Marc Silcock Interview

Earlier this year, former Hollyoaks actor Marc Silcock joined Emmerdale as Jackson Walsh, a new love interest for sexually confused teen Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller). Having met Jackson in a gay bar, Aaron took a keen interest and the pair eventually shared a kiss outside a club, witnessed by Adam Barton (Adam Thomas). Aaron and Jackson's friendship, however, took a turn for the worse when Aaron punched him in The Woolpack - presumed by locals to be a homophobic attack. Aaron's case reached court and with Jackson sat in the public gallery, Aaron seized the opportunity to publicly come clean about his sexuality. Here, we chat to Marc about Aaron and Jackson's future, Pauline Quirke and Emmerdale's rejuvenation.

What are your thoughts on the reaction to the Aaron and Jackson storyline?
"It's been unbelievable the amount of people that have been in contact with myself and Danny throughout the storyline. We set out to make a point and showcase the issues that we have been. Personally, I never expected it to be as big as it's become. It's a massive weight off our shoulders to know that people in the same situation are relating to the characters. It's been fantastic."

Do you think Aaron and Jackson are meant to be together?
"There are points where it looks like they're the perfect couple but on the other hand, there are underlying problems with both characters, especially Aaron. It'd be difficult for them to be together forever - it's probably be too much of a fairytale for Aaron to settle down with his first ever boyfriend. They'll be together for a while, but it'd be Disneyland to think that they'll end up as 40-year-old blokes getting married and adopting kids."

Are you excited about Pauline Quirke joining?
"Pauline's such a fantastic actress - I'm so excited that I'm going to be working with her. It'll be great to know a little more about Jackson's family!"

What's it like working with Danny?
"When he's out of work, he's one of the funniest guys but when he's at work, he's so focussed on every single scene. It's scary sometimes having to work with him because you know that at no point there'll be any let-up! He knows exactly where his character is from the scene before, what time it was… It's fantastic, though, because it makes me want to work harder!"

Were the kissing scenes awkward to start with?
"Danny and I sat down and had a quick chat about it beforehand. We're not going to lie and say that it's not difficult for two straight guys to kiss each other, because it was difficult and a bit awkward. But it's only as uncomfortable as you make it, so we had a chat, decided what we were comfortable with and just got on with it. We're not going to start doing it in our spare time!"

Do you think Danny deserved to pick up something from the Soap Awards?
"Don't even get me started on the Soap Awards! It's the way the voting goes, though. Danny apparently had the problem of coming second in a lot of categories. The stuff he filmed with Dominic Brunt was incredible. I do think it was wrong that he didn't get anything, but there's always next year. It's brought the whole cast together and it's made us all want to work that bit harder so we don't go through the same thing next year."

Aaron turns to Jackson during next week's episodes and confides that he's being bullied at community payback…
"The relationship between Aaron and Jackson's still a bit frosty since Aaron attacked him. Now Jackson's working in the village, they're trying to make it a little easier for each other to get along. Aaron 'lets slip' that someone is bullying him at his community service for being gay. Jackson's quite dismissive of him, though."

What happens when Jackson sees Aaron about to be attacked by Wayne?
"The bully, Wayne, follows Aaron back to the village and Jackson sees their altercation - Wayne's actually threatening him with a spanner! Jackson eventually goes over to help Aaron and sort Wayne out. Jackson knows that if Aaron gets into another incident, he'll be sent to prison. Wayne eventually skulks off and that's the key turning point in the thawing of Aaron and Jackson's relationship. As soon as you see it, you see that Jackson really does like Aaron."

What happened after that?
"They end up going to the pub and talk turns to Aaron's suicide attempt. It's the first time Aaron's opened up about it and Jackson just wants to understand why. At this point, you actually start to see that Jackson wants a relationship with Aaron because it seems like he's finally coming to terms with his sexuality. From that, they take the next step and end up back at Smithy where they have their first passionate kiss. It all leads from there."

Aaron and Jackson become involved in Holly's drug story, don't they?
"Yeah, they do. With Aaron comes Jackson and they get trapped by the whole situation and have to start keeping secrets from everyone else. But where that leads I actually don't know."

The role of Jackson's so far removed from your Hollyoaks part as Eli - what's it been like playing someone who's real?
"At Hollyoaks, I had free reign to do what I wanted to do! Nobody could see or hear me apart from Newt! Finally getting the opportunity to play Jackson has been great because I finally get to work and speak with other characters!"

