Perdita
03-12-2009, 06:21
These kind of blogs hardly require an intro as I know you're all only interested in what's to come from 2010, so without further ado, here are series producer Gavin Blyth's teasers for what's to come in Emmerdale over the first part of the New Year.
Oh, and if you've not already read it yet, Gavin's perspective on 2009 is a very interesting read.
What can you tell us about Aaron's sexuality storyline?
"For me, it's about fully rounding out Aaron as a character - and I've always said that I will. He fascinates me. There's so much that's yet to be understood about him - about why he is the way he is. The very notion that someone who's perceived as a young alpha male goes on to find that he's wrestling with feelings he can't place or understand is a great story. There are very few things in British soap that haven't been done and I'm not sure that I've seen a dark, angry, young character who finds himself in a position of self-loathing because of what and who he fears he may be. It'll be a story that plays out for months - I've no desire to play a quick hit. It's a journey of discovery."
From the near-kiss with Adam, what's Aaron's next move?
"After the moment with Adam, Aaron's stood on shifting sand. He's in a state of denial. What I don't want it to be is a story where there's a girl that gets her heart ripped out - we've seen that before. Aaron may use a girl - or girls - as shields on his journey but I promise that it won't be a love story of man/girl, girl invests everything and ends up heartbroken. It's Aaron's story about his struggle and fear of what other people might think. He's a tortured soul who pushes those closest to him away through fear. As his journey goes on, he'll be true to form and it will be the most difficult journey he has ever faced.
"The story will bring in Chas and Paddy and it'll start to explore the Bartons, too - Adam and Aaron's friendship and Holly, therein. We'll see how people react to Aaron's sexuality at various stages along the way. Adam will never be far away from this and will help shape the decisions - right and wrong - that Aaron makes about his future."
The Bartons
"We have some really interesting material for them that drags them into the community. At times, the villagers will be at odds with them and as we get into the spring, they'll start to face tests as a family. Up to now, we've seen that they're fairly resilient and a close-knit bunch but they're not Teflon - some things have to stick! - so we'll start to see tests coming their way with various different consequences for the family - and for John and Moira."
The Bartons have mentioned their Nana a few times, while the Sharmas have mentioned their parents - are their any plans for these older characters to make appearances?
"Plans, no… Suggestions, yes… We've purposefully mentioned them because at a point in the future that's yet to be determined, it would help those characters if we were to see them. The notion of seeing Nana Barton would be interesting, likewise with the Sharma parents. But I wouldn't like to promise that it'll be a certain point in time because we need for the families to anchor themselves in the show before we ask the audience to embrace yet another person who's related to them."
The Sharmas
"Something that we're wanting to make a point of going into the New Year is that it's not all about business with them. I'd hate it for the two brothers to only have stories related to the factory. Nikhil and Jai start to cross and mix with different friends and form different alliances. Cain, Jai and Nikhil will have cause to talk and Jai will eye a new, potentially unlikely lady… Nikhil, meanwhile, will also find himself a new woman - with a few surprises. As such, we'll start to see a little more domesticity with the Sharmas and it'll help broaden their friendship base."
The Wyldes
"I think everyone's been very patient waiting for the payoff with this one. It does come, though, very much in the early part of the New Year and it's going to be one hell of an ugly car crash - and I don't mean that literally! The Ryan/Maisie angle is an interesting one, too. What we've done over the year with this story is to move the spotlight over the various different players and that's been purposeful. So in early 2010, we'll see three worlds collide and it'll be messy to say the least. From there, it sets up an entirely new dynamic for the Wyldes. The Wyldes kids will all react differently to events, some more dangerously, some more emotionally."
Faye and Natasha
"I don't want 2010 to be just a repeat of 2009 with Faye and Natasha fighting. It doesn't mean that they'll be friends, but there'll certainly be a new dynamic between them. With Faye in particular, the onus is on us to make sure that she becomes part of the fabric of the show. I don't want her to just move in the world of the Wyldes. It's time for her to eventually step away from that - but she'll not be able to shake the shackles of it all."
The Sugdens
"There's some lovely stuff as we play the first five months of the year. They'll stand centre of the show as we start to ask what they're all about. We've not yet seen the end of Andy's demons. He's never really apologised for what's gone on. We played out his breakdown, which was part of his redemption as a character, but he's not stood up and been counted for his own actions. We'll explore some of that in the New Year as Andy finds a new relationship and likewise with Diane - it's about time she was wooed! So Diane will find a new man - or maybe more than one… She'll certainly find herself tested. We'll also start to see a little more of Victoria and her slightly inverted friendship with Hannah."
