Emmerdale General News Thread

Work is under way on a £5 million refurbishment of Emmerdale's studios, which will see the show move to HD.

ITV Studios announced the investment in Leeds' Kirkstall Road facility last December. It said at the time that the investment was "about safeguarding the future of Emmerdale".

The Yorkshire Post reports that work will be completed by next spring. Outside scenes will continue to be filmed in the purpose-built village near Leeds.

"When the show started, there was three episodes a week, but now there are six a week and it's become a great success story which is why we're investing £5m in the future of the programme," said Adrian Bleasdale, who is project managing the construction.

"It's about creating the best possible environment to produce Emmerdale and we have worked incredibly closely with the production team in the whole process so that what we are creating here meets their needs."

He confirmed that the work will include custom-built studios for sets including the Woolpack and Home Farm. A sixth studio will also be designed for hospital and prison scenes.

However, despite the massive operation, Bleasdale said he hopes that viewers will not notice any mistakes when the sets are changed.

"Some of the sets will get moved, but we are duplicating as much as possible," he said.

James Sutton has admitted that he does not enjoy filming romantic or topless scenes.

The Emmerdale actor confessed that he finds shooting the scenes "embarrassing".

"It's just not a sexy experience whatsoever," he told The Mirror. "It's pretty embarrassing.

"How often do you snog someone in front of 30 other people? You become convinced that they are judging your technique. And it’s completely silent, so all you hear is the sound of your own lips, which is just not a nice sound."

He added: "It’s not an erotic experience at all."

The 27-year-old admitted that he is "quite shy in many ways" and does not enjoy having to take his top off for scenes.

"I've only done one topless photoshoot in my life and I really regret it," he revealed. "I was covered in oil and wearing dog tags. It was so cheesy!"

EMMERDALE hunk James Sutton locks lips with co-star Catherine Tyldesley, who plays his randy prison officer Abi Peterson.

The pair were spotted during a lunch break. An onlooker said: "They looked really happy but were horrified when they saw the snapper and leapt apart."

James, 27, who plays Ryan Lamb in the ITV1 soap, recently split from Sammy Winward (Katie Sugden), shortly after their on-screen romance fizzled out.

Cupid's arrow has hit Emmerdale - and has James Sutton and Lyndon Ogbourne firmly in his sights. Well, kinda.

The two actors are best friends in real life, a far cry from their on-screen alter egos Ryan Lamb and half-brother Nathan Wylde, who hate each other with a vengeance.

James, who is single after splitting from co-star Sammy Winward (Katie Sugden) in July, told Closer: "Lyndon's taken the place of any prospective partner - we're having a little bit of a bromance!

"We're filming in Leeds and Lyndon's girlfriend lives in London, so he's at a bit of a loose end and I'm a single lad now and on my own a lot, so we go off on man dates."

Lyndon added: "We're a real support to each other and have a really close and genuine friendship. We get as much attention from men as from women - I think our bromance creates all sorts of ideas!"

Like other couples, the duo enjoy dinner and movies together.

James revealed: "We went to see Toy Story 3 recently and Lyndon cried like a girl all the way through it!"

His co-star said: "James brought tissues with him, so when I started crying, he gave me one. It wasn't an entirely girlie night - before the film, we did go out to a restaurant and eat steak." Yeah, sure.

He may be quite a smoothie with the ladies on screen, but Emmerdale's James Sutton claims that, away from the cameras, he has no dating skills.

The 27-year-old, who plays imprisoned Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap, said he's hopeless at chatting up girls.

"I've had a few long-term relationships in my life but I'm not very good at the dating scene. I never approach women so I wouldn't really know how to chat up a girl," he told the Daily Mirror.

He added: "I'm a bit of a flirt with my friends but I'd never see a girl in a club and go and chat her up. Absolutely not. I'm a bit of a gibbering idiot around women."

James, who recently split up with co-star Sammy Winward (Katie Sugden) in a real-life romance, has shown off his on-screen prowess as the soap hunk, after snogging newcomer Eve Jenson (Suzanne Shaw) and his half-sister Maisie (Alice Coulthard).

But the soap's steamy scenes make him uncomfortable.

"I'm actually quite shy in many ways. I've had to take my top off a couple of times in Emmerdale and don't like it. I find it a bit embarrassing," he revealed.

