Major Emmerdale storylines
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Since the soap premiered in 1972 on ITV Emmerdale has featured numerous famous storylines. For a full list of major storylines in Emmerdale, see List of major storylines in Emmerdale.
[edit] Plane crash storyline 1993
Until 1993, the show was largely ignored by press and viewers alike in the face of much more well known soaps such as Coronation Street, EastEnders and Brookside. However, a sensational plotline involving a plane crashing on to the village of Beckindale killing many long standing characters and leading to the onscreen renaming of Beckindale to Emmerdale (the village name change was a tribute to the Sugden Family whose farm was known as Emmerdale Farm) gained a lot of press and audience attention, rating 18 million viewers for the series of special episodes and cemented the show's place among the top UK soaps. This plot line attracted controversy due to the similarity to the Lockerbie disaster: it was aired near to the time of the fifth anniversary of that disaster.
The first scene of the plane crash was when Frank Tate was looking at his wife Kim’s stables when suddenly a ball of fire hits the stables. Nick Bates and Archie Brooks were walking home when they are blinded by some fluid and Archie is engulfed in flames. This would be the last we see of Archie, however his body was never recovered and suspicion remains if he actually died, nevertheless he is declared dead. The Woolpack windows explode in and Joe Sugden crashes his car when a wing of fire collides with the car, Annie and Leonard Kempinski were also in the car. Joe suffered a broken leg and Annie remained in a coma for several months. However, Leonard died. He and Annie were only married for two months. Up at the stables Kim had to be restrained from trying to retrieve her horses, she listened helplessly as her horses screamed for help. People in the Woolpack started to regain consciousness. Eric Pollard started wandering around looking for his wife, Elizabeth. As the hours passed he started to draw attention as many people became suspicious of his behaviour. Elizabeth is eventually found dead and is declared a victim of the plane crash. However, many people, on and off-screen, believe that Eric killed his wife as she was on her way to the police to report him for forging cheques. Outside, Alan Turner picks up a plane ticket with the name Kurshkov on it, he notices more wreckage in the field together with Angharad and Bernard McAllister and it becomes more clear what has happened. The local school is used as a base. Mark Hughes’s arm can be seen sticking out of some rubble. At the school, Jack Sugden notices Mark's watch amongst the personal belongings that have been found, it is the one that Annie gave him at Christmas. Jack has the unfortunate task of identifying his body. Chris Tate is discovered in the wine bar but his legs are trapped under heavy rubble. When he is retrieved from the rubble he is airlifted to hospital. Chris would learn that he has lost the use of his legs for the rest of his life.
Many buildings were left in ruin as a result of the plane crash. Excluding the dead cast members, there were several other bodies found all over the village.
[edit] The storm 2003/2004
Emmerdale was to experience another big disaster ten years on from the plane crash as a storm put villagers in peril. The storyline paved the way for Tricia Dingle's exit storyline and provide a lot of New Year drama and a ratings boost for the show. The storm hit the village on New Year's Eve 2003 and saw popular characters such as Ashley Thomas and Louise Appleton become stuck on the roads as a result of the terrible weather with Ashley so hurt that he could have lost his leg but they were saved in enough time. The episode also focused on Marlon and Tricia Dingle. Marlon had had a one-night stand with his cousin Charity Tate when Tricia was in India and when Tricia learned about her husband's infidelity she decided to leave him and the Dales. However upon reading the 101 reasons as to why Marlon loved her, she decided to reconcile with him and headed back to The Woolpack.
Upon reaching the Woolpack, lighting stuck an oak tree which caused Tricia to trip, and another bolt hit the roof of The Woolpack causing the roof to collapse and the chimney to fall through. This in turn caused the wall of the pub to collapse onto a helpless Tricia. She was taken to hospital critically injured and was put on life support until Marlon decided to finally let her go. Ashley and Louise were rescued from the rubble in an extension of the storyline which saw popular character Bernice Thomas make a brief return. Ratings soared and the storyline went down in Emmerdale history. The year to come would see the show gain an even higher profile.
