Emmerdale producer promises 'manic' live show storyline (From Ilkley Gazette)

Emmerdale producer promises 'manic' live show storyline

10:00am Saturday 13th October 2012 in Local news By Annette McIntyre

A hour of crazy, exciting and chilling TV is being promised for Emmerdale fans as they settle down to watch the show during its 40th anniversary week.

And anyone who thinks the countryside is boring will be forced to think again, according to series producer Stuart Blackburn, who has just moved to Horsforth.

Mr Blackburn, who started his career in television 16 years ago as a storyliner on Emmerdale, went on to build a successful career developing, producing and writing for television before returning to the popular ITV soap.

He is hoping viewers will be gripped by the anniversary programmes next week.

“This is going to be a spectacular week and the culmination of four or five – maybe more – excellent stories,” he said. “Everything that happens will spark new stories and at the heart of it all is the live episode, which is going to be all of life and soap in one crazy, manic, exciting, chilling, scary hour.”

He added: “We have always known we were going to do a live episode. We knew our 40th birthday was coming up and it’s a way of paying back the viewers.

“We like to think it’s a gift to the viewers and because Corrie and Eastenders have done it, we just had to.

“It is a challenge that we have shied away from in the past as our location – the Emmerdale village – and our interior sets are eight miles apart, making it almost impossible, but we decided we are just going for it.

“We’ll be live on location at the Emmerdale village, which has never been done before so it’s really exciting.”

As well as dramatic story-lines, the show will feature performances by Scouting for Girls and The Proclaimers in its very own music festival.

“It’s a real visual treat and if anyone still hangs on to the belief that the countryside is boring, well they are sorely mistaken,” Stuart said.

He believes the show now tells stories that are more cutting edge and modern.

“I think Emmerdale has changed. I think people’s perception of it has changed too,” he said.