Emmerdale fans can look forward to a busy few months of storylines as Aaron Livesy returns to the village, terminally-ill Donna Windsor continues to play with fire and scheming couple Declan and Charity Macey come closer to a comeuppance.
For all the gossip on what to expect from future plots, Digital Spy recently caught up with Emmerdale's series producer Kate Oates. Here, we present Part One of Kate's exclusive two-part interview.
Which characters and storylines will be most prominent over the next few months?
"Donna, Ross and Marlon's storyline will be pretty big over the summer. That will also link in with the ongoing Adam story, as he goes into a spiral of decline now that he knows the truth about his paternity. We're going to see those two stories run side-by-side for a while, but then they crash together later in the summer. That's going to be great because it's the story that will also bring Aaron back to the village, so I'm really looking forward to that.
"We've also got some fun stuff for Dan and Kerry as their wedding is on the cards. Kerry has wanted to be a bride forever, so she's finally got her wish - but that means that something has got to go wrong somewhere along the line, especially now that we've got Dan's bad penny brother Daz in the village!
"As we go into late summer, we'll also see Megan realise that she's maybe got more dirt on Charity than she ever thought possible… It's just a question of who is Declan going to believe - his wife or his sister?"
When we asked for reader questions, a lot of fans seemed desperate to see Charity and Declan get their comeuppance! Is that still a long way off?
"It's not too far into the future, but it's always really interesting when we hear people say that they want characters to get their comeuppance, as I always quite like watching people get away with it! It doesn't just extend the drama, but it also means that those characters have to be even more conniving and think of new ways to get out of trouble. As long as there is air in Charity's lungs, she will do her best to stay in control.
"We've also seen a darker and more ruthless side to Declan, which Charity has actually nurtured and brought out of him. She has grown this dark side herself, so the question for Charity will be, is Declan's dark side going to one day turn around and bite her on the backside?"
Would you consider bringing in a new family for Home Farm if things did go badly wrong for Declan?
"I think that Charity is going to cling onto that place for as long as she can! Declan will too, as he has given up so much to cling onto his empire. If those two do ever get out of Home Farm, it's not going to be an easy ride. I won't say too much just yet, but if Charity and Declan do find their position at Home Farm threatened, it's going to have to be a pretty big shove to move them…"
In the past, you've said that returnees should always still have a purpose in the show. With that in mind, do you have a long-term arc planned for Aaron?
"With a character like Aaron, we have to remember that Danny Miller achieved so much in his earlier stint on the show. The Jackson story and his performance in it were fantastic, so I definitely want Danny to be part of a big story when he returns.
"What's interesting is that we've already seen how well Danny works with people like Dom Brunt, Lucy Pargeter, Jeff Hordley and Adam Thomas. What I'm looking forward to is maybe shaking up a few of those character dynamics and seeing Aaron work alongside one or two other characters who his path hasn't crossed with yet. There might be one or two surprises there along the way…"
Naturally people are already speculating about a possible romance for Aaron and Finn! Is it on the cards?
"We're aware that people would speculate about that, because there's one common denominator there. But what's interesting about Aaron and Finn is that's actually the only common denominator between them. A relationship between them is not necessarily something that I could see.
"One might find the other slightly more interesting than he'd like to admit, but I think it would be a shame to bring Aaron and Finn together just because they both happen to be gay. They're both very different men, which I like because I think it's great to represent all different types of people on screen - whether gay or straight. I would seek to emphasise and celebrate that more than anything else."
We've noticed that a lot of our readers seem to be on Team Moira amid the current Barton dramas. Is there hope for her to get things back on track?
"Cain's problem with Moira is that just before they got engaged, he asked her, 'Is there anything else?' At that point, she said no. Cain is no angel himself and he has a dark history behind him, so he would have accepted it if Moira had told him the truth about her one-night stand with James. Cain's problem is that she lied. He's really invested in this relationship, because he's never been married before. One of the reasons for that is that committing to somebody so wholly is such a big deal for him.
"There is still hope for Moira and Cain's relationship, because the building blocks are there. Cain is still in love with Moira, but he's just hurt at the moment. Moira is really determined to make things work, so if anyone is capable of bringing her family back together, it's her. It's just a case of whether she can convince Cain that their marriage is worth saving."
