Emmerdale celebrated its 10,000th episode in style on Wednesday (May 22) with a village fete, some very recognisable scarecrows, a revenge attack, a missing pet lamb, mysteries, a megaphone and some very red faces as an intimate moment in a barn suddenly became very public.
Ruby Fox-Milligan (Beth Cordingly) carried out a revenge attack on Ethan Anderson (Emile John) as she punished him for the accident that left her son Nicky (Lewis Cope) seriously hurt.
We also had hints that Rose Jackson (Christine Tremarco) is cooking up a secret plan against Kim Tate (Claire King), and there was more suspicious behaviour from Ella Forster (Paula Lane). But the majority of the episode was given to the village fete and the kind of ensemble, lighthearted stuff that Emmerdale does really well.
Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) has been trying to organise this fete for ages, partly as an exercise in distraction so she doesn’t worry about her daughter Angel (Rebecca Bakes) who’s wreaking havoc in a secure unit.
Cajoling the villagers into getting involved with a scarecrow making competition and all the other organisational details got a bit much for Nicola in yesterday’s episode and she gave up on the scheme.
But on the day of the fete itself her husband Jimmy (Nick Miles) had finished the job, getting the scarecrows done and the stalls set up, even persuading the Hotten Courier to send a photographer after all. And he had a gift for Nicola – a megaphone. Like Nicola really needs a megaphone, but she was delighted and started putting it to use straight away.
The scarecrows were a lovely tribute to some former Emmerdale favourites over the years since the show started in 1972. Among them was an instantly recognisable tribute to Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards). Posed outside the cafe two scarecrows dressed as Betty Eagleton (Paula Tilbrook) with her friend Edna Birch (Shirley Stelfox).
One person who didn’t care much for the scarecrows was barmaid Gail Loman (Rachael Gill-Davis), who was scared of them. But as the centrepiece of the fete, Jimmy instructed the Courier’s photographer to photograph them all. Even the ones that had been placed in other buildings around the village.
Buildings like barns, one of which had been chosen by Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) as the ideal spot for a bit of private time between him and Charity (Emma Atkins).
Meanwhile, Isaac Dingle (Bobby Dunsmoir)’s pet lamb Minty had gone missing, and the search was on. Sam (James Hooton) and Lydia (Karen Blick) scoured the fields, while Cain (Jeff Hordley) focused on the centre of the village. He almost got into bother with Mandy (Lisa Riley) when he looked under her table and she accused him of ‘upskirting.’
He said he was merely ‘looking for Minty’ and Liam (Jonny McPherson) wondered whether that was a euphemism. Best not to think about that one too deeply.
With chances of finding the missing lamb looking slim, Kim Tate took charge – and took Nicola’s megaphone. Soon the fete was deserted as everyone had been ordered to search for Minty (not a euphemism).
In the barn, Charity and Mack were in a state of post-coital bliss but were rudely interrupted by Jimmy, the photographer, Sam and Lydia, Gail (screaming at the sight of another scarecrow) and Kim and Will (Dean Andrews).
‘Anyone seen Minty?’ Lydia asked, and Mack wanted to know if that was some kind of euphemism. We may not have seen Minty but we heard him, and Kim set off in pursuit.
Outside, Isaac was distraught as his parents tried to tell him that they may not find his pet lamb. Just then, Kim walked over clutching Minty and boy and lamb were happily reunited.
The photographer from the Courier wanted to capture the moment for posterity so Cain was forced to pose with an expression that was more gritted teeth than smile, next to the hero of the hour – Kim Tate.