What do you think of Gavin's rejuvenation of Emmerdale?
"It's just been unbelievable. Going into meetings with Gavin, he's so focussed on the show. You just feel in such safe hands when you speak to him - there's no stone unturned. What he's done with Emmerdale in just over a year is amazing. I think it shows in the performances we're turning out what confidence we have in him."

You're slowly working your way around the country's soaps - which do you have your eye on next?
"I know Bryan Kirkwood's at EastEnders and I loved working for him at Hollyoaks, so we'll have to wait and see! That's if he'd hire me back! You need a bit of Northern down there, don't you?!"

Were you planning on returning to Hollyoaks for Newt's exit story?
"No, there was no contact between me and Hollyoaks for Nico [Mirallegro]'s exit. I think the whole stunt with myself, Nico and Alice [Barlow] was my ending full stop. I don't think it helped with the change of producers but I would have been interested in going back… It's just one of those things."

What are your thoughts on the state of the show at the minute?
"It's been through a bit of a rocky patch. The shakeup that Paul Marquess is doing at the minute will take it one of two ways. It'll either go back to what it was in its heyday - back 18 months, two years ago - or it'll go in another direction. It's a bit upsetting to see a show that gave me my first big chance on screen in such a troubled spot. It happens sometimes, though."

Emmerdale star Marc Silcock has admitted that he does not foresee a long-lasting romance for his character Jackson Walsh and troubled Aaron Livesy.

The actor was cast in the Yorkshire-based soap earlier this year as a love interest for Aaron, and his alter ego has been a key influence in the mechanic's journey of self-discovery.

However, speaking in an interview with DS, Silcock hinted that it could be unrealistic to see Aaron securing long-term happiness with Jackson so soon after opening up about his sexuality.

The show newcomer commented: "There are points where it looks like they're the perfect couple but on the other hand, there are underlying problems with both characters, especially Aaron.

"It'd be difficult for them to be together forever - it'd probably be too much of a fairytale for Aaron to settle down with his first ever boyfriend. They'll be together for a while, but it'd be Disneyland to think that they'll end up as 40-year-old blokes getting married and adopting kids."

Aaron actor Danny Miller made similar comments in an interview with DS last month, arguing that it would be "too convenient" for the pair to settle down and be happy.

Emmerdale actor Marc Silcock has revealed that the show's cast are already looking ahead to the 2011 British Soap Awards following their disappointing night at this year's ceremony.

The Yorkshire-based serial was nominated in every category at last month's event, but its only recognition in the final results went to long-serving writer Bill Lyons, who won the 'Special Achievement' prize.

Silcock - who plays Jackson Walsh on the programme - has now told DS that he and his co-stars are aiming to do better next year.

Asked whether his screen love interest Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy) deserved a prize, Silcock replied: "Don't even get me started on the Soap Awards! It's the way the voting goes, though. Danny apparently had the problem of coming second in a lot of categories. The stuff he filmed with Dominic Brunt was incredible.

"I do think it was wrong that he didn't get anything, but there's always next year. It's brought the whole cast together and it's made us all want to work that bit harder so we don't go through the same thing next year."

EastEnders was the big winner at this year's event, taking home the 'Best Soap' gong and nine other prizes.

danny miller interview


There has been blood and violence, and Aaron has landed in court – all because he couldn’t admit he was gay. Now, as his relationship with Jackson moves up a gear, ‘We Love Soap’ chat to Danny Miller about playing the part…

How is Aaron feeling now the whole village knows he’s gay?
He’s embarassed about coming out. He thinks it was a bit of a mistake.

What happens with Jackson?
There is a kiss. It’s quite a romantic kiss, actually. It was a very strange experience. I sat Marc Silcock (who plays Jackson) down and we discussed what we were going to do. We were both nervous, and in the end we said let’s not talk about it any more.

How did it go?
We only had to do it twice. We wanted to keep it to a minimum. I was relieved afterwards because I felt i’d done well. We wanted to do justice to an emotional story.

Is it tough being a straight man playing a gay character?
Your an actor playing a role, that’s all. I’ve got gay friends and they are proud of me. I’ve spoken to them about homophobia and coming out.

