She is very much alive!!!
Emmerdale bosses are planning to introduce another new Barton to the show.
Emma Barton - the mother of Pete, Ross and Finn - will arrive on screen in a future storyline, providing viewers with a new insight into the family's history.
Show chiefs are still searching for the right actress to take on the part, meaning that fans have a while to wait before she makes her debut.
Speaking at an Emmerdale press event today (August 11), series producer Kate Oates commented: "Emma's had a bit of a build-up, hasn't she? She's the woman we haven't seen and she's a bit of a mystery at the moment.
"I think it's safe to say that she is going to show up, possibly in the not-too-distant future. She may cause chaos!"
Speaking to Digital Spy, Oates also confirmed: "We're still looking for the perfect Emma. A part like that we need to get right, so we'll take our time with it."
Emma has often been mentioned by the other Barton family members and her youngest son Finn has recently started searching for her.
The mysterious character hasn't seen her family for years, but fans know that her relationship with James Barton (Bill Ward) ended badly following his one-night stand with Moira.
Joe Gill, who plays Finn, said last month: "Finn was very, very young when she left. He was so young that he actually doesn't remember her at all.
"His older brothers remember vague arguments and disruptions in the family, but Finn was so young that he doesn't remember what she sounds like, what she looks like or what type of person she is, and I think that is why he is so intrigued about her, really more so than the others."