EMMERDALE bosses have revealed seven huge spoilers for the 50th anniversary including three major returns.
The ITV soap will celebrate its half century in October with a full month-long celebration, the highlight of which will see a massive wind storm destroy parts of the village and put its residents in mortal peril.
Danny Miller will return as Aaron Dingle for the 50th anniversary of Emmerdale
Producer Kate Brooks told The Celeb Report: “As part of our big 50th week, we will focus on a massive storm that’s going to rip through the village and leave a massive trail of destruction in its wake.
“Some of our best loved villagers will be in peril and its safe to say that the village will never be the same after this.
“The impact this storm has on people’s lives is just massive. That is our big set piece stunt.
“Throughout all of this we also have stories that’ll be massive and peaking across the month of October. Two big centre pieces are the Woolpack and Home Farm.
“We are very keen to make sure that we have covered all the different characters and that all the families that are in the village are affected and impacting in some way by what happens during the month of October.”
And the producer told how the stunt has a never-before done element that will rock the village.
“In terms of filming, it’s quite unprecedented, the scale of what we are doing,” she said.
“There are elements of the big storm week that I’ve not seen on a soap drama before and it’s very exciting and nerve wracking to be part of that. Hopefully it’ll all be brilliant.”
Executive producer Jane Hudson added that the soap has learned from past mistakes and this time the wind storm will take place during the day – so viewers can see what’s going on.
And she confirmed that characters will be left fighting for their lives.
“It’s a storm, it would be a crazy storm if nobody was injured,” she said.
“It’s not a storm in a teacup, it’s a storm in our village.”
Kate also revealed that three characters will be making a return for the big month including I’m A Celebrity Winner Danny Miller.
The actor quit the soap last year to try his hand at new roles – but is now returning to the soap.
He will be joined by Elizabeth Estensen as Diane Sugden and Amy Walsh as Tracey Metcalfe.
Kate added: “Diane, Aaron and Tracey will all be making a reappearance, albeit on a temporary basis.
“But they’ll come back and be at the heart of some really big stories that’ll impact their lives, and not just their lives but the lives of the characters they leave behind. It’s all really exciting and brilliant.”
Jane added: “We’ve got Diane, and Tracey who is coming back with a bit of news of her own and how’s Nate going to respond to that?
“And of course, Aaron’s back and how is he going to respond when he finds out that his mum is cheating on Paddy, who he sees as a father.
“Is he going to discover that Sandra is not all about Liv. There’s a huge story happening over there.
“Then there is a story that involves Nate, Sam and Belle, which is the one only Emmerdale can do and that’s going to dominate quite a lot of the 50th as well.”
As part of the soap’s actual anniversary on October 16, Kim Tate will take centre stage as her wedding to Will Taylor takes place.
And it won’t just be the storm wreaking havoc as Kim is set to discover that her intended has been growing closer to ex Harriet Finch.
It puts Harriet in danger with star Katherine Dow Blyton teasing: “I’m really playing with fire there.
“But it’s last chance saloon, she’s got to make her feelings known before he walks down the aisle and that’s it.
“Harriet is no Kim Tate but they are both feisty women and able to look after themselves so there will be more fireworks. They will have their moments.”
Pregnant teenager Amelia Spencer will also find herself trapped during the storm – presumably as she goes into labour.
And Jane gave a hint that the father is a Dingle, putting Samson in the firing line.
She said: “Amelia does play a very big part in the storm when she needs to be found because she is stuck on her own.
“Going forward, we have just the brilliantness of the Dingles against the Spensers against everybody and there are some fantastic family rows between these.”
The big month will also see one confirmed death with the exit of star Sally Dexter.
Her character Faith Dingle has been battling terminal cancer – but she will die in October surrounded by her family.
But it won’t be plain sailing with Jane teasing: “When we get to the end of October, it might be the end of our celebrations but we will be ending that month with a storyline which kicks off another big story which potentially sees one of our characters spending the rest of their life in jail.
“We are making sure that when our celebration month ends, it’s really just the beginning of a whole new chapter, particularly for one of our families.”
Fans have also been desperate for serial killer Meena Jutla to escape prison and return to cause chaos in the 50th.
Jane would only tease: “There is always potential for a murder in Emmerdale.
“This is Emmerdale and its famous for its murders. But it’s Emmerdale and there’s normally a murderer lurking around a corner somewhere…”
