Emmerdale producer dismisses live episode reports

Emmerdale producer Stuart Blackburn has dismissed media reports claiming the soap is planning a live episode to mark its 40th anniversary.

The Yorkshire soap will mark its 40th birthday next year and media reports claim the soap was planning to air a special live episode – possibly with big stunts – to mark the occasion. The move, reports claimed, was prompted by the success of EastEnders and Coronation Street’s live episodes in 2010. Police-drama The Bill, cancelled last year by ITV, also aired two live episodes during the mid 2000s. However, Emmerdale series producer Stuart Blackburn has dismissed the reports as rumours.

“The rumours of the live ep are just that – rumours. Just rumours. We could do it and never say never. There is a little bit of me that’s always excited by that. They’re just rumours – but the 40th will be massive.” – Stuart Blackburn on This Morning

EastEnders marked its 25th anniversary with its first ever live episode which revealed the murderer of Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) while Corrie marked its 50th anniversary with the aftermath of the tram crash. The Manchester soap marked its 40th anniversary in 2000 with a live episode as well and in its early days in the 1960s episodes were broadcast live.

Emmerdale has become known its big stunts with the trend, to boost ratings, being started in 1993 with the plane-crash storyline which was created by Phil Redmond; creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks. On the possibity of a big stunt to mark the 40th anniversary Blackburn told This Morning “Again, it’s just rumours. I think there is a danger with these big stunts that eventually from the audience’s point of view, it’s just another stunt.”

How would you like Emmerdale to mark its 40th anniversary? Post your suggestions below.