Emmerdale bosses are planning to ramp up the show’s farm wars as the Tates, Dingles and Sugdens prepare to do battle.
The show delivered a surprise shake-up this year by removing Moira Dingle from Butlers Farm after 17 years – but it was all part of a bigger plan…
Show chiefs are keen to revisit Emmerdale‘s roots by focusing on feuding families and power struggles revolving around the farmland. And the tensions we’ve seen so far could just be the tip of the iceberg!
“Emmerdale has always been built on a hierarchy,” producer Laura Shaw explains in an exclusive Inside Soap chat. “Robert is that tenant farmer who is still owned by the Tates up on the hill, looking down on him.
“The Dingles own their farm and the Sugdens own theirs, but the Tates owning all the land around is going to be important.”
She added: “We’re going for a Yellowstone vibe, which will bring us lots of story in the future.”
Moira gave up Butlers Farm out of desperation while being held on remand after being wrongly accused of human trafficking and double murder.
Seeing that her unwell husband Cain Dingle was struggling to keep everything afloat in her absence, Moira made a deal to sell her share of the farm to the Tates.
Before long, Robert and Aaron Dingle were installed as tenant farmers and rebranded the location as Emmerdale Farm. Moira was later released when the case against her fell apart.
Meanwhile, back at Wishing Well Cottage, Cain and Sam Dingle have made tentative plans to set up their own ‘Dingle Farm’.
“It’s nice to be back after Moira’s time in prison,” Natalie J Robb, who plays Moira, said recently.
“Obviously it’s going to be a big change being at the Dingles’ rather than Butlers Farm – it’s new stories.
“What’s lovely is that Moira is not in debt anymore, so she can start from scratch. It’s quite nice that it’s not always about money. Presumably she’ll be building it all up again, but that comes a bit later on.”
