# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > Emmerdale > General >  Emmerdale': Kate Oates named new producer

## Perdita

Kate Oates has been appointed as the new series producer of Emmerdale, ITV has announced.

Oates, a former producer of Radio 4's The Archers, will take up her new position in January when current boss Stuart Blackburn moves to Coronation Street.

The new chief already has experience at Emmerdale as she worked as the programme's story editor from 2010 until earlier this year, when she landed the job of assistant producer at Corrie.

Oates commented: "I always thought I'd love to go back to Emmerdale but I never expected it to happen so quickly. I'm delighted to be Emmerdale's new producer as I'm passionate about the programme and everyone who works on the show.

"The last block of storylines I worked on before my recent move was the 40th birthday week, so I'm very excited to see the stories play out this week and I'll be glued to the live episode."

Oates served as producer of The Archers for seven years from 2003 to 2010. Before that, she worked as researcher and editorial assistant to Germaine Greer.

She continued: "I feel very lucky to be returning to such a wonderfully successful show. I'm in awe of the cast, crew and writing team and it's a privilege to be renewing my working relationship with everyone.

"I've been fortunate since leaving university to work with some inspiring people - Vanessa Whitburn, editor of The Archers, and the inimitable Germaine Greer, and later my friends and colleagues on Emmerdale and Coronation Street. 

"They are people who have given me opportunities and looked after me throughout my career, and I will never forget their kindness and enthusiasm."

After taking up her new post in the New Year, Oates will report to John Whiston, ITV's creative director for soaps.

Whiston commented: "Kate swept into Emmerdale a couple of years ago with a deadly combination of determination and brio. She soon proved her worth to the show, working on stories that ranged from the extremely tough to the light and funny.

"It is great that she is ping ponging back over the Pennines from her recent stint on Coronation Street to a show on which, by both inspiration and sheer hard work, she has won herself many admirers. 

"I can't think of many people more in tune with the vibrant spirit of modern Emmerdale than Kate. And I can think of even fewer able to keep it that way as it heads into its 40s."

Emmerdale's 40th birthday celebrations will play out all this week on ITV1.

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## alan45

It's been all change behind the scenes at Emmerdale this year with Kate Oates taking over as series producer after previous boss Stuart Blackburn moved to Coronation Street.

Oates took office in January but already had a strong connection with Emmerdale as she worked as story editor for two and a half years between 2010 and 2012. She has also served as producer of The Archers for seven years from 2003 to 2010, and had the role of assistant producer at Coronation Street more recently.

Earlier this week, Kate chatted exclusively to Digital Spy in her first full interview as Emmerdale producer. Here, we present part one of the Q&A with details of Kate's vision for the ITV show and gossip on what's to come.

What were your main aims for Emmerdale when you took over as producer?
"As I'd worked on Emmerdale before as story editor, I already had a real love for the show and for so many of the characters when I took over as producer. My main aim is to tell the best stories we can and to make the show really talked-about. Part of that has meant looking at the pace of the storytelling, as sometimes I felt that things weren't moving as quickly as they could. We do need to give stories time to breathe in order to tell them properly, but we also need some big moments - possibly more often than we'd been seeing recently.

"Another thing is that I love the village, as it's our unique selling point and it's so breathtakingly beautiful. I think that's a really important thing to get across to our viewers, so I want us to use the village and our rural location as much as we can. I worked on The Archers for seven years, so I think I know more about farming than all of the Bartons put together!

"I'd also like to see more balance. I think a lot of viewers possibly think that the show has been led by a few very high-profile stories over the past few months, and that's a good thing as they've been brilliant stories which have been fantastically acted. But I am hoping to bring in more balance, both tonally and in terms of characters."

There's usually a handover period between producers, so are we seeing the full picture yet when it comes to your vision?
"I think my handover period was mercifully short, because I'd only been away from the show for a few months. I do feel as though the viewers are already seeing the changes that we've made as a new team, but things will progress further - especially when it comes to the balance of stories.