What about fans’ reactions?
Mainly positive. But a month ago I was at a petrol station and someone leaned out of their car and shouted, “Oi, you big gay boy!” Unbelievable. It infuriated me. It gives you a real insight into what people go through.

Is it hard filming such emotional scenes?
Yes, it’s been very draining sometimes. Eventually your tear ducts run out. But i’ve walked away and thought, “That was a real day’s work”.

On behalf of Kayliee94


aaron and jackson spoiler

video and pic for you to check out

http://aaronlivesy.wordpress.com/

thanks siobhan

ive just watched marc silcock on loose women and he said he will be in emmerdale until february 2011 :)

another interview with danny miller and marc silcock at http://aaronlivesy.wordpress.com/

Emmerdale's Marc Silcock has praised his co-star Danny Miller.

The actor, who joined the ITV soap as Jackson Walsh earlier this year, told Digital Spy that he was happy to finally see Miller scoop accolades for his role.

"His performances have been unbelievable," he said. "Those awards are the realisation that it is time for Danny to get some recognition for what he has been doing."

Last week, Miller was a double winner at the Inside Soap Awards, where he landed the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Dramatic Performance' gongs.

Silcock admitted that he found it "unbelievable" that it took so long for his co-star to be recognised for his role as Aaron Livesy.

"It's been fantastic to finally see him win the awards that he should have won a long time ago," he said.

Silcock, who recently received a 'Best Newcomer' nomination at the National Television Awards, said that the prizes encourage the cast to keep raising their game.

"It just lifts the whole cast and the storyline," he said.

So there we have it. Alone in his van, reaching for his mobile - a night out for Jackson Walsh ended in disaster. After a special screening of the dramatic episode, I sat down for a quick chat with Emmerdale's Marc Silcock to find out his reaction to the plot and what fans can expect in the months ahead. Despite Marc having recently extended his contract with the soap, things are not getting any easier for Jackson and Aaron...

How did you feel when you heard about the crash?
"[I was] ecstatic, really. It wasn't to me a storyline in itself, more of a switch that starts a new storyline, a new chapter in their relationship and kick-starts Jackson's own storyline in a way. It was a big thumbs-up from everybody upstairs - all the bosses and the producer Gavin Blyth saying, 'We've enjoyed you for the past six months and let's see what you can do'. It's brilliant!"

It's been mentioned that the storyline will continue well into next year, will you be sticking around?
"At the moment, I know I'm there until early next year. I'm there for the first couple of months of 2011 which will be great as it will see me through a year. What happens after that is completely up to the bosses but all I know is that."

Aaron and Michael Jackson in Emmerdale
Is it true that we are going to be meeting Jackson's father soon?
"Yes! Michael J. Jackson comes in and plays my father Jerry. This is a big key to understanding why Jackson is like he is, why he is so understanding of Aaron and why the relationship is as it is. We understand that a lot seeing his father and seeing the interaction between Pauline Quirke (Hazel) and Michael. We will understand a lot of Jackson's background."

So is it a strained relationship Jackson has with Jerry?
"Very strained! Jerry was not very open to Jackson's sexuality so it is very strained and we'll see the outcome of that in future episodes. What the two characters went through together, and I think the crash and what Jackson has to go through, is a huge strain on Jerry - but that just makes him hold on tighter to Jackson, rather than let him go."

Will Jackson blame Aaron for what has happened?
"I think for a long time Jackson is just glad to be awake. I think there's an empty blame there, a hope that if he was to blame somebody else it would take a little bit of the pain away from him and the situation. However, I think he quickly comes to terms with the fact that what's happened has happened and that he has to focus on where he wants to be and what he wants to do. Blaming everybody and anybody doesn't take any of the blame away. Jackson answered the phone, Jackson was driving the van - nobody else. There's a lot to come to terms with and a lot of strain and strife to get through the fact that there is nobody else to blame. It's on him. This is his life and this is what he has to go through."

How would Aaron cope if Jackson was to die?
"I don't know, really. Aaron is his own character and would have reacted in a number of different ways. I think, with his relationship with Jackson, it would either have gone one way or another. It would have been a case of, my personal opinion on the character of Aaron, I think he would have allowed him to blame himself and his sexuality. With the self-loathing storyline, the way it's gone, I think it would have given Aaron a chance to self-implode again. To be honest, I don't know the way Aaron would have reacted but I think there would be a huge difference in Aaron if Jackson were to die in the crash."

