From soaps to Hollywood films: DS Walsh is the Emmerdale detective viewers can’t stop spotting

Emmerdale detective DS Walsh is not making herself any friends in the village as she pursues Bear, Paddy and Dylan for Ray’s murder. It comes after she’s already targeted Moira and put her behind bars for something she didn’t do.

The most-hated copper in Soapland is played by Amanda Ryan, an actress many viewers instantly recognise, even if they cannot quite place her. From major soaps to acclaimed dramas and even a Hollywood film, she really has popped up everywhere.

Here’s everything you need to know about the actress behind Emmerdale’s latest crime drama.

Another crime for DS Walsh to investigate (Credit: ITV)

Who plays the detective investigating crime in Emmerdale?

DS Walsh is leading the investigation into the drugs operation, human trafficking network and murders in Emmerdale. She was previously stationed in the village last year while probing the death of Nate Robinson.

The detective is played by Amanda Ryan. Born in London in October 1971, the 54 year old trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has built an impressive career across stage, television and film.

DS Walsh was previously investigating Nate Robinson’s death (Credit: ITV)

DS Walsh’s previous Emmerdale investigation

Viewers first met DS Walsh when a body was pulled from the lake, later identified as Nate Robinson. Ruby Miligan feared the worst, convinced the corpse could be her father Anthony.

Panicked and desperate to protect her family, Ruby rushed to the police station and confessed to her crime. Joe Tate later intervened, paying a contact abroad to pose as Anthony and clear Ruby, before the body was confirmed as Nate’s.

Walsh then began piecing together the truth, unsettling John Sugden at the funeral, although it would take time before his guilt was fully exposed.

DS Walsh is also looking into Bear’s disappearance (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale detective now looking into Ray and Celia

DS Walsh has now returned to Emmerdale to investigate Ray and Celia’s dark operation, which involved drugs, modern slavery and the exploitation of vulnerable villagers including April Windsor and Bear Wolf.

Walsh has already sent Moira to prison charged with all of Ray and Celia’s awful crimes as well as double murder. Despite there being strong evidence Walsh is wrong, she’s ignoring and it seems determined to prove her case. Some fans have started to think she is corrupt and working for Joe Tate as she seems so blinkered in pinning it all on Moira.

Now, Walsh has turned her attentions to Bear Wolf. She is convinced he deliberately murdered Ray and Paddy helped him. Not bothered about his mental state, she has pushed and pushing in her interrogations and left him a quivering wreck.

But she’s about to get her way when Bear confesses to deliberately murdering Ray next week and the Paddy and Dylan confess their involvement.

Emmerdale star Amanda Ryan has been in Hollywood films (Credit: ITV)

Amanda Ryan’s film career

Away from the Dales, Amanda Ryan boasts a lengthy list of screen credits. One of her most notable roles came in the 1998 Oscar winning film Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I. Amanda played Lettice Howard, the fictional lover of the Duke of Norfolk.

Her film work also includes Metroland, Red Mercury and 2015’s Anti-social.

Amanda Ryan as abused Mel Sinclair in Casualty (Credit: BBC)

A familiar face from Soapland

Soap fans may recognise Amanda from several iconic shows. She appeared in EastEnders in 2007 as Verity, the sister of Mad May, and later popped up in Coronation Street as a doctor who delivered bad news to Michael Rodwell.

She also played tough police officer Carrie Rogers in Shameless, a character later exposed as corrupt. Other credits include The Forsyte Saga, Doctors, This Is Going to Hurt, The Marlowe Sessions, Midsomer Murders and Lewis.

More recently, Amanda starred in Casualty as Mel Sinclair, forming part of Charlie Fairhead’s major exit storyline in 2024, where her character was saved after fleeing an abusive marriage.

With such a packed CV and a major storyline unfolding, DS Walsh’s return is already proving hard to ignore.

Read more: Emmerdale fans divided over ‘too dark’ storylines – but poll reveals surprise verdict

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 8pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

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