It’s less Emmerdale, more Emmergale next week when the fictional Dales village is beset by a savage storm on Kim Tate’s wedding day to Will Taylor.
The dramatic Emmerdale episodes took four weeks to film and involved the use of around a dozen wind machines which, understandably, left cast members looking somewhat dishevelled.
But actress Claire King had more than a few dodgy hair days to contend with, as she has revealed that she ended up with an infection.
The 60-year-old star, who plays Kim, explains, “Sam and Lydia come up to Home Farm for the wedding reception and say ‘We’ve got a bit of a problem. Harriet’s gone out to look for Amelia, who is about to give birth and is lost, somewhere in the woods.’
“Trees have come down and you can’t take a four-by-four out, so Kim suggests she goes on her horse to look for Amelia. So she is in the eye of the storm.
“We had a lot of large wind machines that were very powerful, so I was in the middle of the woods, having all sorts of seed pods, dirt, fern and leaves blown at me, and I got a seed pod stuck up my nose.
“It was there for about a week — obviously I didn’t know it was there. I got an infection and had to go on antibiotics for a week.”
Kim’s quest to find Amelia isn’t the only dramatic moment of the village vixen’s big day.
On the morning of the nuptials, Kim has a fierce showdown with Harriet, having previously caught the former vicar planting a kiss on Will at the scrapyard.
“Harriet gets Kim by the throat and she takes a stand back and thinks, ‘I’m really losing it here,’” Claire adds
“You’ll need to watch to see the outcome of that confrontation. Will Kim make a fuss or will she back down?”
Meanwhile, Kim’s arrival at the church is set to go down in Emmerdale history. The blushing bride arrives on a grey palomino, wearing an equestrian-themed outfit complete with a top hat.
“It looks quite spectacular,” says Claire. “It’s one of those show-stopping, iconic looks that Kim likes to have for exits and entrances.”
Show bosses have previously teased that at least one person will die in the storm. But whilst Amelia, Harriet and Kim are in danger, they certainly aren’t the only ones.
Chas and Kerry are both injured by flying debris, while Marlon and Mary are worried when Rhona goes missing.
Meanwhile Liv, Vinny, Charles, Nicola, Naomi and Ethan are also caught up in the chaos.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30 pm on ITV, with a hour-long episode on Thursdays — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on ITV Hub.