[edit] Kings River explosion July 2006
On Thursday 13 July 2006, The Kings unveiled their brand new showhome which was to house married couple, Marlon Dingle and Donna Windsor-Dingle. But when local resident, Noreen Bell opened a cupboard door inside the house it triggered a spark that let rip a huge gas explosion which catapulted her down the stairs. The explosion ripped through the bathroom floor knocking Jimmy King and Sadie King to opposite sides of the bathroom. The estate agent David Brown, who was located near the cupboard, was set alight. While running towards the house Marlon and Donna were also thrown back by another explosion. Debris started to fly towards the residents as the house started to explode in various places. Diane Sugden was knocked out by a collapsing ceiling while Danny Daggert and Dawn Woods, who were running behind her, got caught in another explosion. The bathroom floor gave way and Jimmy fell through, shortly followed by Sadie. The house then fully collapsed as the residents of Emmerdale watched in shock. Three were confirmed dead: Noreen Bell, who was hit by the full force of the initial explosion and died instantly, Dawn Woods, who was rescued from the rubble but later died in hospital as a result of internal injuries, and the estate agent David Brown.
This was an hour long episode, and attracted 9.3 million viewers, beating Eastenders in the ratings. It was the most watched television programme of the day.
At the 2007 British Soap Awards Emmerdale won two awards, one of which was 'Most Spectacular Scene' for the Kings River Explosion.
The House Collapse won an ITV competittion to find the best Emmerdale moment, coinciding with Emmerdale's 5000th Episode.
[edit] Tom King kidnap plot September 2006
In September 2006, Cain Dingle and Sadie King plotted to kidnap millionaire Tom King and demand a ransom for £2.5 million. They did carry out the plot but Cain kidnapped Sadie as well as Tom and took them to a deserted barn and used a gun to threaten them. The kidnap did follow a few twists and turns involving a car explosion, numerous theft of cars after Cain blew up his old car, a police car and helicopter chase, crashing into a flooded quarry only to find the car empty and that Cain was never inside. He shot Sadie and demanded that Chas be the one to bring the money. She did and soon it was revealed that Sadie was alive and that she was working with him. However when it comes to the escape, Cain leaves Sadie stranded. They both left the soap afterwards.
[edit] Interactive storyline 2006/2007: "Who Killed Tom King?"
In October 2006, ITV announced plans for a fully interactive storyline, surrounding the death of Tom King, who was killed off on Christmas Day 2006. The ensuing weeks were be full of twists and turns as some of the show’s most popular characters were placed at the centre of the enquiry, facing fierce interrogation in the hunt for the killer - the police are determined to leave no stone unturned.
In a world first, the whole storyline was fully interactive allowing viewers the opportunity of becoming super sleuths to help solve the crime via a dedicated ITV online portal. Launched in November, it consists of blogs, clues, secret e-mails and voicemails. Emmerdale Online [1] was created for ITV by Branded Storytelling producers Hoodlum. [1]
The viewer were taken inside the show and had direct online interaction with the storyline. The cast was seen trying to piece together the murder and their findings will, in turn, be immediately available for viewers to tap into online.
To add to the mystery, and for the first time ever, Emmerdale filmed 10 secret scenes, each showing a different suspect committing the murder and therefore enabling 10 different possible outcomes. As a result, even the cast and crew didn't know who the killer was.[2]
On the same day, he married Rosemary Sinclair in a lavish ceremony, he headed up to the bedroom but somebody hit him with an ornament (a bronze horse head statue) and pushed him through the bedroom window to his death.
As so many people wanted Tom King dead, the list of suspects was narrowed down to ten:[3]
- Jamie Hope
- Chastity Dingle
- Matthew King
- Jimmy King
- Carl King
- Len Reynolds
- Bob Hope
- Rosemary King
- Grayson Sinclair
- Terry Woods
All suspects had their own ending recorded to stop viewers finding out who killed him. There was also an eleventh ending where all three of his sons (Jimmy, Carl and Matt) worked together.
