-
Emmerdale delivered its big summer stunt on Tuesday evening (June 28) as Rakesh Kotecha's desperate arson plan led to a terrifying explosion.
While this was one soap disaster which didn't have a shock death thrown in, you can bet that the fallout will still be huge for everyone involved. Here, we've collected together seven of the biggest spoilers for what happens next.
1. Lawrence is caught with Ronnie
Things weren't looking too good for Emmerdale's newest arrival Ronnie Hale when Tuesday's episode came to an end, as his decision to play the hero in the fire drama left his own life hanging in the balance.
But don't worry - Emmerdale bosses aren't cruelly killing off former Brookie star John McArdle so easily. In fact, it seems this is just the beginning of a bigger story which could ultimately see him grow closer to his ex-lover Lawrence.
When Lawrence pays a visit to the hospital tomorrow and pours his heart out to an unconscious Ronnie, he is full of regret and apologises for being so cruel to him before the fire. Onlooker Andy Sugden is stunned when he spots Lawrence holding Ronnie's hand, but how will Lawrence react when Andy accuses him of betraying his wife Bernice?
2. Ronnie turns detective
In the wake of his arson plan, rattled Rakesh is probably optimistically hoping that Ronnie will wake up with a convenient case of soap amnesia. Sadly for him, though, Ronnie remembers all about the pesky dry rot that had been found in Mill Cottage - giving Rakesh an obvious motive to have started the blaze.
Rakesh pushes his luck too far when he suggests that Ronnie could helpfully keep quiet about the dry rot when quizzed by the insurance company. Not one to be pushed around, Ronnie makes it very clear to Rakesh that it's obvious he was the mystery arsonist and he wants no part in it. But will Ronnie protect Rakesh's secret?
3. Lachlan shoots Lawrence
With emotions running so high in the aftermath of the fire, it's inevitable that the truth about Lawrence and Ronnie's past relationship will spread even further. It's already been revealed that Lawrence will be shot by his troubled grandson Lachlan during a heated showdown at Home Farm, but it's actually the secret of Ronnie's identity which sparks the horrifying situation.
Emmerdale boss Iain MacLeod recently explained: "The Lachlan story all stems from the Lawrence secret about who Ronnie is. Lachlan finds that out, as does everyone else at some point, and it creates a massive catastrophe.
"To a degree, Lawrence starts venting his own agonies onto his family and Lachlan bears the brunt of that, so he ends up in a kind of murderous rage with his granddad."
4. Priya smells a rat
No-nonsense Priya has had enough experience with her brother Jai to know a schemer when she sees one. So it's no surprise that she quickly realises Rakesh may know much more about the fire than he's letting on.
Next week's episodes see Priya's paranoia go into overdrive as she suspects Rakesh of hiding something from her, so she angrily confronts him about the fire. Priya's accusations come at a pretty awkward moment, as Rakesh is about to spring a surprise birthday party for her. Could this be enough to throw her off the scent of what he's been keeping from her?
5. Rakesh gets bad news from the insurance company
Rakesh thinks that his insurance claim is guaranteed to be waved through, especially when the investigating police officer turns out to be a friend of his. But even this isn't enough to tip the scales in his favour, as it becomes increasingly obvious that he was the one who started the fire.
Rakesh threatens to sue when the insurance company vow not to pay out, but he's immediately warned to back off as challenging the decision could cause a police investigation. Backed into a corner, Rakesh is left with no choice but to consult a payday loan company to solve his financial troubles - but will this just be the beginning of a downward spiral for him?
6. Nicola fears she'll be left paralysed
Events take a horrifying turn for Nicola tomorrow after she discharges herself from hospital earlier than the doctors would like. It doesn't take long before her health takes a sudden turn for the worse as Jimmy finds her unconscious at home and rushes her back in for emergency treatment.
After Nicola goes under the knife to ease swelling on her brain, she wakes up to find that she no longer has any feeling in her right arm or leg. The doctors order more tests to establish the cause of the problem, but will it be bad news?
7. Bad memories return
While there's plenty of drama ahead for the main players involved in the fire, it also makes a pretty significant impact among the wider community too. Fans of the late and great Viv Hope will be pleased to know that she gets a mention later this week, as Bob struggles with the knowledge that he nearly lost two of his closest family members in two separate fires. What are the odds?
Dan also has plenty to think about, pondering the fact that he managed to save Nicola but wasn't so lucky when it came to Ruby (remember her?) in the helicopter crash last year. But could his heroics now fuel his ambition to become a paramedic?
Digital Spy
-
Looks like there's plenty to look forward to. I'm not sure about Lawrence getting closer to Ronnie though, there's been too much hurt and anger between them already and Lawrence is a fairly damaged person because of his past. And let's not forget he's married to Bernice...
-
Emmerdale's residents may be able to breathe a sigh of relief this Christmas. Well, at least those who survive next week's stunt carnage.
The show's producer Iain MacLeod has been dropping the first hints about this year's festive episodes, promising that there'll be happiness in store rather than all-round misery. Now that really is a shock!
Speaking at an Emmerdale press conference, Iain explained: "Christmas is very Christmassy this year. We wanted it to be slightly fluffier, although that's not to say it won't have its own dramatic twists and turns.
"Emmerdale, week on week, continues to be really dramatic. I would struggle to say there is one particular week that is any more or less dramatic.
"We are storylining up until March next year and none of it is anything less than stellar - although I am biased!"
Emmerdale is going all-out with next week's episodes, which see four ongoing stories collide in the form of a catastrophic event.
We're still sworn to secrecy on what the stunt is, but the episodes have been filmed on special cameras and - for one week only - there'll also be incidental music incorporated along the way.
Speaking about the one-off changes, Iain explained: "The idea was that this was a slightly more cinematic week. The scale of the event was slightly more filmic.
"We went into it with quite an open mind and I went in thinking initially that we would keep it entirely dry, as that is the normal Emmerdale way of things, but our directors wanted to make a case for some sensitively used music and I felt like it really worked.
"It didn't feel too intrusive. Where possible we tried to originate the music from a radio. We didn't want to whack a great big John Williams score over the whole thing.
"But we had earned the right stylistically, as we had slightly stepped outside our normal style into the world of more filmic shooting and storytelling.
"This is not the start of a rebrand of Emmerdale or an attempt to turn it into something else. As the trailer would have you believe, it felt like a special week of episodes, so we used some unusual devices."
Digital Spy