Pictures emerged today of James apparently kissing co-star Catherine Tyldesley, who portrays his glamorous prison officer Abi Peterson in the soap.

But an Emmerdale insider insisted it was merely a peck on the cheek and the pair are just friends

Onions, garlic and cheese are top pongy foods, certain to switch off even the most amorous of co-stars - but it seems Sammy Winward has a tried and tested formula.

The 24-year-old, who plays hopeless romantic Katie Sugden in Emmerdale, likes to nosh on kebabs, if she is in a playful mood.

"If you want to annoy your co-star, eat a kebab!" she joked to Reveal.

Otherwise, Sammy likes to stock up on gum.

"I have lots of chewing gum," she said.

Despite having a number of lovers in the Dales, the actress still finds kissing scenes uncomfortable.

"I've been doing it for ages now but it's weird doing it with a mate. Imagine having to kiss one of your good friends over and over again - I just make light of it," she admitted.

Her screen alter-ego will soon be seen bedding ex-husband Andy, a situation she doesn't agree with.

"I'd advise her to take things slowly. If you get back with an ex, it's often on dodgy ground. You never know, though, it could work!" said Sammy.

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Originally Posted by Perdita

EMMERDALE hunk James Sutton locks lips with co-star Catherine Tyldesley, who plays his randy prison officer Abi Peterson.

The pair were spotted during a lunch break. An onlooker said: "They looked really happy but were horrified when they saw the snapper and leapt apart."

James, 27, who plays Ryan Lamb in the ITV1 soap, recently split from Sammy Winward (Katie Sugden), shortly after their on-screen romance fizzled out.

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Catherine Tyldesley has denied that she is dating her Emmerdale co-star James Sutton.

Earlier this month, it was claimed that Sutton had been photographed kissing the actress, who recently joined the ITV soap as his on-screen love interest, prison guard Abi Peterson.

"We've got on so well since day one," she told the Manchester Evening News. "James has really made me feel welcome."

She added: "But we're just close friends."

In July, Sutton split from Sammy Winward, who plays Katie Sugden in the Yorkshire soap.

Lucy Pargeter has said that fans think her Emmerdale character Chas Dingle should have stayed with ex-boyfriend Paddy Kirk.

Viewers have seen Chas's current partner Carl King start an affair with Eve Jenson recently, after Chas left her relationship with supportive vet Paddy Kirk in favour of Tom Lister's character.

Pargeter told Inside Soap: "I've had a much bigger reaction to this than any other storyline - and Chas has been involved with some big plots."

She added: "The show's fans all think Chas should never have walked out on Paddy. Granted, he wasn't the love of her life by any means, but she had a nice little family with him and her son Aaron. Sadly, it's too late for her to go back."

Suzanne Shaw, who plays temptress Eve in the soap, recently revealed that fans 'tell her off' for her character's dalliance with Carl.

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Chastity Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) starts to doubt Carl King (Tom Lister) when Charity finds saucy texts on his mobile phone...


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Cheating Carl does some quick thinking and says the messages were meant for Jimmy, claiming they come from an infatuated woman. He also spins a tale about how he's been secretive because he is planning a surprise holiday for Chas...

Emmerdale' bosses want to replace Aaron's dead dog with a poodle.

Last week, a devastated Aaron (Danny Miller) broke down when his beloved Alsatian Clyde was savaged in a revenge attack as part of his ongoing feud with thug Mickey (Lee Oakes), but producers of the ITV1 show have come up with a way to help him cope.

Series producer Gavin Blythe joked: "I keep telling him I'm going to get him a poodle, which Danny doesn't really side the funny side of and I don't understand why."

However, Danny - who plays the gay teen in the soap - doesn't think Aaron will ever be ready to replace Clyde, who had to be put down because of his injuries.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I don't think he will get a new dog. I don't think he'll want to replace him, Clyde was a big part of his life. I know he was only a dog but I don't think it will be very easy for him just to replace him. I don't think there are any plans to get a new dog any time soon."

Hot-headed Aaron has previously admitted he has intimacy issues after a tough childhood, and Danny thinks Clyde provided "unconditional love" for the troubled mechanic.

He explained: "It's like it's his best mate, it's like he's actually in love with a dog because he's the only person he can really sort of care for. It's unconditional love, he doesn't talk back to him and I think Aaron loved being in control of the dog, in control of something in his life. They were like best mates.