Exclusive: 'Dales star reveals Macey split details

Jason Merrells has revealed that Emmerdale's Declan Macey split from wife Ella because they were "geographically separate".

Earlier this week, it was announced that Declan will gain control of the Home Farm estate and be joined in the ITV soap by his ex-wife Ella (Corrine Wicks), their daughter Mia (Sapphire Elia) and his father Dermot (Frank Kelly).

Speaking to Digital Spy about the couple's divorce, Merrells said: "The way I imagine it is that we would have been geographically separate because of our businesses.

"Drifted apart, not spoken, and because we are so driven, feisty and defensive, we probably played brinkmanship with each other over the divorce: 'Are you calling it?' 'No I'm calling it' - and eventually found ourselves getting divorced and being split apart without really examining what happened."

Wicks added: "Obviously we have a daughter who we both very much love and are very close to so there has been constant contact, but Ella lives in Singapore so there is a lot of distance between them."

However, Ella is determined to win back her ex-husband when she arrives in the village.

"I think she will use everything in her armoury to get him back," the former Doctors star said. "She's a determined lady.

"She is not after his money as she is fairly financially secure with her own nail bars."

> Click here to read the full chat with Jason Merrells and Corrinne Wicks