It’s still got the best work ethic and it’s still the most down to earth place, and I know people always say, ‘Oh, it’s like a family’ but it really is. I think it’s because we’re the only one that has the greenery, the rural setting, the beautiful Dales, it just looks different from city soaps. And there’s such a variety of different people because of the setting; there are people from the city, there are country bumpkins and you wouldn’t normally get that on a soap.' The thing is, if you're going to explore a story like that properly, you have to go through it. Your body becomes tense. You have to short cut your brain into actually feeling like you're going through it. There's no way around it. People sometimes say they don't take the stories home with them, but you do." Absolutely. For me, with the whole Leanna story, it felt like coming home from a funeral every single day when I was finishing work.

While Emmerdale has started airing a new romance between Harriet Finch and Dan Spencer, it already seems doomed to fail as Harriet still has feelings for her ex-partner Will Taylor. It’s a factory for making TV that people engage with. It’s a great job for me because I can do what I enjoy. I can do serious stuff, I can do a bit of comedy, I can sing a bit. It plays to my strengths as an actor, and I feel valued there. It’s not about giving people what they want all the time, so we’re not just making the audience happy, we’re annoying them, you want to keep them watching and you want to take them on a journey. Characters are taken out of their comfort zones and do something bad and go on a curve of redemption.' So she's involved because she's getting wrapped up in Will's life, a little too much than she should be. That has an impact on his upcoming nuptials.The root of Emmerdale is brilliant families, like a crochet blanket. We’ve had these family driven characters for so long, and viewers care – they want to know what they’re doing, because we’re in their household night after night. That’s what makes it so terrific. I honestly feel like I’m part of the heart of the programme, and that fills me with pride.'

Liam has had a tough time of it, for a really long stretch. It's been nice for him to suddenly have the pleasure of writing these stories.

Chris Chittel plays Eric Pollard, - in the show for 36 years and is the longest serving cast member (Image: AMY BRAMMALL)'Chris has been in the show for 36 years and is the longest serving cast member. Another great character that’s changed and morphed over the years. He came in a bit of a wideboy bachelor, a social-climbing ladies’ man who was always up for a scam, and trying to con people. He went a good 20 years playing that role in the village and then they brought in this long-lost son David, and his stepson Jacob, and he got together with Val, and suddenly, he’s a family man. There’s always Pollard the rogue, but he’s now part of this generational family with these lovely scenes and so identifiable.' I’m so thrilled to be part of Emmerdale’s iconic 50th celebrations. To be working in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales with such an amazing team. Fifty years ago one of my first jobs was playing Sharon Crosswaite on Emmerdale Farm, then a humble lunchtime show, and now here I am again, full circle. I couldn’t be happier.”