Emmerdale’s first Christmas spoiler revealed as surprise wedding plans shocks bride

EMMERDALE fans are in for a festive surprise as the first Christmas spoiler reveals a shocking twist involving a surprise wedding.

Preparations for this year’s big Christmas Day special are already underway with boss Iain Macleod admitting 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!”

The ITV soap as also confirmed there will also be a surprise wedding.

Next week, Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop) will be left shocked is shocked when Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) reveals his plans for a Christmas wedding.

Eric reveals the engagement ring he bought for a delighted Brenda at the auction.

Iain also hinted even more carnage that would hit the Dales into the New Year.

He said: “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.”

This comes after soap is rumoured to be cutting the Emmerdale cast by 10%, and with three characters confirmed to exit soap.

The cast has 60 regular faces, so would need to axe six cast stars to meet the 10% mark and with three confirmed it means another three actors would also need to leave.

Already Amelia Spencer, played by Daisy Campbell, has been confirmed to be leaving the Dales and Brenda Walker is saying goodbye after 16 years.

The third star is Roxy Shahidi leaving her role as Leyla Harding, with a dramatic end planned for the explosive character.

Fans have shared their theories over who could be next, as one wrote: “Tom will be leaving as well.”

However another fan expressed their frustration at key cast members leaving whilst others remained as they shared: “They’ve done this when Mack, Charles, Claudette and Jimmy are right there!”

After the news of Lesley leaving her role as Brenda, Emmerdale fans also shared their theories in an online forum as some thought this might be the end of Eric Pollard too.

One fan wrote: “I assume that it may be Eric’s exit storyline as well? Perhaps his Parkinson’s deteriorates, he passes away and so Brenda moves to Canada to be close to Nikhil and Molly?”

Another fan shared their view as they wrote: “With the tighter budgets soaps are being given these days they simply can’t afford to keep a bloated cast.

“Bringing back Ross, expanding Calebs family and another return potentially on the horizon probably meant some of the lesser used cast had to go.

“Balancing the books is becoming an important part of running a soap.”

Earlier this month a source told The Mirror: “There have been so many exits recently and the talk is of more. With people like Lesley and Roxy potentially in the mix, nobody feels safe.

“The show has grown a lot bigger in recent years but soaps are expensive to make. It’s inevitable saving money means losing people – but it’s a huge shame all the same for those involved, their friends and colleagues.”

The news of roles being cut is said to have caused concern for the Emmerdale crew, as an insider told the Daily Mail: “Many people who have been there a long time are totally reliant on their income staying as it is.

“It’s a very worrying time.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.