Emmerdale will air some huge scenes this Christmas and New Year - as tragedy strikes the Dales.

Like all across the UK, the sleepy village is gearing up for the festive season but it sounds like it won’t be the best end of 2023 for some of the residents of Emmerdale village - and things don’t look too rosy for a lot of the characters when the New Year comes around. Producer Laura Shaw spoke to The Mirror and other press about what they can expect from the ITV soap in the upcoming festive season - teasing affairs, death tragedies and no less than three new arrivals.

As things continue to get worse for the villagers, some might not make it through the first few months of 2023 - whilst an affair will be exposed and secrets will be revealed to the village, but how will it all end for the residents?

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Chloe's father arrives

Speaking to us of what's to come, Laura revealed: "We've got a slightly edgier Christmas this year! The Charity, Mackenzie, Chloe love triangle has been bubbling away for 18 months or so now. We'll see at Christmas that reach a bit more of a crescendo where Mackenzie pushes Chloe to her absolute limits. And what we'll see is her reach out to her father for help.

"Chloe's dad is not someone to be messed about with quite a dark character… When she reaches out to him, what we will see is him helping Chloe in his own unique way. Is Mackenzie gonna be able to talk his way out of this one? I'm not sure. We'll have to wait and see, but I think it's pretty sure to say that the repercussions of that are gonna be long lasting into the new year and beyond."

A family Christmas is ruined

She added: "We’ve seen Rhona having a really tricky time recently. Obviously we’ve just seen on screen that Lucy sadly died just after the birth of baby Ivy. And what we'll see going forward is just Gus starting to struggle a little bit with his grief and with being a single parent to little Ivy. And that’s going to have a huge impact on Rhona and Marlon's Christmas. How is Marlon going to cope if Rhona wants to reach out and help Baby Ivy, will Gus let Rhona help? And what are the repercussions going to be on Leo and April?

An affair is rumbled

"Tracy and Caleb have started their dangerous affair - and we'll see a bit more of that in the run up to Christmas. And then what we'll see is the most awkward Christmas dinner ever when those that are all sat around the table at the Dingles together. Somebody on Christmas Day is going to find out their dark secret and threaten to blow that."

A new arrival and tragedy strikes

For the New Year, there will be new arrivals - and a tragedy strikes, which tears the village apart.

Laura added: "For New Year, we've heard mentioned before of Nicky’s mum and Caleb's wife and we’ve heard from Caleb that it's all over between them and there's nothing going on, but is that really true?

"And in the new year, we will see Ruby bursting onto our screens. She’s gonna be an absolute firecracker. She's gonna put a real spanner into the Dingles. Is her and Caleb’s relationship really as over as he's made out?"

She continued: "There's also gonna be tragedy in the village in January that's gonna affect two of our most loved families. It’s ultimately gonna tear friendships apart and change the dynamics of one of those families forever."

A friendship is tested

After all that happened with Craig, and Kim's involvement in it, the revelation will cause trouble for one of the Dales' closest friends.

"Lydia, she's still struggling after her horrific ordeal at the hands of Craig, and we'll see that continue forward. Lydia and Sam will find out what happened that night that we saw in the big Dingles week with Kim," Laura explained.

"How is Lydia gonna cope with that news? How will Sam cope with that news? It's gonna really test Lydia and Kim's friendship, and we'll see in the new year if they can get their friendship back on track. Similar for Sam and Lydia, are they ever gonna get through this? Hopefully the New Year's gonna bring some new hope for them."

Double Dingle confession

Laura also confirmed that Chas has a huge story coming up in the new year. Admitting it will "be shocking for all her family and friends and villagers around her", Laura explained it could bring her and son Aaron back together.

Moira will also make a big confession, as producer Laura explained: "It's a secret from her past. She does it in a way to try and help the person that she's talking to, but how is that person going to react when they find out Moira's deepest, darkest secret? If they blow it, it could threaten Moira's whole life. So I'll leave you to guess what that secret from the past might be."

A fight to the death

Laura warned that there will be some big scenes ahead for Aaron and Cain. She teased: "They're not getting on very well at all at the moment. We'll see tensions building there between those two leading to a really brutal physical fight. Who's gonna win the fight? We’ll have to wait and see if both of them come out still standing.

A Valentine's Day wedding

After their upcoming proposal, Belle and Tom will be getting married in the early months of 2023.

"Belle and Tom are gonna be moving on in their relationship. I think we've already hinted a little bit that there may be more going on in their relationship, but what we will see is them building their relationship. Wedding bells come in on Valentine's Day, but is it gonna be there happily ever after? We’ll have to see!" Laura explained of what's to come for the couple.

Characters pushed to breaking point

Three characters will find themselves pushed to breaking point in the coming weeks, including Rhona as she navigates this tough time with her ex Gus and the baby - which is biologically hers after her ex stole her embryos - whilst a separate incident will see Bob and Cathy have their relationship tested as they hit "rock bottom".

"We’ll see Rhona pushed to breaking point really. And she's forced to make a really risky decision that threatens to change the dynamics of their family. She’s pushed to the extreme, can she be talked around or is she going to lose everything in her quest to help Ivy?" Laura revealed of what's to come for Rhona and her family.

"Bob and Cathy's relationship is gonna be tested to the max as well. We're gonna see something happening that's gonna push them to the extreme. They're gonna hit rock bottom when this happens. Is it gonna tear them apart or will it pull them together?"

A huge return

Laura confirmed that a big return was on the cards in the early part of 2023 but refused to divulge who was back.

She did tease: "We've also got a familiar face returning in the new year. This person comes back to help one of our other villagers who's in a little bit of trouble," but who is heading back to the Dales, and what do they want?

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