What has the fan reaction been like for yourself and the character of Jackson?
Marlon presses Paddy over Jackson and Aaron.

"It's been fantastic! When I first came into Emmerdale I was part of the storyline and now I've become entwined with the storyline. It's brilliant. People don't see it anymore as a gay relationship, just as a relationship - which is brilliant and what we wanted to get to. The whole storyline is about being comfortable with yourself and when fans become comfortable with the relationship and not seeing it as two men together, it makes you realise that it's worked."

Have you had any negative feedback about the plot?
"99.9% of the fans [that] come up to you, from teenagers to 70-year-olds, don't mention the fact that it's a gay relationship. They just go, 'You and Aaron', or, 'Aaron and Jackson', or, 'You two are great together', and it makes you realise that what you are doing is now not a gay relationship - it's about the emotions after and trying to portray what a real relationship is like. Obviously you get the 0.1% people that aren't appreciative, but everyone is entitled to their opinions. Everybody is entitled to express what they want to express in their own way. Although, that is drowned out vastly by the positive reaction and feedback that we get. The response from the audience and the response from the producers; well, we wouldn't be getting these storylines and we wouldn't be getting the response from everybody [otherwise]. Danny [Miller] wouldn't be winning awards if these people didn't like it."

Absolutely - and he now has two Inside Soap Awards to his name...
"His performances have been unbelievable! Those awards are the realisation that it is time for Danny to get some recognition for what he has been doing. It took a while, and it was unbelievable that it took that long, but it's been fantastic to finally see him win the awards that he should have won a long time ago. Now, being in the storyline, it's not as easy as everyone thinks it looks. Danny's obviously worked extremely hard for it and it only helps everybody else get their game up a little bit. When you look at it and you're facing that and the cameras are watching you, and Danny's doing what he is doing - what he is being awarded for - it just makes you want to fight a little bit harder and box at your weight. It just lifts the whole cast and the storyline. That's why the storyline is so popular, because people believe in the characters and the performances."

Aaron is uncomfortable with Hazel around
How does Hazel deal with events?
"Hazel's character is bright and chirpy and always looking on the bright side of life. For the very first time, we see that crust crack a little bit. This isn't something that can be laughed off. This isn't something that a cup of hot chocolate is going to make better. She's going to really struggle now, not only with the arrival of her estranged husband and how that affects Jackson and their relationship, but she's now got to worry about Jackson. Not about Jackson and Aaron and how they are doing or how she's doing - she's got to focus on Jackson now and it's a heavy weight for Pauline to go through. You have to believe that you are losing a son or that your son is going through this and I know Pauline has a son and she's been fantastic. Some of the stuff that I've been in the room for that she has been doing has been unbelievable. All the stuff after Jackson wakes up with himself and Aaron, himself and Jerry and Pauline - it's just been unbelievable to be a part of. It's been brilliant."

How do you feel when you're called a role model?
"It's a bit strange! I personally don't see myself as a role model but I do see the relationship as one. And I see the way that Aaron has come to terms with his relationship to everybody else as a role model for how it should be. Obviously that is not real life - people react in different ways and people have different families and different opinions but I don't consider myself as much of a role model as I do the relationship that's now been formed."

As a couple, Aaron and Jackson have a strong fanbase which has many hopes for their future. Where do you see the relationship going?
"I think when the storyline [was] set out there was always going to be an end for it. There was never going to be a fairytale ending because the two characters are polar opposites. Although there is an attraction, it's very difficult for two people like that to come together and mesh. I'm ecstatic that the fans are worried about the characters. Again it shows a great relationship between the characters on screen and the fans off it. I think it's very difficult in the situation that the characters are finding themselves in to pluck at that silver lining. It would be very difficult for any relationship to survive the struggles that everybody is going to go through over the coming months."

Emmerdale star Marc Silcock has admitted that he was surprised when the soap's bosses offered him a new contract earlier this year.

The actor announced last month that he had renewed his deal with the ITV1 show, meaning that he will continue playing Jackson Walsh until at least spring 2011.

In an interview with Inside Soap, Silcock was asked to name the biggest shock he has received since taking on the role of Aaron Livesy's (Danny Miller) love interest.

He replied: "I'd say being asked to stay in Emmerdale! Our producer Gavin [Blyth] took me up to his office and asked if it was okay to keep me on. I'd expected to come in, help with the storyline and then go - so that was the biggest shock."

