Emmerdale’s Liv tragedy outshone the stunts – is it time to scale back?

By Laura Denby

Published: Wednesday, 19 October 2022 at 12:00 am

As Emmerdale’s 50th anniversary week saw a storm cause carnage across the village, another character has now perished – fan-favourite Liv Dingle (Isobel Steele) passed away after being crushed by a runaway caravan.

The harrowing scenes broke viewers’ hearts – and what stands out the most is that this emotional plot point should have been the focus over storms and stunts.

Emmerdale is well-known for delivering weather-based drama. We’ve seen a worried Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) recall that he lost late first wife Tricia (Sheree Murphy) in another storm. He was terrified that new spouse Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry) would suffer the same fate, but was relieved when the vet eventually arrived home.

Liv was not so lucky, after she and husband Vinny (Bradley Johnson) ventured from the safety of their house to honour a babysitting promise. Paddy (Dominic Brunt) was about to drive to the hospital when he asked Liv to help, so it’s a mystery why he couldn’t have dropped the young couple off at the Woolpack on the way, therefore saving Liv from fatal injuries.

""
Liv (Isobel Steele) and Vinny (Bradley Johnson) were taken down by the Emmerdale storm.
ITV

Well, not such a mystery; because of course, their battle through the fierce winds was a plot device to facilitate Liv’s untimely death. But it was difficult to watch the resulting crash landing without thinking “who agrees to walk through a raging storm?”

Still, this is soapland, and there’s a different rule book involved. Yet the brutality of Emmerdale’s fresh foray into stunts has raised the question: is it time to scale back on them? Certainly, storms have now been quite literally done to death, with Harriet Finch (Katherine Dow Blyton) the first to lose her life after taking a tumble in the woods.

We’ve seen chairs and tables flying through the air and a surreal cow stampede. Yes, Sam Dingle’s (James Hooton) grisly meeting with a spike may have been an almighty twist, but then came the moment that Paddy told Vinny, Mandy (Lisa Riley) and Aaron (Danny Miller) that the caravan was the only thing keeping a trapped Liv alive. That, and everything that happened beyond it, was the true showstopper of this elaborate piece.

As Vinny screamed that there had to be some way to save his wife, and Aaron tried to take in the confirmation that his little sister was dying, suddenly the flying objects and wind machines took a backseat and it was simply time to say goodbye. Liv sobbed as she thanked Aaron for saving her, while he wished he could do something to save her there and then.

""
Liv and Vinny had their happy future ripped away from them.
ITV

Mandy urged Vinny to go and hold Liv in his arms, and Paddy stood back helplessly, knowing there was nothing he could do but be there. The on-screen partnerships that star Steele has shared with Miller and Johnson shone during her poignant final performance, less than a week after we thought Emmerdale had drained our tear ducts over Faith (Sally Dexter).

The irony of Liv’s death holding the most impact is that her fate was revealed early. But this didn’t lessen the shock and sadness as we bid farewell to the character, as Liv and Vinny tragically dreamed of the future they would never have together.

As gripping as Emmerdale’s anniversary opener was, the show may have relied too heavily on the magic of stunts. It’s a soap tradition that has the power to capture our attention – but it’s no match for character-driven stories like those of Liv Dingle.

So, let’s see Emmerdale take a break from explosive drama – there’s more than enough aftermath to span across the next year.

Read more:

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.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.