EM HER DALE
Soap focuses on the female.. with episode on women, by women
IF TONIGHT’S episode of Emmerdale has a more feminine feel about it than usual, it’s all part of a special edition focusing on female stories.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, the long-running soap is turning the spotlight on the ladies of the dales with plots all about them – while the episode has also been written, directed, produced and recorded by a female production crew.
Tonight’s show, on STV at 7pm, will see almost every female character featured, with stories across the generations involving the likes of Laurel, Diane and Charity.
Emma Atkins, who plays Charity Dingle, said: “Charity is on a mission in this episode and, although I can’t give anything away about her scenes, they’ll have a significant impact going forward.
“I really enjoyed filming these scenes as they were beautifully written and I was honoured to play a role in this episode.
“We work with a fabulous team, day in and day out, on Emmerdale so it was interesting they pooled all the female crew and cast into one team.”
While an episode is normally constructed around three separate crews, the female-led team were brought together specifically for the one-off edition.
Executive producer Jane Hudson said: “I believe soaps are leading the way with gender equality on set. This is a great opportunity for Emmerdale to show the female talent we have both in front and behind the camera.”
Producer Kate Brooks added: “Our International Women’s Day episode is not only a celebration of women in the broadest sense of the word but also a showcase for the female talent we have in the television industry.
“We wanted the episode to be character-driven and story-led, exploring all aspects of what it’s like to be a woman in 2019.”
Scot Natalie J. Robb, who plays Moira Dingle, liked how the episode focuses on what women can achieve with their careers. She said: “It’s a great opportunity to show women what the opportunities and roles are, showcasing what we can achieve, where in the past it may have been more difficult to access these positions.”