Emmerdale plans big stunt and returnees for 50th anniversary

Emmerdale's 50th anniversary is coming up and the long-running ITV series is planning on marking the occasion in the soapiest way possible – with "mind-blowing stunts" and the possible return of some familiar faces.

Looking forward to October, producers Jane Hudson and Laura Shaw teased what fans should expect to see during the "golden month of celebration."

Hudson hinted that they'd be "more heartbreaks" than ever before, as "secrets and lies are revealed."

ITV

She also explained that a number of storylines set to play out across 2022 will set up things that'll play out during the milestone four weeks - and have huge fallouts geared up to spill into 2023.

"We need to make this the biggest year we've ever had. We've already got some great stuff planned – maybe a wedding in the summer," she told Digital Spy and other media. "There are some really big things that will test couples' strength and them as parents, so there is a lot in store.

"We might see some old faces returning, we're not sure yet. I think there is a lot coming up – the focus is really to celebrate Emmerdale turning 50. Our focus at the moment is to really build those stories so when we get to our golden month of celebration, we've got secrets that the viewers are desperate to be revealed."

leyla cavanagh, jacob gallagher, emmerdale

ITV

Hudson went on to describe one particular stunt they have in the pipeline as "epic", but promised that "at the heart of" the episodes, "the best-loved characters in our show are really going to be tested in some big emotional stories."

"We're determined that we'll keep our audience on their toes for the whole of 2022," Shaw added. "Obviously we want October to be epic and it absolutely will be, but we won't be resting on our laurels until then. Some of what we've got planned for the first half of this year will undoubtedly go down in Emmerdale history as some of our finest moments."

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.