Emmerdale fan favourites are fearing for their futures with the soap set to go through a major few weeks.
Next month, Emmerdale will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with lots of major storylines being planned. We’ve previously brought you secrets and spoilers of old favourites returning to the village while we are sure to see a few characters bumped off.
Understandably, this has got a few of the cast members a little on edge about how much job security they have. A few of the soap’s stars have been discussing life in the show and what the future possibly holds for them.
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We already know Katherine Dow Blyton’s character Harriet Finch will play a significant part in the milestone storylines. She’s been rather candid when discussing whether we are likely to see her as an Emmerdale mainstay for years to come.
“Well, you never know, do you?” she replied. “That’s showbiz, one minute you are here and the next you're not here.”
Emmerdale’s acting stars work on year-to-year contracts so cast members can’t plan too far in advance. Although Katherine accepts the threat of characters being killed off comes with the territory of being in soaps.
She said: “But it’s a risk you take and it’s part of the job, isn’t it? Whatever happens you get to be involved in some fabulous storylines, so you have to seize the day.”
Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona Goskirk, has further elaborated on contract set-up for soap stars - probably something fans don’t know greatly. She explained: "If they gave me a 10-year contract I’d sign it, but who knows? Do characters have a shelf life? There’s never room for complacency and it’s always a relief when contracts come around and I get offered another year."
The general consensus from our Emmerdale faves is to live for the moment and enjoy their time in the soap while it lasts. Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon Dingle, has been in the soap since 1996 and has seen lots down the years - so few can probably offer greater authority than him.
Mark views the relatively short contracts as something of a good thing. He said: “You’ll have heard this from other cast members.
“There's a real family vibe here and, as I’ve said many times before, never ever, ever think beyond the contract. Assume the worst, is really the healthiest, best way of going forward.
“The great offspring of that is it keeps you on your toes all the time - you’ve got to keep trying your best. Never, ever take it for granted.”
As ever, we’ll keep you posted about all the rumoured Emmerdale comings and goings.
You can visit our Emmerdale homepage to find the latest gossip about the soap and its stars. There you'll also find our Emmerdale features and news about the show's 50th anniversary plans.
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