Emmerdale boss confirms surprise arrival in the village as he teases Christmas special
EMMERDALE’S top boss has revealed that the village will be rocked by a surprise arrival this Christmas Day.
Iain MacLeod became the Executive Producer of the ITV soap opera earlier this year and has already got his claws into life in the Dales.
Preparations for this year’s big Christmas Day special are already underway with Iain admitting at the National Television Awards that he believes it is one of the better Christmases that the Dales has ever seen.
He made the admission, as well as the confirmation of the surprise arrival, whilst speaking backstage to The Sun and other press at the 2024 National Television Awards.
Iain admitted: “This Christmas, there is a huge surprise arrival on Christmas Day.
“As well as some life or death jeopardy on Christmas Day but obviously there will be festive brilliance as we do every year but I think it is one of the most exciting Christmases that I can remember on Emmerdale this year!”
Iain also clarified that filming on the big festive episodes was due to kick off very soon before hinting at even more carnage that would hit the Dales into the New Year.
He added: “Christmas in soap is a difficult one as you want it to be dramatic and exciting but you also want it to have that humorous, warmth and festive soapy flavour and I think the balance is bang on here.
“But into 2025, what we have planned so far is the usual degree of spectacle and drama and heightened kind of filming stuff.
“We also have incredibly heartbreaking family drama with plenty of Dingle action.
“There is also some classic gothic antics at Home Farm – some skullduggery!
“It is going to be a really exciting 2025 with lots more to come.”
Iain spoke out about the future plans after Emmerdale picked up the night’s top prize for Serial Drama.
Their shock win came over BBC rival EastEnders despite a stellar year in Walford.
The soap was snubbed in all categories despite being expected to take home the prizes.
Emmerdale has had some big storylines this past year including Belle Dingle’s harrowing abuse at the hands of husband Tom King, as well as the love triangle between Charity Dingle, Mackenzie Boyd and Chloe Harris leading to their car plunging over a ravine.
NTAs was no big surprise, says our telly expert
COMMENT BY ROD MCPHEE
THE only surprise at tonight’s National Television Awards was that there were virtually no surprises.
Ant and Dec took home Presenter Award for the millionth time, Strictly bagged the Talent Show gong and I’m A Celebrity triumphed in the Entertainment category.
Kate Garraway scooping the authored documentary award for Derek’s Story was entirely deserved, but not a total shock either as she’d already done the same two years ago with Caring for Derek.
There were a few curveballs. Emmerdale beating Goliath soaps EastEnders and Corrie was unexpected, particularly as the rivals have both boasted big storylines recently.
And though there was no doubting how hugely moving Mr BatesVs The Post Office was for viewers this year, it was still stunning to see them bag three awards.
Does the general lack of surprises diminish the thrill of the NTAs? Not at all. It remains one of the few awards shows which actually gauges what the majority of Brits are actually watching.
We live in a bewildering world where scandals often rock shows, in an age where streaming means the shared experience is diminished and ratings are hard to decipher.
But year in, year out NTA voters leave us in no doubt which shows they adore, which ones they’ve fallen out of love with, and which celebrities they’re prepared to back.
Look at how quickly relatively new shows like The Traitors, Bridgerton and The 1% Club have been embraced by NTA voters.
They aren’t interested in PR stunts and promotion, in highbrow actors and writers lauded by their fellow luvvies and they certainly can’t stand having what they ought to be watching dictated to them
They tell us all loud and clear, every year, who they consider to be the best – and woe betide any telly exec who ignores them.
Paralympians Kadeena Cox and Dame Sarah Storey announced the news at the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena tonight, with the Emmerdale cast going wild.
But some viewers at home were not as impressed by the result.
Taking to X – formerly Twitter – one raged: “how the actual f*** have emmerdale just won that.”
Another wrote: “In what world did EastEnders not win that??”
A third tweeted: “Emmerdale?! Wow.”