Many fans will be eager to know what the fave has been up to after starring in Emmerdale
Former Emmerdale star Rachael Gill-Davis passing on her insights
A former Emmerdale star has delivered a message of ‘you never stop learning’ as she’s opened up on her life after starring in the ITV soap.
Fans of the show waved goodbye to Rachael Gill-Davis’ character of Gail Loman earlier this year. Gail was introduced as a love interest for Ryan Stocks, first meeting in 2019, before she became a regular character in 2023.
As we have previously reported, Rachael spent the summer taking on one of the most demanding roles in theatre. Playing Joan of Arc was, in her words, ‘an experience’.
As well as acting, Rachael nurtures the next generation of aspiring talent. Now, as the new academic year gets started, she is assisting students at MetFilm School Leeds.
Rachael, who grew up in Lytham St Annes near Blackpool, has been tutoring at the school’s Leeds campus since shortly after it opened at Prime Studios in 2022. She teaches acting, but her focus goes far beyond performance.
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“The big thing is belief in themselves,” she explained. “Some drama schools can knock actors down. MetFilm encourages them. It lifts people up and helps them discover their own voices. That is why I love it.”
Rachael describes the atmosphere inside the school as one of constant creation. She said: “You walk in and it feels alive. Students are carrying booms and cameras down the corridors. You can tell things are being created in every room. It is electric, challenging, open, creative and exciting.”
Students at MetFilm are immersed in every part of the screen industry. Acting students learn not only craft and technique, but also how a set functions, how scripts are developed, and how to work with colleagues behind the camera. That means they graduate with a rounded understanding of the whole process. Rachael sees this as crucial.
She explained: “Actors need to be storytellers, but they also need to understand the business they are going into. At MetFilm, students see how scripts are written, how cameras move, how sound and lighting affect performance. That makes them better collaborators and better prepared for professional work.”
Emmerdale fans will know Rachael Gill-Davis from portraying Gail Loman in the ITV soap(Image: Olivia Spencer)
The school prides itself on combining the craft of acting with the business of acting. Students are encouraged to think about auditions, self-taping, networking, and the realities of sustaining a career. Rachael believes this pragmatic approach is one of its strengths.
Rachael said: “It’s not about knocking confidence. It’s about giving students the tools so they can hit the ground running. They leave with experience, with contacts, and with the knowledge of how to make a life in this industry.”
Former Emmerdale star Rachael Gill-Davis is helping the next generation of acting stars
Teaching, in Rachael’s opinion, is a two-way process. Rachael said: “You never stop learning. Some of the most beautiful work I saw last term came from the students. Sometimes they will question something in class, and I have to go away and think about it. That’s brilliant. It keeps me sharp and shows they are finding their own voices.”
As a working actor herself, she brings current industry experience into the room. The former Emmerdale star explained: “When students see that you’ve just come from a production, whether it’s a television role or a stage performance like Joan of Arc, they know the lessons are connected to the realities of professional life.”
Location is another advantage. The Leeds campus sits at Prime Studios on Kirkstall Road, next door to ITV’s Emmerdale production base and in the heart of a region with a fast-growing screen sector. Students learn in an environment where professional productions are happening around them, and where opportunities to network and observe are close at hand.
As she gets to know her new intake, Rachael was keen to see fresh energy arrive in the building.
“Come with an open mind, be ready to work hard and believe in yourself,” she said. “The rest we will discover together.”
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