Meanwhile, asked about the reaction to Jackson and Aaron's romance storyline, Silcock commented: "Everybody has been brilliant. On the whole, viewers see Aaron and Jackson's partnership as a relationship, not a homosexual relationship. But there is the odd negative person, and of course that's difficult.

"It annoys me when I get unpleasant comments in the street, because if I wasn't playing this character and I went over to someone and spoke that way, I'd end up getting knocked out! Luckily, those kinds of remarks are few and far between."

Jackson's current storyline follows him as he recovers from a tragic accident which saw a train crash into his van.

New Interview

Emmerdale star Marc Silcock has revealed details of the severe setbacks in store for Jackson Walsh and Aaron Livesy in next week's episodes.

Upcoming instalments of the ITV1 soap will see Silcock's character discover that he is highly likely to remain paralysed from his shoulders down in the aftermath of the shock train accident which nearly claimed his life.

After receiving the devastating news, Jackson ends up rejecting Aaron, declaring that their relationship is over and he never wants to see him again.

Speaking of Jackson's decision, Silcock commented: "I think there's a massive weight on Jackson's shoulders. After being told he can't walk again, he sends Aaron away and says 'you need to be with somebody else'. I think he does it to protect Aaron.

"He doesn't want the man that he loves to have to spend the rest of his life caring for him - getting him in and out of bed, putting him in the shower - he doesn't want that for Aaron. Everything has completely changed now and their relationship can never be as it was before."

Next week, viewers will also see Jackson angrily blaming Aaron for the fact that his van ended up in the path of the train on the fateful night of the accident.

However, Silcock said: "At the end of the day, Jackson tried to get the phone while he was driving - so it's Jackson's fault, but he has nobody else to blame and he feels helpless so he's trying to pass it onto somebody else."

Meanwhile, asked whether Jackson and Aaron have a future, the actor replied: "This puts a massive spanner in the works - it's changed the whole relationship. I do think it'd be difficult to see Aaron and Jackson settle down after this."

ITVEmmerdale star Marc Silcock has admitted that he would only want to stick with the soap if his character's presence in the village still "made sense".

The actor recently had his contract extended, meaning that he will remain in the role of Aaron Livesy's love interest Jackson Walsh until at least the spring.

Speaking to Inside Soap about his future plans, Silcock explained: "I'd love to stay at Emmerdale, but only if the storyline made sense for Jackson. It's been my favourite place to work so far, but I wouldn't stay just for the money or to be on TV.

"I'd rather go out on an amazing story than just hang around in the village for no reason. I want my exit to be something people remember me for - instead of disappearing in the back of a taxi!"

The 21-year-old also said that he is grateful for his current plotline, which follows Jackson as he recovers from a dramatic accident which saw a train crash into his van.

Silcock commented: "When I heard the rumours of Jackson's car being hit by a train, I thought, 'Well that's me gone, but what a brilliant way to go - a big stunt!' Then our producer Gavin Blyth called me into his office and explained everything about this storyline. It's an amazing opportunity for me as an actor."

Next week, fans will see Jackson receive heartbreaking news after he has more surgery.

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Jackson fights back tears after admitting to doctors he cannot feel anything after his surgery

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His mum questions the surgeon who admits that Jackson may never walk again

Emmerdale star Marc Silcock has admitted that he was concerned when he found out about his character's current plot.

Viewers will see Silcock's character Jackson Walsh find out that he is paralysed from the neck down following last month's devastating crash.

"I did have worries," he told the Daily Record. "My first reaction was how am I going to be able to do it?

"Of course it's difficult, being an able-bodied person, to be lying on a bed 12 to 14 hours every day. Especially as an actor, as 90% of communication is body language - but I haven't got any of that. It's just my face and words."

He continued: "It's hard to try [to] cry and laugh in a scene because you are constantly thinking, 'How would this work? Would that part of my body move or not?'. I am constantly asking the people filming it to play the scenes back to make sure I haven't moved.

"If I did twitch it felt like a thousand volts - but it would just be me moving my little finger half a millimetre. But I want to make it perfect. I want people to believe what's going on."

Silcock has two nurses on set who advise him and he also spent time in a spinal injury unit where he met a man with similar injuries.

He confessed that he wanted to portray Jackson's injuries as well as possible for real-life sufferers.

