Emily "Em" James is a former pupil of Waterloo Road from the start of Series 5 to the end of Series 7. She joined Waterloo Road after the school merged with John Foster's, and is introduced as troubled pupil Lindsay James's younger sister. She is worried after what happened that morning, before being confronted by Rachel Mason and the truth begins to come out.
Series 5[]
Emily first appears on the first day of the new school year attending Waterloo Road along with her older sister Lindsay, after their school John Fosters, is merged with Waterloo Road.
Emily's introverted attitude attracts attention from head Teacher Rachel Mason, who looks after Emily as Lindsay rushes off inside to be sick in the toilets. Later on in the day, both she and Lindsay are shocked to discover their father has been murdered. A heartbroken Emily is shattered by the revelation and even more distressed to find out her mother, Marion, has been arrested on suspicion of the murder.
In Episode 2, Emily wants to attend her fathers funeral, but Lindsay is less than happy about the idea and tries to persuade her that it isn't a good idea. Failing to do so, Rachel agrees to accompany them to the church. In the next episode, Emily is comforted by Karla Bentham. Seen as interfering by Lindsay, Karla is attacked by the John Fosters girl gang (led by Lindsay) and warned to stay away from Emily. Lindsay thinks she has got her point across to Karla, until she realises a distressed Emily saw the whole incident.
Emily begins to pick up on Lindsay's violent and aggressive behaviour. On trying to keep her away from the girls she's fighting with, she ends up getting caught in the middle of a confrontation between Lindsay and Michaela, a confrontation which is broken up just in time by Rachel and Christopher Mead. In Episode 6, Emily is seen developing a crush on her friend Denzil Kelly, not at all approved by Lindsay.
Later on in the series, Emily finds out that Lindsay was being sexually abused by their dad. This results in her turning against him. It also makes Emily protective about her relationship with Lindsay, and she attempts to help her when she breaks down, despite being the younger sibling. In Episode 9, her mum's trial arrives. Emily is sure she will be released, and as Lindsay is giving evidence, Rachel asks Christopher to look after her for the day. At the trial, Marion isn't doing well, and the court all believe Lindsay is lying, which leads to her breaking down. During a break in the trial, Lindsay confesses to Rachel that she in fact killed her dad and that her mother lied to protect her. She is persuaded to tell the court the truth, and on doing so, proclaims that the main reason she killed her dad was to protect Emily, as the morning he died, he was going to abuse Emily the same way he had done to her. This leads to Lindsay being arrested and Marion being released.
In Episode 10, Michaela is seen trying to support Lindsay by setting up a petition to back her in her impending trial. Emily is seen in the school with Denzil, who kisses her on the cheek. Her mum talks to Rachel about how well she is doing at the school and it is also revealed Lindsay is free on bail from the help of Michaela and Emily.
Series 6[]
Emily is concerned when Denzil rebels with new boy Kyle Stack. She tells Chris, but Denzil goes too far when he and Kyle do a stunt on a bridge. When Denzil slips and nearly falls, Finn Sharkey goes up and saves him, but falls himself.
Series 7[]
Emily and Denzil tease new maths teacher Daniel Chalk. Emily sticks up for Denzil when Scout Allen irritates him.
Scout Allen and Em didn't originally like each other at first, but in Episode 13 Scout and Emily joy a life of rebellion together after Emily's sister Lindsay James didn't come to visit her after she was released from prison. This is the start of a friendship, but in Episode 20, Scout ruins her friendship with Emily.
Emily and Tariq Siddiqui were paired together to go into town and question the locals. They get chased by the police when Tariq tags on a wall. After losing them, Tariq kisses Emily on the cheek.
Quotes[]
- "Mum!" (first line)
- Emily: "What are you talking about? Lindsay? Lindsay, what's she talking about, 'passed away'?"
- Rachel: "I'm sorry."
- Emily: "D'you mean he's dead? My dad's dead?"
- Emily: "My sister says it's okay if I'm friends wi' you. Did you ask yours? What did she say?"
- Denzil: "She said she hates your sister."
- Emily: "And what did you say?"
- Denzil: "So what? I like you."
- Emily: "And what did she say?"
- Denzil: "'Whatever', so I said 'cool', cos I do."
- "Whoop-de-doo. I used to like you, Den. I thought you were different to the other show-offs. Turns out you're even worse."
- "Leave him alone! He's just lost his sister." (to Scout when she annoys Denzil)
- "Lindsay's not coming home!"
- "Oh, come on, Saint Scout! It's just a bit of fun! Since when did you get so serious?"
- "Erm, it was just all factories in the old days. It was dead boring."
- "Yeah, I do as it goes. Just not wi' you. Come on girls, let's go." (final line)