Inside Soap UK 32 - 2019

You know, it’s funny how things change in soapworld. This week, we spent a delightful morning with Claire King – aka Queen of the Dales Kim Tate – as the stars of Emmerdale pitched for your votes in this year’s Inside Soap Awards. “We spent a delightful morning with Claire King” Claire makes the point that when she was last in Emmerdale, 20 odd years ago, the show never won any awards. As she puts it “Martine McCutcheon swept the board” back then. But oh, how things have changed for the soaps. Over the past few years, Emmerdale has been soap’s hottest property, and has “swept the board” at the Inside Soap Awards on many, many occasions! So, turn to p46 to see if the Emmerdale crew can persuade you…

Steve McDonald is stunned to discover his ex-girlfriend Fiona Middleton is Emma’s mum this week – and that he could be her biological dad! The secret begins to unravel after the man Emma thought was her father drops a deathbed bombshell, announcing that he and her mother have never told her the truth about her dad. Tragically, Emma doesn’t get the chance to ask for more information as her dad dies in hospital, leaving her searching for answers from her mum. However, it’s Audrey who begins to piece it all together when she realises Emma’s mum is Fiona – and just what that might mean for Steve! “It’s a bit mind-blowing for Steve to think that he has a 20-year-old daughter!” admits Simon Gregson, who plays the feckless Weatherfield stalwart.…

They were hot, but Steve ruined it… Steve and Fiona were happy until gambler Steve ditched her for ex Vicky Arden, who’d inherited a small fortune. It was a cold and shallow move – especially as Steve then married Vicky. Yet Fiona stood by him… When Steve went down for handling stolen goods, Vicky left him. Despite being with mechanic Tony Horrocks, Fiona supported her ex. But Fi slept with Steve’s dad… Fiona got together with policeman Alan McKenna, but they fell out when she continued to stand by Steve. Fi turned to Jim McDonald for support – and ended up bedding him! Yet Steve stood by her... During Fiona and Alan’s wedding, Jim rocked up and wrecked it. Alan left Fiona pregnant, so Steve – who was horrified by…

There was a time when sadistic Stuart might have happily ended Mick’s life – but this week a shocking turn of events sees him do quite the opposite! Queen Vic landlord Mick is meant to be taking it easy, after recently collapsing while refereeing a kids’ football match. However, when he tells a porkie to wife Linda – saying that the doctors have given him the all-clear – it’s obvious that he’s still struggling… “Typical Mick is soldiering on, even after his health scare,” sighs our Walford insider. “He’s telling everyone that he’s fine so that he can support Linda, who receives a letter from the hospital with her cervical screening results. It’s a big worry given that Linda had cancer a few years ago, so the outcome of this…

If Mick were to forgive Stuart, it really would be the icing on the cake for the reformed villain, who finally begins to feel as though he’s a proper part of the Walford community this week. As Rainie’s partner-in-crime, Stuart has bonded with her through a shared love of twisted troublemaking, not to mention their respective past addictions to drugs. Stuart has been there for Rainie when no one else has, and has supported her through the grave errors she made after going on the run from Max with baby Abi. That’s not to say that their toxic alliance hasn’t hit a few bumps in the road, but as Stuart manages to win Rainie over this week, they seal the deal with a kiss… “When these two initially hooked up,…

Grieving Zak is left totally stunned this week, after ex-flame Faith plants an unexpected kiss on him! The widower is struggling to cope in the aftermath of wife Lisa’s death, so happy-go-lucky Faith decides to make it her mission to cheer him up. She starts off with the best of intentions, but when they take a trip down memory lane, things take an unexpectedly passionate turn. What might this mean for them? “I think it’s just a mad moment of comfort,” insists Steve Halliwell, aka Zak. “They are both feeling down. Pollard has ended things with Faith, so she’s down and lost, and Zak is lost and lonely without Lisa. The kiss shocks them both.” The rest of the Dingle family bursts in as Zak and Faith spring away from…