"It was a big worry for me because there are viewers who are disabled and I didn't want to cheat," he said. "I wanted to do it right. I wanted people to believe Jack is paralysed. I had no idea what thoughts go through your head and what your family must go though so it was fantastic to speak to someone about it to understand the horror that this is not going to change.

"I want to make it as real as possible because for people in those situations, the last thing I'd want to do is to cheat them out of the stress of what they are really going through."

Silcock revealed that he has now been filming scenes leading up to Christmas which see Jackson in a wheelchair.

He added: "To have the trust from Gavin Blyth is amazing. It has spurred me on to make it as believable as possible.

"We are already talking about how Jackson's appearance will change - his hair, his legs. We will make the changes as real as possible."

Emmerdale star Marc Silcock has taken centre stage in one of soapland's most popular storylines in the past year after being cast as Aaron Livesy's first boyfriend Jackson Walsh. Since his arrival on screen last March, fans have seen Jackson face the rocky road of a relationship with troubled Aaron - before a tragic twist saw the builder left paralysed when his van was hit by an oncoming train on a level crossing. Now in the running for the 'Best Newcomer' prize at this year's National Television Awards, Marc recently chatted to DS about the recognition.

How does it feel to be in the running for 'Best Newcomer'?
"It's fantastic, really! For me it was just an acknowledgement that people are recognising the work that I've been doing and the effort that I'm putting in with the storyline that I've got and the situation my character is in. I can't really come to work without doing my homework and I can't not give it 100%, because I'm representing a community. It's just fantastic to be recognised for the work that I've done."

What would it mean to you to win the award?
"Of course it would be unbelievable to win and it would give me a lot of validation that people are liking the character, because it is a difficult story and it is a difficult time for Jackson. But just to be nominated is great because I know that there's people out there who are recognising the work."

As an actor, how important is it to win awards?
"I think they're just an added bonus, but receiving an award is receiving the recognition of the people who are watching, and it's the people who are watching who are important because they make up your viewing figures, they're your audience percentage and you might be representing their lives on screen. So if the way of recognising the work and the way for the viewers to tell you that you're doing a good job is through awards, then of course everybody enjoys receiving them! But my main focus is making sure that the work's right and that the audience is connected with the character."

You're up against Ricky Norwood from EastEnders, Olga Fedori from Holby City and Paula Lane from Corrie. What do you think of the competition?
"I think they're all very strong competition. Paula Lane has obviously come in with a strong storyline with Katherine Kelly, and Ricky Norwood has been in EastEnders for quite a while and he was in E20 as well. I think it's going to be a close-run thing, but we're all in the running because we're all in the last four. It's a 25% chance of winning - I hope that my 25% chance increases to 100% on the night, but we'll just have to wait and see! It is a competition and I'm a competitive person - of course I want to win because I'd like the acknowledgement from the people out there voting that I'm doing a good job with the performance. But whoever wins will have obviously got the most votes and deserved it. We'll have to wait and see on the night."

Have you ever met Ricky, Olga or Paula before?
"No, I've never met any of them before! I was nominated in a 'Best Newcomer' category with Ricky Norwood a couple of months ago and I lost to him then, but due to work commitments I couldn't come down to the event to meet everybody. So the night of the awards will be the first time I get to meet them."


If you had to give your plea for why people should vote for you, what would you say?
"Basically, if people are enjoying the character, relating to the performance and recognising the hard work that comes with playing Jackson because of the situation that he's in, then please vote. It would mean the world to me to have an award that recognises the work that I've been doing. But we'll have to wait and see whether people like it that much!"

Are there any particular scenes you'd like people to bear in mind as they decide who to vote for?
"I think I'd have to say the scene before the train crash and also the full episode with me and Danny Miller where Aaron tells Jackson that he's paralysed. If you're still considering who to vote for, I'd say get on ITV Player or YouTube and watch those two episodes or even just those two scenes. It was hard work and difficult filming them, but at the end of the day, you look at them and they're just absolutely beautiful scenes to watch."