It has been revealed that Emmerdale has filmed a secret eleventh ending which sees three from the line-up kill Tom together: his sons - Jimmy, Matthew and Carl. [4] Carl and Matthew held their father still, while eldest brother Jimmy whacked Tom over the head with the horse statuette that figures in all eleven murder scenarios.[5]
After a few months it was determined that one or all of the three of his sons had killed him after DNA found that there was fibres of the sons wedding suits under Toms fingernails.
Tom King's final video has come to light. It was intended for his close friend Chief of Police Charles Vaughan. It sees Tom speaking candidly to camera about who, of those around him, would have had the motive to kill him. This first part shows Tom discuss Bob Hope, Jamie Hope and Terry Woods. [6]
The second part of Tom King's final video shows Tom speak of Len Reynolds and how he doesn't know his three sons as well as he thought.[7] The third, and final, part of Tom King's final video shows Tom speak of Chas Dingle, Rosemary and Grayson Sinclair and why he thinks everybody hated him so much.[8]
Eventually, nearly five months after the murder was aired on TV, it was revealed that Carl King his son had killed him. Carl had gone to his Dad's bedroom to argue out with him about Tom attempting to pay Chas Dingle (Carl's Girlfriend) to split up from each other. Tom gave him an ulitmatum, split up with Chas or loose his multimillion pound inheretance. In a fit of frustration Carl hit him over the head with a bronze horses head statue, and as Tom clung on to him, he pushed him out of his bedroom window, falling to his death.
Carl was never prosecuted for killing him, as there was not enough evidence to prosecute one particular brother. When all three brothers was charged for conspiracy to murder, their trial fell through after it was revealed that two key witnesses had lied and made their statements up for a sum of money, and there was insufficient evidence to find the brothers guilty without the statements.
At the Broadcast Digital Channel Awards in 2008, Emmerdale won the award for 'Best use of Interactive' for the storyline.
[edit] Sudgen house fire 16 October 2007: "Emmerdale's 35th Anniversary Episode"
When Jack Sugden told his family that Diane and Billy Hopwood were having an affair Victoria was full of guilt and sobbing, insisting it was all her fault and she wished she’d never followed the pair and heard their conversation. An angry Victoria paid Billy a visit. During the heated argument in which Victoria blamed Billy for ruing her family he implied that the Sugden's had never been saintly and brought up the subject of Sarah’s death, Victoria's mother. “Bit of a coincidence, Jack being there the night your mother died,” he said, smiling. “Think about it Victoria - have they ever really told you what happened to her?”. Victorian didn't want to listen to Billy but it was clear her desire to discover her mother's killer had resurfaced.
On the 16 October 2007, after yet another row with Jack about Diane, Victoria went off on her own and got drunk. The teenager had been rifling through old newspaper clippings of the fire that killed her mother. One of the pictures was of Sarah’s lover, Richie Carter, who had been with her but had survived. Victoria had decided to pay Richie a visit, in a last ditch attempt to find out the truth about the night her mother died. Richie told her he couldn’t help her. Begrudgingly, Richie described the events leading up to fire, including how Jack had threatened to kill both him and Sarah for their betrayal. But Richie was adamant to Victoria saying it wasn't her dad. Victoria didn't believe Richie and returned to the village and was promptly sick from all the alcohol. Spotting Andy down the road, she ran into a nearby garage to hide. She overheard Andy bump into Jack, who told her Victoria had not turned up for school. The pair set off to look for her together. Inside the garage, a clearly disturbed Victoria spotted a petrol can. She picked it up. Victoria took the can home and doused the furniture with petrol. Moments later, Jack and Andy returned to Annie’s Cottage and immediately smelled the fumes. Then they saw Victoria, poised with a lighter in her hand, ready to set the place alight. Victoria was screaming at her dad to tell her the truth about how her mother died or else they'd know what it feels like to burn. Unable to stay quite any long Andy shocked Victoria by telling her it was him who started the fire that led to the death of Sarah. Victoria looked at her brother in horror and then fled up stair where she fell and hurt her head badly. She was put on her bed, bleeding. Andy stayed with her while Jack went into the bathroom to soak a towel in warm water to clean his daughter’s head. He had forgotten about the petrol fumes in the house when he turned on the hot tap. The pilot light in the boiler came on and ignited the fumes. A massive explosion ripped through the house.
