. Ray didn’t need to shout to be terrifying. He manipulated, intimidated, and coerced, often speaking about a mysterious “boss” whose existence kept his teenage recruits in a state of constant fear. Dylan Penders and April Windsor, both vulnerable and desperate to protect their families, became trapped in a nightmare they couldn’t escape.

For months, viewers assumed the shadowy figure above Ray would never be revealed. When the truth finally emerged — that the operation was run by Celia Daniels, Ray’s adoptive mother — the storyline took an even darker turn.

The Celia Daniels revelation changed everything

The reveal that Celia Daniels was not only Ray’s boss but also his adoptive mother reframed the entire storyline. Suddenly, Ray wasn’t just a villain — he was also a product of long-term manipulation and control.

Celia’s operation went beyond drug dealing. She exploited homeless adults, forcing them into unpaid labour on her farm. One of her victims was Bear Wolf, Paddy Kirk’s father — a revelation that horrified viewers and pushed the storyline into deeply uncomfortable territory.

Joe Absolom’s Ray became a man trapped between cruelty and desperation. As Ray grew closer to Laurel Thomas, he began to recognise that he, too, was being used by Celia. For the first time, the character dared to imagine a life beyond crime — a future where he could escape his past.

But in Emmerdale, redemption rarely comes without a cost.

Ray’s betrayal — and the illusion of freedom

Ray’s decision to turn on Celia was one of the most shocking moments of the storyline. Believing that eliminating his mother’s control would finally set him free, Ray convinced himself that he could start again.

For a brief moment, he felt untouchable. But Ray underestimated the ripple effect of his actions. Word of his crimes began to spread across the village, and the illusion of freedom shattered when Laurel confronted him — devastated by the truth she had uncovered.

From that moment on, Ray became a marked man. Viewers watched as suspicion closed in from all sides, with multiple villagers harbouring strong motives for wanting him dead.

A death that sparked one of Emmerdale’s biggest whodunnits

Ray’s murder was confirmed at the start of the year, with DS Walsh later discovering his body in the back of a depot truck. Since then, Emmerdale has carefully drip-fed flashbacks, revealing what various villagers were doing in the days leading up to his death.

Paddy Kirk, Ross Barton, Marlon Dingle, Rhona Goskirk, Graham Foster, Laurel Thomas, and even Arthur have all found themselves under suspicion. Each episode adds another layer of tension, keeping viewers guessing and fuelling intense debate online.

For Joe Absolom, watching the mystery unfold from the outside has been a strange experience — one filled with pride, curiosity, and a twinge of regret.

“Why did I say kill me off?”

Reflecting on his exit, Absolom admitted that part of him has wondered whether Ray’s story could have gone on longer.

“I’ve started to think, ‘Why did I say kill me off?’” he confessed. “That said, Ray had to get his comeuppance. I think the audience is happy. He couldn’t stay in the soap.”

It’s a sentiment many soap actors eventually face. Villains rarely get to ride off into the sunset, and Ray Walters was never designed for long-term redemption. His death was necessary — not just for narrative justice, but for the village to begin healing.

Still, Absolom made no secret of how much he enjoyed working on the show. “As an actor, I’ve loved it,” he said. “I could easily stay forever.”

The reality of life after Emmerdale

With Ray’s story complete, Joe Absolom now finds himself back in the familiar — and daunting — position of searching for his next role. Speaking honestly about the emotional impact of leaving, he admitted that the fear of uncertainty can be overwhelming.

“It’s been very good, and I’ve definitely got the blues,” he said. “That’s a compliment to Emmerdale. It’s been such a nice, positive place to work, and I am going to miss it.”

For many viewers, it’s easy to forget that behind every dramatic exit is a real person facing real anxieties. Absolom described the industry reality that hits once the cameras stop rolling: the question of what comes next.

“When you’re a jobbing actor, the fear of finding a new role steps in. It can be terrifying wondering what’s next.”

Gratitude, growth, and cautious optimism

Despite the uncertainty, Absolom remains grounded. With age and experience, he’s learned to trust that another opportunity will come.

“As I’ve got older, I feel like I’ve got a bit of karma,” he said. “I know I’ll be alright.”

It’s a quietly hopeful note that mirrors the complexity of Ray Walters himself — a character who, for all his crimes, offered audiences a powerful exploration of manipulation, abuse, and the cycle of control.

A villain gone — but not forgotten

As Emmerdale edges closer to revealing who killed Ray Walters, one thing is already certain: his presence will linger long after the truth comes out. The damage he caused — to Dylan, April, Bear Wolf, and the wider village — cannot simply be erased.

For Joe Absolom, Ray’s death marks the end of an intense chapter, but also the beginning of a new one. Whether viewers loved to hate Ray or found themselves unnervingly sympathetic toward him, Absolom’s performance ensured that Ray Walters will be remembered as one of the soap’s most disturbing and complex villains in recent years.

And as the whodunnit reaches its climax, audiences will be left with one final reminder — in Emmerdale, justice is rarely clean, closure is never simple, and the consequences of evil echo long after the villain is gone.