How would you sum up your time at Emmerdale since you joined last year?
"It's been absolutely unbelievable! When I first came into the show, I just thought that I'd be here for two or three months, help Danny's story along and then just disappear. I had no idea that they were planning this storyline for me - absolutely no inkling until Gav Blyth, our sadly departed producer, told me that he wanted to keep me and told me about the storyline. He asked me whether I wanted to do it or not and whether I felt I was capable of taking it on. It took me a split second to reply and I said, 'I'll do whatever you want - I'll turn up early, I'll turn up late - whatever you want'. I've absolutely loved the amount of hard work that I've had to do since I've been here, and I've loved being here as everybody's fantastic. I've been given an absolutely fantastic storyline and if I never work again, this storyline is always going to be there and it's a storyline that people are going to remember for a while. It's absolutely brilliant to know that I've been a part of that."

Are you looking forward to the NTA ceremony itself?
"Yeah, it's the first awards ceremony that my girlfriend Amy has been able to come to, so I'm looking forward to taking her down to London and showing her the brighter side of working in a soap! If I win, it'll be an even more fantastic night, but I'm just looking forward to getting down there, seeing some of the lads from Corrie and showing my girlfriend some of the sights. It should be good fun."


Are you pleased to see Danny Miller up for the 'Best Serial Drama Performance' prize?
"Yeah, of course I am. Danny comes to work and he knows the ins and outs of everything - he knows what he should be doing, he has ideas and thoughts, and he puts in the graft just like everybody else. I think if he hadn't been nominated then it would have been a bit of a farce, really. If you look at the standout performances of the year or the standout faces from soap, then Danny is definitely up there. I think it's a job well done and it'd definitely be deserved if he won. I'm coming from a point of view where I can see how much work he puts in and how hard everyone works, because we all do. They couldn't have not nominated Danny - he's been so good this year."

Do you think Emmerdale is in with a good chance for the 'Best Serial Drama' prize?
"I think this year could possibly be the best opportunity that we've ever had - some of the storylines have been fantastic with Rhona, Paddy and Marlon's love triangle and the baby, Aaron's coming out storyline, Jackson's paralysis, the fire, the train crash! It's just been fantastic storylines month after month, week after week. Looking at the episodes, they've not really been soap episodes - they've been drama episodes that are beautifully crafted and the actors have been fantastic. I think this has been the best year ever and it's the best chance Emmerdale have had of winning something. It's been an absolutely unbelievable year."



There's always a lot of speculation surrounding how long you're staying at Emmerdale. Are you sticking around for the foreseeable future?
"All I know at the minute is that I'm here until the spring. So at the moment, that's the way it stands. Whether the producers see fit to change that is completely up to them and I'm open to suggestions, but at the minute my contract finishes in spring this year."

Where are things heading for Aaron and Jackson this year?
"I think they're heading almost to a resolution, really. Jackson is getting a bit sick of Aaron hanging about and feeling guilty, and he really doesn't want to burden Aaron anymore by having him in his life. He doesn't want the fact that he's paralysed and a tetraplegic to have any effect on a young man's life, so Jackson starts to forcefully push Aaron away. It's not subtly and it's not sneakily - he does it to his face and tells Aaron that he should go, have another man, have a life and go out. So it leads to Aaron finding a new man in Flynn and that's basically down to Jackson - he doesn't want anything to do with Aaron anymore and tells him to go. He breaks the relationship up clearly and in no uncertain terms - it's the end for those two together."


Even though Jackson is the one pushing Aaron away, is it still difficult to see him with Flynn?
"Yeah, it's a bit of a torturous time for Jackson. In a way, he feels a sense of relief because he's no longer a burden on anybody and he's not seeing the weight of his situation crush another person who he loves so much and has always loved throughout the whole relationship. But then, on the other hand, he's seeing somebody else kissing the man that he loves and the man that he wants to be with, so it is a torturous time."

Aaron and Jackson have become quite a much-loved couple among the Emmerdale fans. Is there any way they could sort things out in the future?
"I think that, with the amount of problems that have occurred so far in the relationship, it could be an impossibility. I'm fully aware of how much everybody likes the coupling of Aaron and Jackson and the response that we've had is unbelievable. Obviously everybody wants a fairytale ending, but with the situation that the characters find themselves in, I think it would be extremely difficult for anybody to believe a happy resolution between the two of them. I'm not saying that it's impossible, but I think it's nigh on impossible that the two of them would ever hold hands and go off into the distance."


How challenging has it been to portray a character who has such a severe disability?
"When I first found out about it, I thought it would be easy - I thought I could just lie back or just sit there perfectly still. But it's been unbelievably difficult. The way I like to explain it to people is that I like to get them to nod - and obviously you move your shoulders, you move your head and I say to them, 'No, you can't do that!' So it's a case of nodding or yelling or crying without moving anything else, otherwise millions of people are going to see you do something wrong.

