Producer Sophie Roper has revealed that the next few months in Emmerdale are set to have us on the edge of our seats with weddings, shocking arrivals and jaw-dropping stunts all heading to our screens.
The climax of Belle's horrendous ordeal at the hands of her husband Tom King is set to take a chilling turn in the coming weeks, while a heartbreaking goodbye is also on the cards for one of the show's most iconic characters. And Sophie has admitted that these storylines will take the soap from the summer right through to the end of the year...
"We’ve got some brilliant storylines happening at the minute, lots of drama in the dales that you’re watching on screen that will continue to see as we go through the summer into the new year, very much keeping Emmerdale on top form."
Here are 7 storyline twists heading to Emmerdale...
Heartbreaking goodbye to an iconic character
Following the sad death of Emmerdale icon Steve Halliwell, who played Zak Dingle, last December, the show is set to say a fitting yet heartbreaking goodbye to one of its most legendary characters.
"The Dingles have been at the heart of the show for 30 years and will continue to be so," says Sophie. "As many of you will know we lost Steve recently and so we’re going to be marking Zak’s passing in the coming months with a Dingle funeral. It will be very difficult for a lot of people who work on the show and a lot of our viewers who have loved Zak for many years, but it’ll be a hugely fitting tribute to such an iconic character."
New face for the Sugden family
The Sugdens were introduced during Emmerdale's first episodes in 1972 and now they have a new face joining the dynasty. Oliver Farnworth (Coronation Street, Hollyoaks) will play John Sugden, a new arrival who is expected to shake things up for Victoria Sugden, the only remaining family member in the village.
Brooding and mysterious, John is holding all the secrets. What relationship is John to Victoria and what does his arrival mean to her? It has also been teased that John will catch the eye of an unsuspecting resident - but who could it be?
"The Sugdens, just like the Dingles are an iconic family group and we’re keen to cement them back in the show. Bring lots of drama to the dales which I'm going to keep tightlipped about for now," teased Sophie.
Mandy and Paddy's wedding drama
As Mandy and Padding gear up for their summer nuptials, Sophie has teased that there will be plenty of drama on the cards, as well as a very special wedding dress for the bride to be...
"Mandy and Paddy are building towards a wedding and so that’s going to be filled with fun. We’ve had Mandy’s dress made in-house by one of our dressmakers – it’s going to be very Mandy, very big, very fun!"
Belle's abuse takes a chilling twist
Fans have watched in horror over recent months as Tom's abuse of his wife Belle continues to spiral... and now we have a special episode to look forward to as things take a chilling twist...
"Tom and Belle head off to Wales on a trip away together," says Sophie. "We actually recreated Wales in Yorkshire and the team went to fantastic lengths to create that within our world. Set to the backdrop of this beautiful cottage, hard-hitting, difficult Tom is isolating Belle from her family, her surroundings, and everything she knows and loves, which is very much a typical trait of abusers. It will be difficult drama at moments, but an important message and story we’re keen to continue to tell."
Stunt week is coming!
Every Emmerdale fan knows stunt week in the autumn is something to look forward to, and filming is underway for this year's extravaganza. While Sophie remained tight-lipped about what we could expect storyline-wise, she did reveal that filming started this week and that fire engines are involved... watch this space!
Ruby and Caleb's past haunts them
Just when we thought we knew Caleb and Ruby, Sophie has teased that we are about to learn more about their past. "Caleb and Ruby, who have kind of landed in the village and had a real impact, but we don’t know a huge amount about their past," said Sophie. "We’re going to see a blast from their past come back and give us more about this complicated relationship between husband and wife and the complicated family dynamics we have there."
Ella's trauma spirals
Ella's dark past ricked the village when the news came out recently, but there is more to come from the complicated character... "Ella's huge twist which was quite unexpected but powerful," says Sophie. "Ella is staying in the show but her past will continue to haunt her. Will she ever get her happy ever after and can she ever escape the past that’s led her to this point?"
Emmerdale airs week nights on ITV1, see our TV Guide for listings.
