Emmerdale General News Thread

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has revealed that she would like to be a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

The actress, who is currently on a break from her role as Val Pollard in order to star in a new play on Tyneside, said that she has always wanted to learn to dance because she used to be a "headbanger".

Hardwick told the Evening Chronicle: "Would I ever do a reality show? I'm a vegetarian so I can't go in the jungle. I would do Strictly. I'd like to learn how to dance. I'm a headbanger from The Mayfair in the '70s, so it's about time I upped the ante a bit. I think I'd be out in the first week!

"I certainly couldn't do Dancing on Ice but [Strictly Come Dancing] has a certain elegance."

Hardwick admitted that she has been put off ever appearing on Celebrity Big Brother after watching long-time friend Denise Welch being caught up in a row with her younger female housemates. She said: "If it was me, it would have been the first live strangulation. So I think I'd better not [do Big Brother]."

Hardwick's fellow soap stars Kara Tointon, Patsy Kensit and Tina O'Brien all took part in Strictly Come Dancing 2010. Tointon eventually won the competition.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street bosses have reportedly offered Brooke Vincent a "mega-bucks" deal to stay at the soap.

Producers were worried that the actress, who plays Sophie Webster, would quit to spend time in Wales where her Chelsea footballer boyfriend Josh McEachran is on loan to Swansea City.

To prevent her quitting like on-screen sister Helen *Flanagan (Rosie) and Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald), executives will negotiate a six-figure deal before her current contract runs out in May.

"One of the reasons Helen left was that she found the commute to Swansea from Manchester hellish to see Scott," a source told The Mirror.

"Bosses know Brooke is in love with Josh. Part of the negotiations, as well as more money to make sure she stays, will be making sure her filming *schedules ensure she has a decent amount of time to get to see Josh.

"Brooke is hugely popular with the younger viewers and is seen as an essential part of the soap's future."

[alan45]

Emmerdale's new recruit Gaynor Faye has promised that there are "brilliant" plans afoot for the soap's 40th anniversary.

The actress, who joins the village in the role of Megan Macey tonight (February 21), expressed her excitement at being part of the programme in time for October's milestone.

Faye previously missed out on Coronation Street's 40th birthday by just over a year, as she finished playing Judy Mallett on the cobbles in late 1999.

"I missed out on the Corrie one - so I'm going to do the Emmerdale one! That will be fantastic," Faye told Lorraine today.

She added: "They've got some brilliant things planned."

Faye also said that she is delighted by the warm welcome she has received from Emmerdale's regulars since she began filming.

"They're so lovely, it's so nice," she explained. "Everybody's been so kind to me. They've shown me down the corridors. Because all the studios are different, I'm often found wandering down the corridors!

"They've been really, really lovely. I know it's a cliché and everyone says that it's like one big family, but it really is."

Emmerdale celebrates its 40th anniversary on October 16.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale will be sponsored by bet365bingo from next month, ITV has announced.

A new deal negotiated by ITV Commercial will kick off from Monday, March 12 and see the online bingo site's branding accompany Emmerdale's airings on all ITV channels and ITV Player.

The agreement is bet365bingo's first broadcast sponsorship and will run for two years.

ITV's business development director Jason Spencer commented: "Emmerdale is one of the most iconic ITV programmes and a highly sought-after sponsorship property. It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce that bet365bingo will be the new partner of the show for the next 24 months.

"As their first foray into TV sponsorship, this is a huge broadcast opportunity that can be exploited across ITV's various platforms, in this momentous year of the soap's 40th anniversary.

"The audience and the values of the show very much embody the target market and brand values of bet365bingo and we look forward to an enduring and successful partnership."

Emmerdale has been sponsored by Tombola since November 2009.

[alan45]

Hopefully the jingle will be better than the terminally irritating Tombola effort

[sarah c]

Hopefully the jingle will be better than the terminally irritating Tombola effort

and wont feature the strangely disturbing batch of people inthe advert!!!!

[Perdita]

Jill Halfpenny has revealed that she would be interested in playing Amy Wyatt's estranged mother on Emmerdale.

The former Coronation Street and EastEnders actress confirmed that she would love to work alongside her niece Chelsea Halfpenny, who portrays the role of Amy.

Chelsea has previously suggested that her aunt would be the ideal choice to take on the part of Amy's mum.



Jill told Inside Soap: "I've told her I'll come in and play her druggy mum! Chelsea's wanted to act since she was little, and she's doing brilliantly.

"We've always said that we'd love to work together, so I'd never turn down the opportunity."

The 36-year-old added that she manages to keep her career versatile by taking on a variety of jobs.

"You've just got to keep doing different things," she explained. "I like to constantly challenge people's perception of me - that's the secret of not being associated with only one character."

Chelsea made her first appearance in Emmerdale in October 2010.

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star Zoe Henry has said she wouldn't want to have a storyline with her real-life husband Jeff Hordley in the soap.
The actress plays vet Rhona - who is in a relationship with Paddy - while her husband Jeff plays bad boy Cain. Zoe reckons Rhona and Cain would never get on.
She told Inside Soap magazine: "Let's be honest, Rhona and Cain would never interact!
"The only way they'd cross paths is if Cain bought a hamster and brought it into the vets, which is most unlikely. I can't imagine them having a conversation about anything."
Zoe said it's good not working with her husband directly on the show, as it means they can exchange soap gossip when they get home.
She said: "Jeff and I quite like that we don't do scenes together. It means we've got different days to talk about when we get home."

PA

[Perdita]

Emmerdale star Lucy Pargeter has said that she does not believe she will ever be "fully satisfied" with her body, despite having undergone numerous surgical procedures.

The actress, Chas Dingle in the ITV1 soap, told The Mirror that she saw no reason to hide that she had had two boob jobs, liposuction and Botox.

"It used to be a real taboo *admitting you'd had things done but I never felt that," Pargeter said. "I've always been very open about what I've had and why I've done it.

"The way I see it, if I want to have my boobs done or have a bit of lipo, I will do. It's no-one else's business really."

She continued: "My view is, if it gives you confidence and makes you feel good about yourself then it's worth it. If I'm being honest I can't imagine being fully satisfied with my body but that's just me."

The 34-year-old admitted that being filmed in high definition "hasn't helped", adding that she "can't bear" to watch herself.

"You can see every line and wrinkle. That isn't *something any woman would enjoy," she said. "Like most actors I spend most of my time going through extreme emotions and all that drama plays havoc with your face."

Pargeter also revealed that she is to have her right implant checked out after realising that "something isn't right".

"It isn't to do with PIP implants. Thank goodness I didn't have those," she said. "It's probably just one of these things. But I do need to get it checked. As I see it, that's part of the whole process, it's about keeping everything in good order."

[Perdita]

Ex-Emmerdale star Danny Miller has allegedly split from girlfriend Kirsty-Leigh Porter.

According to the Daily Star, Porter left Miller after she discovered he had been approaching girls in nightclubs for sex.

A supposed friend of Miller claimed: "He's acted like a complete idiot. Kirsty is a lovely girl and gave him chance after chance.

"He was going out acting like a single lad. Kirsty is a strong girl and decided she couldn't go on with their relationship."

The insider added: "She really loved Danny and still can't believe the way he treated her."

Porter originally split from Miller in March last year for a reportedly similar reason, before the pair reunited in the summer.

Porter herself appeared on Emmerdale for a year from 2010, leaving her role of Roz Fielding in April 2011.

Meanwhile, Miller quit his high-profile part on Emmerdale late last year, filming his final scenes in March.