"There's a friend of mine who I've started working with recently who's a tetraplegic and he's in the same situation as Jackson. His view on it is that it's all seemed spot on and that I've been doing everything right, which is just unbelievable. I don't want anyone to ever think that I'm just turning up to work and sitting there perfectly still. Every minute of every day when I'm on set filming, as soon as they say 'action', I'm constantly thinking and constantly trying to get things right. It was a lot easier to do it in my mind than it was in reality, but it's absolutely fantastic to go home every day thinking that you've done a day's work - it's brilliant."

Nobody expects a miraculous recovery for Jackson, but is there a chance of any small improvement in his condition?
"I think that the only improvement we're going to see in Jackson's life is the ability for him to get around more in wheelchairs, and also people getting more and more used to his disability. With Jackson's injuries that we're dealing with in the show, there's no way that anyone could recover from the severity of them, so we don't ever want to put an implausible storyline on screen because we don't want anything to dent the track that we've been going down. So no, there won't be any improvement in Jackson's condition but there will be an improvement in the way that he lives his life and his ability to try and lead as normal a life as possible."


Some fans have commented on the fact that the storyline is being shown through Aaron's eyes and they'd like to see things from Jackson's point of view more often - especially how he's coping with his condition. Will we see that happen?
"Yeah, more of that is to come. Obviously with Aaron's storyline running concurrently with Jackson's, Jackson's story did come in as a spring-off from Aaron's. At the moment we are seeing it through Aaron's eyes a lot and we will continue to do that for a while, but in the coming months, we do start to see how Jackson sees it. At the moment, I think we're dealing with a lot of Aaron's guilt and him struggling to deal with the fact that his boyfriend is in this situation, but with issues that occur now, we do start to see how it's affecting Jackson and we do see the whole situation through Jackson's eyes.

"I think that's going to be quite a moment for people when they see it on screen and when they start to realise the situation that he's in. We've been filming that recently and that does come to the forefront quite heavily - it does hit on a lot of issues which people aren't aware of, but hopefully they'll come across in the storyline."

Would you like to see Jackson get a new love interest of his own?
"Well Jackson is still a person and he still wants to love somebody and have somebody love him back. But I just think, at the minute, we're trying to play the situation so that it's as real as possible and Jackson has got more important things to concentrate on. He's got to try and get some form of life back, as everybody would do in this situation. I'd love to see him have a love interest or someone who he can call his boyfriend, but at the moment, I think his mind is just firmly set on other things."

Finally, are there any main highlights from your time at Emmerdale that you'd like to mention?
"The past year has just been an absolute blur - it's just been absolutely amazing from the time that I got the job until now. I'd say that the highlight was probably being told by Gav Blyth that I'd get this storyline - having somebody trust me that much was a bit of a shellshock, really. I never thought that anybody would give me that much control and trust me so much, so that was fantastic. Looking back on it now, the start of this storyline and being told about it has to be the best moment since I've been here - more than getting the job, more than having a laugh with everybody on set and more than the other amazing things that I've been doing! Being told that by Gav was just brilliant."

I hope he wins

Marc Silcock has opened up about the challenge of playing paralysed Jackson Walsh in Emmerdale.

Jackson was paralysed in a horrific car accident that left him unable to move from the neck down and battling depression.

Marc Silcock, who plays Jackson, told Inside Soap he had struggled with certain scenes.

"I can try to understand, but I have no idea what it's like not to be able to walk again," he said.

"That's such a terrible situation and any frustrations I have aren't a fraction of what someone who's going through it would feel."

While 22-year-old Marc is quick to admit how minor his acting challenges are in comparison to a real, life-altering disability, it has nonetheless been difficult to make scenes work.

When asked what it was like having to keep still for long periods on set he said: "It was strange, but I'm getting used to it now. I get cramps and the odd twitch. It's uncomfortable but I have to do what it takes to make sure viewers believe the story."

Thankfully there is hope on the horizon for Jackson, who is due to meet another paralysed character in Emmerdale who will be played by tetraplegic, Andy Walker.

PA

Didn't he meet him and his wife at the hospital a few weeks back.
It would be nice to see him make some new friend, that can encourage him that life is worth living.