Emmerdale has cemented itself as one of the best soaps in the UK - but there are some secrets on set that fans may not know!
Viewers of the ITV soap have watched on over the past few months as the soap treated fans to huge storylines, including a gun showdown and eventual capture of evil serial killer Meena Jutla, the devastating health battle faced by Marlon Dingle after he suffered a stroke and the huge stunt in Super Soap Week which saw many characters nearly fall to their death.
Even as an avid fan of the show, you may not know that there's a house on set that's never seen on screen.
Here, the Mirror have revealed some of the biggest secrets from the show's set including a real life cemetery and the clever way bosses made sure that the village look like it's been around for years.
Mould is something we've all had to face in our homes at some point, but trying to achieve it when you don't have it isn't as easy as you think! In order to make the village look like it's been there for years, bosses decided it would be best to create a fake mould effect.
To do this, they chucked yoghurt and manure on the walls to give it a more authentic look.
"To make it look like a careworn and centuries old village, they ground down the stones to make it look authentic," entertainment correspondent Richard Arnold revealed on Good Morning Britain recently.
"Here’s a top DIY tip for you, they threw yoghurt and manure at the walls to encourage the growth of lichen."
Elsewhere, there's a secret hidden house on set that no one gets to see! The team at Emmerdale used to film in a real village, but they moved to a purpose built set, which has allowed them to create some very special hiding places on set.
Wondering where all the crew go - or where the cast prepare for their scenes - some of the houses on the street actually house the show's production during filming days. They're never seen as a close up on screen but some of the homes are where the show's staff store their props or where the cast go and get their hair and make-up done.
As he arrived at what is billed as Harriet Finch's home, Richard revealed the true purpose of the building on set in Leeds: "For me, this was always Edna’s home - now Harriet and co live here and if you fancy a touch up and a tickle, this is the place to go to, because it’s actually the make-up department whenever the cast and crew are filming here."
What village would be complete without a cemetery and Emmerdale is the only soap to have its own!
The cemetery - home to Liam and Meena's incredible chase scene - is where many of the show's most famous characters have been laid to rest, but fans may not know that there's actually some real headstones there too.
It all happened when a cemetery in London was being cleared for development, and the headstones that had been left there were then removed and sent up to Yorkshire. However, fans will be pleased to know that the bodies weren't moved too, so it's only the headstones that are real, rather than the plots they mark out!
Some of the soap's scenes - including those at David's shop - are filmed on a special set in a studio in Leeds, as the small and narrow village buildings make it a bit tricky for cast and crew to get around!
*Emmerdale airs on ITV every weekday evening at 7.30pm.
