Last month Emma Davies (Cape Wrath) was confirmed for the part of Anna De Souza, Emmerdale's latest bitch. Anna returns to the village next week in a bid to build bridges with her father, Donald (Michael Jayston). Emma took time out of her filming schedule to tell us what to expect from her character, her uncanny resemblance to a Desperate Housewife and the abrupt end to Cape Wrath.

How would you describe Anna now you've had time to get to know her?
"I love her. She's an extremely strong and confident woman, which is always fun to play because people like that tend to have a fair amount to say. She's got an opinion on most things. The lovely thing about her is that she's got a vulnerability about her."

What brings her to the Dales?
"She's come back after an appalling break away from her family. Anna and her father were incredibly close during her childhood and she went on to run a business with him. But she fell head over heels with a man who her father despises and she's chosen the man over her father. It was such an acrimonious split that she hasn't been in contact with Donald for six years. When she comes back, she's on very uncertain ground but she's an incredibly strong and confident woman. I think she can be fairly ruthless and manipulative when it's required, but nonetheless, she's come back into her father's life to try and make things right. There's a lot of trust that needs building up."

How is she different from Emmerdale's previous bitches?
"When she sweeps into the village, she doesn't sweep in as an outsider. She's a lady who's extremely at home in the country. That'd make her more Kim Tate and less Sadie King, I think. She can go out and hunt, too. She's a real country girl. The thing I really like about Anna is that in the early episodes, she has small scenes with various characters across the village. She marches up and introduces herself to Pearl, Edna, Betty and very early on, she meets the Dingles. She's not a snob, though, and she takes everyone at face value. I don't know how she'll be reprieved, but she's rather approachable and charming. She's not an obvious bitch."

What does Anna make of Carl? Is there a spark between them?
"Yes, there's an immediate spark, but it's borne of tremendous mistrust on both sides. He's very much becoming Donald's right-hand man. They've become quite close, so when Anna arrives, she doesn't know anything about Carl and it all comes as a terrible shock to her that somebody is not only running her father's business, but is very close to him. Carl's quite a cool customer and I think she finds that quite attractive. But, by the same token, she's a very aggressive businesswoman who doesn't intend to be sidelined for very long."

She immediately makes an enemy in Lexi, doesn't she?
"Yeah, there's not a lot of love lost there, really. In order for Anna to get her feet under the table, she's quite flirty with Carl and Lexi really doesn't like it."

Has anyone ever told you that you look remarkably similar to Marcia Cross from Desperate Housewives?
"I have heard that. Quite recently, actually! On the last show I did (Cape Wrath), I was told that a lot! We both have very pale skin, but we can safely say that Anna is very different to Bree."

Were you disappointed when Cape Wrath wasn't recommissioned?
"We were all really sad when we heard the news. It was a lovely job and the producers had all these great ideas for a second series. I'm very lucky to have landed Emmerdale, though. I never thought I'd get a happier job than Cape Wrath, but everyone is so nice on Emmerdale. It's great."