Soap operas might seem worlds apart from our day-to-day, yet the intricate attention to detail in their production is something not many are privy to.
Last year, the prop wizards at ITV’s Emmerdale opened their doors for a sneak peek behind the curtain, showcasing the painstaking efforts that go into giving fans the most genuine on-screen experience.
The exclusive tour was quite the revelation – it wasn’t just the state-of-the-art cameras and the impressive sets that caught the eye, but also the mind-blowing variety of props tucked away in storage.
Here are some little-known facts from the Emmerdale set that will surprise you.
Tucked away amongst an eclectic trove, one could spot items as bizarre as Andy Sugden’s detached limb, a motionless pooch, and even a baby mannequin.
Not only did they have these oddities, but the team also showed Express.co.uk the craft behind making breakable glassware out of sugar.
Once fashioned, these sugary creations take the form of various items like bottles and glasses, bringing a “smashing” dynamic to the show’s more intense moments.
Despite their convincing appearance and sound when shattered, the sugar glass ensures that actors hardly feel a thing during those impactful scenes.
Adding to the collection of peculiar props on the Emmerdale set, there’s a corner crammed with all sorts of unusual things.
You’ll find everything from fake cow dung and a lifeless canine complete with a prosthetic tongue, to a baby doll fitted with an umbilical cord and a special pump for simulating breaths – all at the disposal of the cast.
One clever trick employed in the soap is the use of faux blood. Rather than being liquid as one might expect from a special effects makeup kit, the team uses a rubber-like substance to create blood splatters, making it easier to replicate identical patterns when needed.
The crew showcased some mock weapons, including a knife and a crowbar, which they said were based on real ones. Visually, it was hard to tell them apart, but the difference in feel, weight, and texture was quite telling.
Another intriguing behind-the-scenes fact is the role of graphic designers in creating fake labels for bottles and food items. All the wine and beer are actually juices, allowing for multiple takes without the risk of actors getting tipsy on set.
They even have an impressive storeroom that looks like their very own Emmerdale-branded supermarket, filled with cereals, crisps, beers, wines, and other groceries.
In another part of the props department, each Emmerdale actor has a designated storage space for their character’s most iconic items, from Mandy Dingle’s household kit to Marlon’s humorous masks used during Rhona’s pre-wedding festivities.
One thing Emmerdale fans may not know is that the soap has a sort of graveyard on set for some of their beloved characters.
Among the items was an urn marked “Liv’s ashes” amongst Victoria Sugden’s belongings, and in a different spot, two effigies designed to look like fireworks made from Faith Dingle’s ashes, complete with the touching homage: “In loving memory of Faith Dingle. ‘You lit up our lives'”.
Emmerdale is available to watch on ITVX.