It's a big month for Emmerdale with the ITV soap marking 50 years on our television screens. The long-running weeknight drama first launched in October 1972 as the afternoon series Emmerdale Farm, but has since become a regular part of evening viewing for many fans.
Throughout the years the Yorkshire soap has broadcast some hard-hitting, emotional storylines, there have been affairs, fights, explosive stunts and plenty of humour thrown in too. To mark the milestone birthday, since the start of October a number of big storylines have been playing out and a huge storm is also set to hit the village, leaving destruction in its wake.
Over the past week there have been a few familiar faces making a brief return to the village too, including ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Danny Miller, who plays Aaron Dingle. Amy Walsh is also back as Tracy Metcalfe and Elizabeth Estensen made her first re-appearance as Diane Sugden in Wednesday night's episode surprising Faith Dingle in the back of an ice-cream van.
But when is the special anniversary episode being broadcast ? Here are all the details you need so you don't miss it:
When is Emmerdale's 50th anniversary episode?
Emmerdale will celebrate its 50th birthday with an hour-long episode on Sunday, October 16, from 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. The special episode will air exactly 50 years to the day since the soap first appeared on our screens.
Prior to Emmerdale's birthday episode, a one-off special documentary will air on the same night from 6pm over on ITV and ITV Hub. The celebratory programme promises to include "some of the standout 74 weddings, 43 births and 105 deaths in the show since 1972".
Both past and present stars of Emmerdale will make appearances as they recall some of their most well-known storylines and memories from their time on the soap. The documentary will also take a look back at the history of some of Emmerdale's well-known families The Sugdens, The Tates and The Dingles.
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV from 7.30pm. You can catch up on all the latest episodes via the ITV Hub.
