Why Emmerdale's Liv Flaherty is a rising star for the future.

Why Emmerdale's Liv Flaherty is a rising star for the future.

Isobel Steele as Liv Flaherty in EmmerdaleITV

When Emmerdale's Liv Flaherty arrived on our screens three years ago, on first impressions she seemed every bit your troublesome teenager. From kicking Robert Sugden in the crown jewels, to causing chaos with new best mate Gabby Thomas, Liv was quite a handful.

But she didn't have an easy start to life in Emmerdale, and it became clear there was a lot more to Liv's character than just a typical teen. Now that she has stepped forward as a key player in the Maya and Jacob storyline, we think she's one to watch as a star of the future.

Introduced as Aaron Dingle's estranged little sister, Liv was immediately thrown into one of Emmerdale's most powerful storylines and managed to hold her own alongside huge fan-favourite characters. As Liv struggled knowing Aaron had been sexually abused as a child by their dad Gordon, viewers saw the impact of Gordon's grooming on Liv too.

From the start Liv was multi-layered and conflicted, and actress Isobel Steele impressed us straight away with emotionally charged performances. It even earned her a British Soap Award nomination within months of her debut, and a win two years later.

You might think being the little sister of a popular character like Aaron Dingle, and moving in with supercouple Robron, Liv might have struggled for her own slice of the limelight. At first Liv was mostly used as an antagonist or matchmaker between the tumultuous couple, and the tight-knit family unit we know now was a long way off.

It seemed too as if writers were set on moulding Liv into a mini-Aaron – complete with his scowls and angst – but three years on, Liv has forged her own personality.

Liv hasn't been short of challenging storylines since she arrived. After Gordon's trial and subsequent suicide, Liv regularly turned to alcohol to cope. To begin with, her drunken misbehaviour and bunking school were dismissed as adolescent rebellion, but it was last year when things got serious and the drinking became a real problem. After spiking Lisa's drink, Liv faced a spell in youth offenders and we saw another showcase of Isobel's vulnerable performances.

Emmerdale has also covered new ground with Liv's character by exploring issues of identity and asexuality. Refreshingly Liv has been shown to explore this at her own pace, revealing in heartfelt scenes to Aaron that she has read up on her identity online. Liv is yet to put a name on her identity but her openness and sensitivity is something that seems to strike a poignant note with viewers.

As Liv has grown up, we've seen her storylines and her attitude mature with her and her versatility as a character has manifested through her many close relationships. From her sweet mentorship with grandfatherly figure Doug, to her enduring and supportive friendship with Gabby. We've even seen her relationships with Aaron and Robert evolve, as the trio present a united front and tackle arising problems as a family.

Liv's not afraid to make a few enemies either. Last year she got on the wrong side of Lachlan White – and would have exposed him if she'd been listened to. This year, however, we've seen Liv become embroiled in the complex Maya and Jacob storyline, as she has attempted to blackmail the pair for her silence.

We've loved Liv's role in this story, from her tentative and relatable teenage worries about dating, to her massive moral dilemma, this has been a surprising direction for her character. While viewers have debated what Liv should do, she has been troubled with the same concerns herself.

Torn between a naïve heartbreak that made her want to seek revenge, and in turn help raise funds for Aaron and Robert's surrogacy, she's also aware of how dangerous Maya is. As Liv faced up to twisted Maya, we were gripped by the scenes, proving once and for all that Liv's more than capable of leading a storyline and bringing down a villain.

As the Maya plot reaches its climax, we've recently watched Liv discover that Leyla, Tracy and Priya are hiding some dark secrets about Maya's fate. This was another unexpected twist to the story, but allowed Liv to continue to play a crucial role alongside big characters she wouldn't usually interact with.

We were impressed by the tension in these dramatic scenes and how prominent and pivotal Liv continues to be. This story has set a precedent for her involvement in Emmerdale's biggest storylines and we hope paves the way for her long future in the show.

We think Liv has established herself as a real star, capable of leading important and gripping storylines, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.

Emmerdale currently airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with extra episodes at 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.