As fans of Emmerdale will of course know, the show reaches its 40th anniversary next month, and to celebrate, the show’s bosses have lined up a host of special episodes, including spin-off shows and a live hour-long broadcast of the rural soap.

During the live episode, we’re promised the murder of one “major and well loved character” as well as two weddings and two births. The weddings are of course those of Declan Macey and Katie Sugden, and Chas Dingle and her fiancé, Dan Spencer.

Naturally, the identity of the character who’s to be killed is being kept a closely guarded secret, however, ITV have released details of the preparations that are going into the landmark live show, and here are the “vital statistics” that the channel have revealed…

VITAL STATISTICS: THE LIVE EPISODE IN NUMBERS

27 cameras will be used to film the live episode

There will be 70 crew members working – almost double a regular Emmerdale shooting day

61 cast members will be involved

Actors will have a maximum of approximately 4 minutes to change and move between sets

350 supporting artistes will be required in total

5 generators will be used to power the village for filming

There will be 4 newborn babies on set

20 rain deflectors for the cameras will be on stand by in the case of extreme weather

50 microphones will be used

There will be 110 hours of rehearsals in the lead up to the live. 10 hours a day for 11 days
There have been 6 versions of the live episode script to date

23 make up artists, 26 prop assistants and 30costume crew will be required for the live episode

4 golf buggies will be used to transport cast around the village on the night

1 stunt coordinator will be involved in the live as the cast will be doing their own stunts

7 wedding dresses will be on standby during the live episode

Wow, that is a very lot of planning right there! And in addition to those facts and figures, the cast and backstage crew have been talking about what they love most about the soap…

40 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT EMMERDALE

1. Stuart Blackburn (Series Producer) ‘‘Top to bottom, left to right the Emmerdale team is the best team I have worked with in television.”

2. Sammy Winward (Katie Sugden) “I love that the prop men give us packets of crisps in the Woolpack.”

3. Rik Makarem (Nikhil Sharma) “In between scenes we have a private master class of Kung Fu with Dominic Power (Cameron). We have a move of the week. In 2013 Emmerdale will be a hybrid Bond movie.”

4. Sian Reese-Williams (Gennie Walker) “The people! Coming to work and being with some of my best friends everyday. It’s like being back at school in the sixth form common room.”

5. Kelvin Fletcher (Andy Sugden) “The beer in the Woolpack is real! Not only is it real beer, its free real beer! It doesn’t get much better than that.”

6. Sophie Dowd (2nd Assistant Director) “The cheese board at the village is amazing.”

7. Bob Farrell (1st Assistant Director) “Emmerdale fashion! Barbour Jackets.”

8. Russell Evans (2nd Assistant Director) “Clive the minibus driver at the village is a
legend.”

9. Adam Sales (2nd Assistant Director) “Andy Sugden! Not Kelvin Fletcher.”

10. Steve Halliwell (Zak Dingle) “I love sitting outside the Dingles looking out. I’ve been lucky enough to do it for eighteen years, it’s what I love.”

11. Gaynor Faye (Megan Macey) “I love getting away with being a bitch!”

12. Dominic Power (Cameron Murray) “There is a stuffed rabbit in the Woolpack, it’s quite frightening looking but if I should ever leave that would be the thing I would want to take with me.”

13. Amy Brammall (Emmerdale photographer) “The Jammy Dodgers out on location.”

14. Natalie J Robb (Moira Barton) “There hasn’t been a day when I have worked on
Emmerdale and not laughed.”

15. Audrey Mitchell (Canteen staff) “It’s like a big family. Everyone is treated the same! All for one and one for all.”

16. Faye Styring (Casting Director) “Free coffee in the canteen!”

17. Adam Thomas (Adam Barton) “The thing I love about Emmerdale is the fact I get to wake up every morning with a smile on my face knowing I get to ride a quad bike today!”

18. Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle) “The people.”

19. Gemma Oaten (Rachel Breckle) “I have a job where I have to dress ‘down’ for work. I slob around comfy in ‘trackies’ all day. Five minutes to get ready and I’m on set.”

20. Bhasker Patel (Rishi Sharma) “I love the atmosphere. There is never a dull moment. No matter what the weather is like, the scenery at the village is always beautiful.”

21. Taransay Chisholm (Designer) “Every day is different.”

22. Jamie Shelton (Robbie Lawson) “The chance to work with storylines and actors that have a great deal of integrity and focus.”

23. Dominic Brunt (Paddy Kirk) “Emmerdale has a personality and a character all of it’s own. It knows who it is and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of it. It is proud and it is the best at what it does, always remaining original, quirky and very British. That’s why I have always loved and always will love Emmerdale.”

24. Sophie Poulston (Casting assistant) “Discovering new talent and providing opportunities.”

25. Matt Cleary (Head of Production) “Working with such a talented team makes me very happy and very proud.”

26. Estelle Hind (Assistant to the Series Producer) “It’s a fun and friendly place to work.”

27. Prue Haynes (Stage Manager) “Clearing snow with brushes to match previous days scenes!”

28. Paula Jameson (Assistant Editor) “Val’s insults.”

29. Kiri Cundall-Mitchell (1st Assistant Director) “There are always sweets on the reception desk.”

30. Elisa Holliday (Assistant Editor) “Matthew Wolfenden.”

31. Alan Wareing (Director) “The quality of the programme that is constantly achieved in so little time.”

32. Kelli Hollis (Ali Spencer) ‘I’m from Leeds so I love that Emmerdale is filmed in Leeds.”

33. Liam Fox (Dan Spencer) “The atmosphere. Everybody working, doing their job. Everybody seems to know their job. Everyone’s really professional and friendly as well. There is an utter lack of ego which I think can be rare in this business.”

34. Natalie Peatfield (Production Secretary) “Audrey in the canteen.”

35. Jason Merrells (Declan Macey) “Just being in the country, the red kites flying above your head. It gives the show an edge of beauty that the others don’t have.”

36. Alli Piggott (Public Liaison Coordinator) “Despite long days, cold nights and working lots of weekends you will always find smiles and laughter. I think we get through a lot of chocolate on Emmerdale.”

37. Charley Webb “The passion of the people that work here.”

38. David Crook (Picture Publicity Manager) “I love working in such a great team atmosphere where everybody pulls together to achieve the same goals.”

39. Clare Hoptrough (Costume) “The variety of storylines from murders to weddings
to birth’s. Every eventuality in life.”

40. Nader Mabadi (Scheduler) “That it never ends.”

And finally today, Declan and Megan Macey – who are of course played by Jason Merrells and Gaynor Faye – have spent months working on the Homefields Music Festival, and the show’s producer, Stuart Blackburn, has been talking about how it all came together.

Of the festival, which will feature performances from Scouting for Girls, The Proclaimers and local bands, DeLorean Drivers, Eureka Machines and folk singer Brendan Croker, Blackburn said, “This festival represents the modern countryside: vibrant, young and energetic.

“It was an amazing feat to put together an entire festival in such a short space of time.

“Technically it is probably one of the biggest challenges we have ever had on the show but the end result looked great.”

We will of course see the festival for ourselves in the episodes that air next month.