Decades of drama down on the farm
MARION MCMULLEN looks at life on the farm as TV soap Emmerdale turns 50
THERE have been love triangles, sheep rustling and a devastating plane crash over the years, but Emmerdale began with a funeral.
Emmerdale Farm started as a daytime soap on ITV on October 16, 1972, and saw the Sugden clan gathered together for Jacob Sugden’s funeral.
Jacob had drunk himself into an early grave and had left the entire family farm to the black sheep of the family – his eldest son Jack (first played by Andrew Burt).
Jack had packed his bags and gone to London and no one had seen him for eight years, but he returned in the opening episode to claim his inheritance and launch the start of a new era.
Clive Hornby took over the role of Jack in 1976 originally signing a three month contract, but he ending up making the role of the Yorkshire farmer his own for 28 years.
He was famed for wearing the same cloth cap and only left the soap in 2008, three months before he sadly died from cancer.
Clive once said of the early days of the soap: “It really was about farming then. I’d milk the cows, drive the combine harvester, plough fields.
“On my first day on location we had to deliver a calf.”
The opening episode also saw Jo Kendall as Peggy Skilbeck utter Emmerdale Farm’s first line - “Matt, who’s that?” – and saw Sheila Mercier as matriarch Annie Sugden make her first appearance. She stayed with the soap until 1994 and continued to make guest appearances in the following years.
Sheila, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 100, was described as the soap’s “beating heart” by Emmerdale star Claire King who plays Kim Tate.
Ronald Magill also appeared in the first episode of Emmerdale Farm playing The Woolpack’s grumpy landlord Amos Brearly.
He had muttonchop sideburns when he auditioned for the role because he was appearing in an Edwardian play at the time and TV bosses told him the look was perfect for the part. Ronald once said of his character: “Amos was the village gossip and very much a loner. I saw him as a man who found it difficult to make friends, yet, once he was behind the bar and lord of all he surveyed he was able to relate to people.”
Emmerdale Farm was created by Kevin Laffan and was originally filmed in the real-life village of Arncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales before moving to Esholt in West Yorkshire.
He wrote all the episodes for the initial three-month run, but was worried at first that the project might damage his career.
However, Emmedale Farm was a big success and the soap was expanded to 26 weeks, then six months and is now celebrating 50 years.
It moved from daytime to a primetime slot in 1977 and, after 22 years the production moved to the Harewood Estate, where a replica of Esholt was constructed, after the village became too busy to film in, with congestion and disruption caused by visits from fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the soap’s characters and locations.
The move took place over Christmas – the only time the soap takes a break from filming – in 1996 and the set was first used in 1997.
The purpose-built village was constructed over the course of 20 weeks and has its own electricity and water supply, as well as phone lines, sanitation and a high-tech security system, although it has no foundations or permanent structures.
The Emmerdale village covers more than 11 acres and real headstones were salvaged from an 18th century east London graveyard when it was redeveloped and used in the Emmerdale graveyard.
The graveyard also holds characters who have died in the show during its run including Carl, Matthew, Max and Tom King, Jack, Jacob, Joe and Sarah Sugden, Chris and Frank Tate and Henry Wilks.
One of the soap’s highest audience figures was 18 million for the dramatic 1993 episode which saw a plane crash into the village.
Emmerdale has seen many familiar faces over the years from One Foot In The Grave’s Richard Wilson to Coronation Street’s Liz Dawn.
Ross Kemp is best known for playing Grant Mitchell in Eastenders but in 1986 he appeared in 22 episodes as Graham Lodsworth.
One of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris film star Lesley Manville’s early roles was in Emmerdale Farm in the mid1970s playing Rosemary Kendall and Doctor Who and Victoria actress Jenna Coleman made her professional acting debut playing Jasmine Thomas.
Stan Richards also found fame playing lovable rogue Seth Armstrong for 27 years. His character sported a handlebar moustache and was the soap’s wily gamekeeper.
Stan was among those who met Queen Elizabeth when she visited the show’s TV set in 2002, and he once said of Emmerdale: “I’ve enjoyed every minute.”