HER eyes welled up with tears as she hugged her former teachers and took a tour around her old stomping ground.
Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten visited pupils at Malet Lambert School in east Hull where she studied as a teenager before going into acting.
Hull born and bred, she has played Rachel Breckle in the ITV soap for the past two years, and has become an "honorary Dingle" in the programme in recent months after a string of big storylines with the famous Dingle family.
"I loved drama at school and got an A* in the subject in my GCSEs, as well as English language and literature," said Gemma, 29.
"Malet Lambert has changed so much since I was a pupil but it's still very beautiful.
"I used to lie on the grass outside the building in the summer and can remember going to the shops near East Park for bon-bon sweets and we'd get fish and chips some lunchtimes.
"I've kept in touch with quite a few of the teachers and they were fantastic."
Walking through the door of the new development, situated behind the grand school building, it only took a matter of minutes before was Gemma spotted by her former English teacher.
"I'm getting a bit emotional", she admitted, before heading to meet some of the students.
"I can only remember having detention once at school.
"The girls would walk really slowly to lessons. I was one minute late and my friend and I were put in detention. We were mortified."
But Gemma says she was a good pupil at school and, along with three A*s, she achieved two As, three Bs and two C grades her exams.
"Science baffled me but I really liked PE and won every race in the Year 7 sports day, although a few people weren't very happy with that," she said.
Pupils and teachers were star-struck to see Gemma strolling around the school grounds in James Reckitt Avenue, including headteacher Jane Disbrey, who is a fan of the show.
"I watch Emmerdale and have seen Gemma in it a lot," said Jane. "She's had some meaty storylines since she started.
"It's wonderful to have her back at the school and she contacted us wanting to come in and meet everyone.
"We are very proud of what she has achieved and we have many students who are into drama and some going on to London schools."
Gemma told pupils she had worked at McDonald's, flipping burgers, before she secured success in acting and had sent out hundreds of letters for acting placements.
Her character has gradually become more of a fixture in Emmerdale, even landing a job cleaning at Home Farm and The Woolpack.
Her contract has been extended for another year and she has months of hard work coming up, with a big storyline.
Malet Lambert head girl Jess Hopkin, 15, said Gemma is a role model for pupils.
She said: "It's good to see someone who studied at our school has gone on to acting on a national level.
"It shows that, when you try hard, you can be whatever you want to be."
Student Callum Rushworth, 15, said Hull doesn't get enough positive publicity nationally and Gemma is helping to put it right.
He said: "Being in a big show like Emmerdale is a real inspiration for schoolchildren."
