Emmerdale producer promises thrilling live TV (From Keighley News)

Emmerdale producer promises thrilling live TV

10:00am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News By Keighley News reporter

An hour of crazy, exciting and chilling TV is being promised to 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 was born and brought up in Keighley.

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 other television series before returning to Emmerdale.

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.

“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 which 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 storylines, 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 which are more cutting edge and modern.

“I think Emmerdale has changed,” he said.

The live episode is on Wednesday.