Are you pleased with how things have gone with the new Barton arrivals? What are the future plans for them?
"I'm really pleased with how they've settled in. The three brothers have very distinct personalities, and that's what I like about them. I also like that when they're in trouble they can pull together, while at other times, their inner scrapping can sometimes pull them apart!
"Ross will continue to have a big story in the summer with Donna, which will go on to impact on his brothers and his dad. Later on in the winter and New Year, we'll have a big story that explores more of the family's history. It will also challenge James and some bad parenting decisions he's made, as he hasn't been entirely honest with his sons… That's the arc we'll see growing over autumn and into winter."
Have you decided whether Donna will have an on or off-screen death?
"All I'll say at the moment is that there will be a bit of a twist to Donna's death, which I'm looking forward to playing out. It's an interesting one, as there's obviously been a terminal cancer story in Corrie in the last few months which has become a legend in its own lifetime. Roy and Hayley's storyline was done brilliantly and was told so beautifully, so the challenge for us was to think about what would make this one different.
"I'm hoping that the way we've thrown different character groups together for this storyline and mixed things up with Ross and Donna's relationship will make it stand out in its own right. Hopefully that will allow people to enjoy it on a different level."
Will Laurel and Marlon's relationship be tested by the Donna drama ahead?
"Yes, it will be. Now that Marlon knows the truth about Donna's illness, it's going to be very difficult for him to deal with. They have a strong connection as Donna is the mother of Marlon's child. Now Marlon's world is going to turn upside down again. Marlon is very in tune with his emotions and feels very strongly about things, so his confused emotions will have a huge knock-on effect for his relationship with Laurel.
"Laurel is also put in the really difficult position of promising to be a mum to a child who she's only just met. She knows that it's going to come about very soon, so it's definitely going to challenge her relationship with Marlon. Their wedding is coming up in the next few months, but this could put a question mark over their future…"
Do Andy and Katie have some bigger stories ahead?
"Andy and Katie have such a strong history. I think that Andy and Katie as a couple could be the perfect solution for both of them. They've both been through so much and if the pieces were to fall back into place for them, it could be the answer to all of their prayers.
"But obviously soap is never straightforward and we're bound to throw some obstacles in their way! Andy's big farming accident is a big deal for him because he's a very physical guy. He feels that he can't provide for his family anymore or be himself. Due to his arm injury, he can't pick up his kids. That frustration may cause him to revisit a few old demons."
Will you be exploring the Jai/Leyla spark more?
"I really like the spark between them. Leyla is in a tricky position now, as she's in business with Megan but is falling for her boyfriend! It will definitely be a bit of a mess.
"When Jai first came into the show, he was a bit of a player. We have to remember that he took Charity away from Cain and seduced her, so there's always been that glint in Jai's eye. Now with Leyla crossing his path, maybe we're seeing some of that old Jai come back. The question is, will Leyla get in too deep?"
How will Sam's story with Tracy develop?
"Sam is still really damaged after everything that happened at the start of the year. As far as he's concerned, his fiancée Rachel was an arsonist who left him high and dry! We're dealing with a guy who hasn't got a lot of confidence and self-esteem at the moment. The arrival of Tracy does leave Sam vulnerable, but he's also wiser than what people give him credit for. I think he knows what he's getting into and maybe they're using each other a little bit.
"We'll have to wait and see what happens, but Amy Walsh who's playing Tracy is fantastic. She's settled in straight away and made herself right at home. The cast really love her and I know that she and James Hooton [who plays Sam] are really enjoying working together. Jamie Shelton who plays Robbie has been enjoying doing some scenes with her as well."
Are you planning an explosive October storyline again?
"We're definitely planning a big autumn. There'll be big, story-driven things happening in September and October. The birthday week in October will always be significant for us.
"With that said, I also think that you can become in danger of stopping a natural flow of storytelling because you've told yourself that you've got to have something massive in October and it's got to be a big stunt. You just end up becoming your own worst enemy if you try to beat yourself year-on-year in that way.
"It shouldn't be about that - it should be about good storytelling, which is letting stories flow, build organically and find natural highs. There'll definitely be things to watch out for around that time, but I don't want to tie us in knots and create a situation where every October has to be more CGI-ed than the year before with a plague of locusts descending on the village!"
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