It’s been a classic year of Emmerdale twists, turns, and very big birthdays – yes, 2022 will be one to remember for fans of the ITV soap.
In the year that saw Meena Jutla (played by Paige Sandhu) finally brought to justice, four deaths in less than a month and one big epic 50th anniversary week, Emmerdale’s 2022 will be talked about for a long time.
But as the nights draw in and 2023 gets closer, soap viewers find themselves wondering what explosive action we can look forward to next year.
Wondering what is coming up on Emmerdale in 2023? Look no further than this new year preview from Executive Producer, Jane Hudson, who hinted: “It was really important for us after our big October month where four people died that we do have some feed-good.
“The start of 2023 is explosive for the Dingles. We’ve got Cain, Paddy and Chas at the heart of what’s happening in our village and we’ve got Charity and Mackenzie. So the Dingles are really kicking off 2023 with a bang.”
Read on for your new year spoilers!
1. Paddy and Chas drama continues
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With Chas (Lucy Pargeter) betraying Paddy (Dominic Brunt) when she had an affair with Al, her secret surely can’t stay hidden for much longer. Without spoiling too much, Hudson teased: “Chas and Paddy are in the worst place possible.” So it’s not looking good for the couple this Christmas! Will Paddy discover the truth?
2. Cain gets a visit from his long lost brother
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In a Christmas Day twist, Cain (Jeff Hordley) will get a visit from his long lost brother, Caleb (William Ash). But is it a happy reunion? Viewers will have to wait and see what the future holds in store, but speaking about bringing William Ash to the show, Hudson said: “I last worked with Will about 14 years ago when I produced Waterloo Road. So when our casting director suggested Will for Caleb, I was absolutely transfixed on the idea and thought he has to come and play this part. And he said yes! “He’s absolutely brilliant. I think viewers are going to fall in love with him. When Caleb visits Cain in prison, we’ll discover that Cain knew Caleb exists and he’s known about him for 30 years.” So why are viewers just discovering him? And what does he want with Cain? And what’s more, could he be Cain’s saviour in disguise? “As much as Cain wants Caleb to disappear for another 30 years, that’s not going to happen because Caleb wants to meet his sister, Chas – he wants to meet the rest of his extended family,” explained Hudson. “And could he be the answer to all the Dingle’s prayers in regards to Cain being locked up? You’ll have to wait.”
3. A special Dingle flashback episode
And if that wasn’t enough Dingle drama on the horizon, Emmerdale has announced there will be a flashback episode on Boxing Day, set about revealing the truth behind Cain’s relationship with Caleb. “We will rewind to 1992,” Hudson explained. “We will discover how Cain and Caleb first met, why Cain rejected Caleb from his life, and what was going on with Chas at that point.” Speaking about making the episode, Hudson teased: “We have three fantastic actors who play Cain, Caleb and Chas. The one actually playing Cain studied lots of footage of Jeff and his positions, poses, and how he speaks. It’s incredible! It’s a brilliant episode that will explain a lot about their family history.”
Will Kyle spill the truth?
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The whole reason Cain’s even in prison is to protect his son, Kyle (who did kill Al) from ruining his life. But with Kyle struggling to keep his terrible secret hidden, can he really stay quiet? Hudson hinted: “We all know Kyle was responsible and we probably all know the worst place to keep a secret is in Emmerdale… so, we will be waiting to see if that secret comes out and the consequences if that happens…”
4. Newcomer Nicky arrives
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Gabby thinks her prayers have all been answered when new Manny Nicky (Lewis Cope) arrives at Home Farm. “He’s a very good-looking nanny who catches the eye of Gabby the minute he walks into the interview and it’s plain for everyone to see that her focus is not on who will look after the children the best, but who will look after her the best,” Hudson laughs. “There’s lots of fun stuff for Nicky and Gabby as we watch their fledging romance and like any good story, there will be a few reveals along the way!” Will Gabby finally find a good man?!
5. Explosive drama as Charity and Mack prepare to wed
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Mack (Lawrence Robb) has been hiding a sordid secret for months – he had a one night stand with Chloe who is now carrying his baby. And the one person who doesn’t know is his fiancée, Charity… what will happen if the fiery landlady ever did find out? “Again, that’s another secret in the village that’s probably not going to be kept secret for long!” Hudson says. “And we have got a Charity and Mackenzie wedding on the cards which will be happening next year. I think we all know weddings don’t always go very smoothly, and well, this baby will be due around the time of the wedding… It will be explosive.”
6. New B&B owners
And a cryptic one for Emmerdale fans now… there will be new owners of the B&B, but Hudson remained tight-lipped on just who will run the new business. She did offer some clues, though, so pour over these and tweet @RadioTimes with your guesses! Hudson hinted: “Let’s just say it’s very boutique – the new decor is very glamorous. It’s got an absolute touch of class and it’s just on the right side of not being cheesy, but they are close. And it’s going to be two owners who are not a couple who will be running the B&B.” Hmm…
7. Samson’s vile behaviour continues
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It’s safe to say viewers have been absolutely horrified by Samson’s (Sam Hall) reaction to his unexpected daughter Esther. And in news that’s likely to worry fans, his horrid actions won’t stop any time soon. “Amelia has had her baby and Noah is being a surrogate father. But Samson is going to be more devious than usual in terms of looking after himself that will cause big arguments with his father,” Hudson reveals.
8. Cathy Hope’s first major storyline
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Young Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) will find herself at the centre of a unique storyline in the coming months, which is unlike anything viewers will have seen before, and carries plenty of emotional weight behind it. Keeping the details under wraps, Hudson says: “You’ll see a really big story for Cathy, Bob’s daughter, which is really emotional and it’s moving. It’s her first big story really, and it’s a challenging one, and I think it’s one that a lot of parents will connect with. It’s one I haven’t seen a soap deal with before, so Cathy’s got a big story coming up.” The younger Emmerdale cast members will be stepping up in general, with Amelia and Arthur also involved in important developments in the village.
Read more:
- 7 Emmerdale spoilers: Will Chas Dingle’s affair be exposed at last?
- Emmerdale casts Waterloo Road star as Cain Dingle’s long-lost brother
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV and ITV Hub. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Soaps hub.
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