A lot of readers have been asking about Daz and whether Luke Tittensor could return…
"There aren't any immediate plans but at the same time, I wouldn't want anyone to read into this that it's not going to happen. At the time, we had to deal with what happened, but it was also made clear that I was not in any way permanently closing the door on either Luke or Daz. So there may be a time when he comes back, but as with anything else, I can't say either way or when it'll be."
Ryan
"Everyone knows that I have a lot of respect for James and he's certainly been part of taking Emmerdale in a new direction. The garage feels more real than it's ever done. He came in with a big storyline, but to have kept Ryan there all the time wouldn't have allowed for other characters to grow around him. You won't be able to ignore Ryan from hereon in. Ryan's not here to be a one-hit wonder. His character's so universal and grounded and what happens to him from this month going into the early part of next year is just intriguing."
The Kings
"They're very much at the centre of the show in 2010. Carl's had a fairly turbulent 12 months and that will end in a way that will change his approach to everything in the New Year. We've seen Carl's dark underside this year and we'll start to redress the balance next. We'll see the Carl of old as he tries to right some of his wrongs, but events will conspire against him and change what he stands for. He'll be tested as a family man and we'll continue to round him out as a character, alongside Chas, Jimmy and Nicola."
Do we have any weddings coming up?
"They obviously have a wedding coming up - that will definitely happen - and we have another one, too. They'll be very different story-wise and tonally. New arrivals for anyone in the show - in terms of a junior - is never out of the question."
Are there any new arrivals on the horizon?
"You always have to be looking at that side of things. Some will be visiting characters for set periods and others will be long-standing characters. It's not about bringing in another family or anything like that, though - it's about utilising the cast that we have. So there will be the odd face arriving."
Sally and Ashley
"There's still a little bit more story to play out with Sally. We can't keep the high-octane that it's been thus far, but at the same time, I didn't want Sally to be a vehicle for Charlotte [Bellamy]'s temporary departure as she went on maternity leave. There's an exciting and dangerous journey left to play out between Ashley and Sally - and it's not predictable. The payoff will be worth it - and the key is that it'll start another story."
Charity and Cain
"Emma's staying with us as she's extended her contract, so Charity and Cain's journey in 2010 - together and separately - will be very different from this year and it'll ring the changes."
Edna
"She'll have a very interesting story for the New Year, too! To see her day-to-day life tested and her existence changed will be great."
Paddy and Marlon
"There's an unforgettable year in store for this friendship - and it will be more than they both ever expected!"
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/scoop/a189570/loads-of-emmerdale-teasers-for-2010.html
Oh, and if you've not already read it yet, Gavin's perspective on 2009 is a very interesting read.
What can you tell us about Aaron's sexuality storyline?
"For me, it's about fully rounding out Aaron as a character - and I've always said that I will. He fascinates me. There's so much that's yet to be understood about him - about why he is the way he is. The very notion that someone who's perceived as a young alpha male goes on to find that he's wrestling with feelings he can't place or understand is a great story. There are very few things in British soap that haven't been done and I'm not sure that I've seen a dark, angry, young character who finds himself in a position of self-loathing because of what and who he fears he may be. It'll be a story that plays out for months - I've no desire to play a quick hit. It's a journey of discovery."
From the near-kiss with Adam, what's Aaron's next move?
"After the moment with Adam, Aaron's stood on shifting sand. He's in a state of denial. What I don't want it to be is a story where there's a girl that gets her heart ripped out - we've seen that before. Aaron may use a girl - or girls - as shields on his journey but I promise that it won't be a love story of man/girl, girl invests everything and ends up heartbroken. It's Aaron's story about his struggle and fear of what other people might think. He's a tortured soul who pushes those closest to him away through fear. As his journey goes on, he'll be true to form and it will be the most difficult journey he has ever faced.
"The story will bring in Chas and Paddy and it'll start to explore the Bartons, too - Adam and Aaron's friendship and Holly, therein. We'll see how people react to Aaron's sexuality at various stages along the way. Adam will never be far away from this and will help shape the decisions - right and wrong - that Aaron makes about his future."
The Bartons
"We have some really interesting material for them that drags them into the community. At times, the villagers will be at odds with them and as we get into the spring, they'll start to face tests as a family. Up to now, we've seen that they're fairly resilient and a close-knit bunch but they're not Teflon - some things have to stick! - so we'll start to see tests coming their way with various different consequences for the family - and for John and Moira."
The Bartons have mentioned their Nana a few times, while the Sharmas have mentioned their parents - are their any plans for these older characters to make appearances?
"Plans, no… Suggestions, yes… We've purposefully mentioned them because at a point in the future that's yet to be determined, it would help those characters if we were to see them. The notion of seeing Nana Barton would be interesting, likewise with the Sharma parents. But I wouldn't like to promise that it'll be a certain point in time because we need for the families to anchor themselves in the show before we ask the audience to embrace yet another person who's related to them."
