Emmerdale's 'logistical nightmare'

Emmerdale's live anniversary show has been "a logistical and financial nightmare" to plan, the soap's producer has revealed.

The ITV1 soap is celebrating its 40th birthday with a dramatic hour-long live show, filmed on location, on Wednesday October 17.

Producer Stuart Blackburn told BBC News: "All the other live episodes (on EastEnders and Coronation Street) have been based around a studio so obviously all their resources were there - all the equipment's there, all the power's there, the canteen's there.

"Things like the make-up and costume departments are there. They're not here [in the village]. Every single thing has to be brought in - the generators and entire departments from Emmerdale have got to be moved up here. We've got to feed the extras and transport them up here. It's a logistical and financial nightmare at every single level."

Stuart is hoping the gripping events on the live episode - which will include Chas Dingle's (Lucy Pargeter) wedding - will attract new viewers to the show.

"If the irregular viewers come, and the curious - those that only watch live episodes to see if the actors mess up - that's great," he said.

"If we can get new viewers and viewers who haven't been with us for a while, I'm convinced they'll look at it and go wow, that's a really good drama."