Daz had been heading towards the cottage outside and was thrown to the ground with the force of the blast. Inside Annie’s Cottage, the lounge was a raging inferno, where Victoria had soaked everything in petrol. As the fire took hold, there was a second explosion. Andy was still in Victoria’s bedroom and smashed her window. He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the window. By now many of the villagers, Jonny, Matthew, Perdy, Diane and Billy and others, were standing outside. Jonny waited below the bedroom window with his arms up, telling Andy to drop his sister down. With Victoria safe Andy went back for Jack but a wall of fire separated them. Billy climbed a ladder, which was set up outside, and brought Andy to the window where he jumped out onto a hay truck. Using a blanket for cover Billy got Jack from the bathroom and out the bedroom window. As Billy was about to climb out numerous half-empty alcohol bottles caught fire creating another explosion, which blew Billy across the room. The fire services retrieved an unconscious Billy from the house.
While all of this was going on Eric Pollard was trapped in the house next door after he got Pearl Ladderbanks out but was retrieved by Ross Kirk.
[edit] Emmerdale's 5000th Episode, 3rd June 2008- The Wedding Of Eric Pollard And Val Lambert
Eric Pollard had planned a surprise wedding for his fiance Val Lambert, just so he could save money on expenses as he owed £30,000 taxes. He was going to the Pub of the Year party at the Woolpack as the wedding reception. Val had no idea about the wedding, although her friends and family did. When she went over to Val's Interiors to check up on Lisa Dingle who she had ordered to sew the curtains for the Pub of the Year party, Lisa opened the door carrying some boxes, and, unaware that Val was coming up the stairs, opened it as she was about to come through, knocking her down the stairs, leaving her unconcious. She called Eli, and told him that Val was about to get married, to the shock of Eli. After discovering this, he hatched a plan to get money for Bell's school fees by kidnapping Val and holding her at ransom for £10,000. Val woke up tied up in the Dingle's barn, and was told by Lisa that Pollard had planned a cheap, surprise wedding, leaving her very angry. She then told the Dingle's to keep her hostage, and they agreed to split the ransom 60/40 with her. Val rang Eric and pretended to be scared, begging him to pay the ransom. He immidetely suspected the Dingles and raced over to their farm. When he got there, Val hid behind the furniture. Eric talked kindly of Val which made her submerge from hiding. Eric was furious with Val and the two had a blazing row. The Dingles quickly got tired of their arguing, threw the pair in the back of their van and drove them back to the village. The two made it to the church and were married by Bishop George Postlethwaite. Their was a hellicopter in a field outside and Val thought that Eric had hired it for her. Eric had to bribe the pilot in order for the newly weds to fly over the Dales.
- Also Marlon Dingle panicked when he had a severe lack of vegetables and waiting staff.
- Anthony Worrall Thompson flew to Emmerdale in a hellicopter to attend the Pub of the Year contest. He was impressed with Marlons cooking and told Marlon to call him.
- Nicola De Souza tried to impress Anthony Worrall Thompson
- Cindy Burton attemped to punch Nicola
- And Sharon Lambert kissed her new step brother, David Metcalfe
[edit] References=
- ^ "Hoodlum" hoodlumactive.com.
- ^ "Cluedo murder rocks the Dales" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Emmerdale murder suspects revealed" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Emmerdale shoots secret murder ending" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Emmerdale murder picture" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Tom King's final video: Part 1" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Tom King's final video: Part 2" Digital Spy.
- ^ "Tom King's final video: Part 3" Digital Spy.