The Sharmas
"Something that we're wanting to make a point of going into the New Year is that it's not all about business with them. I'd hate it for the two brothers to only have stories related to the factory. Nikhil and Jai start to cross and mix with different friends and form different alliances. Cain, Jai and Nikhil will have cause to talk and Jai will eye a new, potentially unlikely lady… Nikhil, meanwhile, will also find himself a new woman - with a few surprises. As such, we'll start to see a little more domesticity with the Sharmas and it'll help broaden their friendship base."
The Wyldes
"I think everyone's been very patient waiting for the payoff with this one. It does come, though, very much in the early part of the New Year and it's going to be one hell of an ugly car crash - and I don't mean that literally! The Ryan/Maisie angle is an interesting one, too. What we've done over the year with this story is to move the spotlight over the various different players and that's been purposeful. So in early 2010, we'll see three worlds collide and it'll be messy to say the least. From there, it sets up an entirely new dynamic for the Wyldes. The Wyldes kids will all react differently to events, some more dangerously, some more emotionally."
Faye and Natasha
"I don't want 2010 to be just a repeat of 2009 with Faye and Natasha fighting. It doesn't mean that they'll be friends, but there'll certainly be a new dynamic between them. With Faye in particular, the onus is on us to make sure that she becomes part of the fabric of the show. I don't want her to just move in the world of the Wyldes. It's time for her to eventually step away from that - but she'll not be able to shake the shackles of it all."
The Sugdens
"There's some lovely stuff as we play the first five months of the year. They'll stand centre of the show as we start to ask what they're all about. We've not yet seen the end of Andy's demons. He's never really apologised for what's gone on. We played out his breakdown, which was part of his redemption as a character, but he's not stood up and been counted for his own actions. We'll explore some of that in the New Year as Andy finds a new relationship and likewise with Diane - it's about time she was wooed! So Diane will find a new man - or maybe more than one… She'll certainly find herself tested. We'll also start to see a little more of Victoria and her slightly inverted friendship with Hannah."
A lot of readers have been asking about Daz and whether Luke Tittensor could return…
"There aren't any immediate plans but at the same time, I wouldn't want anyone to read into this that it's not going to happen. At the time, we had to deal with what happened, but it was also made clear that I was not in any way permanently closing the door on either Luke or Daz. So there may be a time when he comes back, but as with anything else, I can't say either way or when it'll be."
Ryan
"Everyone knows that I have a lot of respect for James and he's certainly been part of taking Emmerdale in a new direction. The garage feels more real than it's ever done. He came in with a big storyline, but to have kept Ryan there all the time wouldn't have allowed for other characters to grow around him. You won't be able to ignore Ryan from hereon in. Ryan's not here to be a one-hit wonder. His character's so universal and grounded and what happens to him from this month going into the early part of next year is just intriguing."
The Kings
"They're very much at the centre of the show in 2010. Carl's had a fairly turbulent 12 months and that will end in a way that will change his approach to everything in the New Year. We've seen Carl's dark underside this year and we'll start to redress the balance next. We'll see the Carl of old as he tries to right some of his wrongs, but events will conspire against him and change what he stands for. He'll be tested as a family man and we'll continue to round him out as a character, alongside Chas, Jimmy and Nicola."
Do we have any weddings coming up?
"They obviously have a wedding coming up - that will definitely happen - and we have another one, too. They'll be very different story-wise and tonally. New arrivals for anyone in the show - in terms of a junior - is never out of the question."
Are there any new arrivals on the horizon?
"You always have to be looking at that side of things. Some will be visiting characters for set periods and others will be long-standing characters. It's not about bringing in another family or anything like that, though - it's about utilising the cast that we have. So there will be the odd face arriving."
Sally and Ashley
"There's still a little bit more story to play out with Sally. We can't keep the high-octane that it's been thus far, but at the same time, I didn't want Sally to be a vehicle for Charlotte [Bellamy]'s temporary departure as she went on maternity leave. There's an exciting and dangerous journey left to play out between Ashley and Sally - and it's not predictable. The payoff will be worth it - and the key is that it'll start another story."
Charity and Cain
"Emma's staying with us as she's extended her contract, so Charity and Cain's journey in 2010 - together and separately - will be very different from this year and it'll ring the changes."
Edna
"She'll have a very interesting story for the New Year, too! To see her day-to-day life tested and her existence changed will be great."
Paddy and Marlon
"There's an unforgettable year in store for this friendship - and it will be more than they both ever expected!"
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/scoop/a189570/loads-of-emmerdale-teasers-for-2010.html