"I was lucky that I already knew the team and which stories were in the mix when I took over. That meant that I could quite easily look at the inherited stories and make some changes, which were largely to do with pace or to create some bigger moments.

"One of those bigger moments included the recent fire at Dale View, as I wanted to break up the cycle of Kerry annoying Amy, Amy forgiving her and then it happening all over again. The fire has taken both of them into a new direction, which I'm really pleased about."


Which stories and characters will be most prominent over the summer?
"Well, many viewers will know that Sian Reese-Williams and Rik Makarem are both leaving their roles as Gennie and Nikhil this summer. I really love those characters and they're such talented actors. We will definitely give them the exit story that they deserve.

"We'll be seeing more of Brenda too. Lesley Dunlop's commitment to the brain tumour storyline at the moment is huge. Your readers will have probably seen that she's shaved her head for the story, which just shows how seriously she's taking it. Brenda and Bob have some great stuff coming up.

"We've also got some great material on the way for Cameron, Debbie and Chas. I know that a lot of viewers are really keen to see what the next chapter of the Cameron killer storyline will be, and I can promise that it's coming up big and strong in the summer!

"There's also some nice stuff coming up with Laurel and Marlon, as well as some new twists and turns in the Rhona story. They're the main characters you'll be seeing over summer, but as I've said, I'm keen to get a good balance across the board. You'll see all of the characters that people know and love weaved through."

Is it true that you're planning to introduce a lot of new characters to the show?
"I'm certainly planning on introducing some. The first ones that you'll see are part of our plans for the Bartons and Butler's Farm. There was such a fantastic mix when the Bartons were brought in, and it's a credit to the remaining family members that they've been able to hang onto Butler's, which is a strong lynchpin of the show. I love the mother-son relationship between Moira and Adam, and what we've seen since we've brought Cain into the mix.

"That said, some fresh blood needs to come into that unit. As I said earlier, we need to keep our rural identity and populating Butler's is a strong way of doing that. We have some exciting stories in the pipeline, which should turn Cain and Moira's world on its head a little bit…"

Do you have any plans to bring back any faces from the past?
"I'm not adverse to it, but it's not something I'm champing at the bit to do. When you bring somebody back, you can often do it at haste and repent at leisure! A returning character has to have enough links to the village to still be relevant.

"Bringing back characters does crop up in story conferences a lot when we're throwing around ideas, but we have to look beyond what the initial story would be as it's often a case of, 'And then what…?' There are a couple of characters I have in the back of my mind who do have the potential to come back and still be relevant, but I do think it's something we have to be quite cautious about."

We've had lots of reader questions about Alan Turner getting an on-screen send-off after the sad passing of Richard Thorp. Would you bring back any characters for that occasion?
"We don't have any plans at the moment, but we've just had our story conference for the episodes which will be going out in October and November. That will be the time that we pay tribute to Richard and the character of Alan on screen. As it's a little way off yet, it does mean that I have time to consider whether a returning character could add to what we have planned. I'm sure the viewers will have an opinion on whether we should bring anyone back!

"The main thing is that we do pay tribute to Richard. There's been a really beautiful response from everyone since he passed away, with lots of stories and fond memories being shared in the green room. I also saw that Digital Spy readers left some lovely comments. Richard deserves a strong send-off on screen, and we'll definitely be doing that."

Is it true that we'll be seeing a massive story in October to match last year's 40th birthday celebrations? Can the live episode really be topped?!
"I was so proud of the live episode as I worked on it as story editor, so trying to top it is a bit of a poisoned chalice! (Laughs.) What we can certainly do is weave a story that's as engaging and put forward episodes which have a similar balance. 

"For the 40th birthday, I think the viewers really enjoyed seeing such a balance with four strong stories taking centre stage, which had a mix of both comedy and tragedy. In terms of content and in terms of storytelling, I think we can absolutely deliver an awesome October - and I have every intention of making sure that happens."


When it comes to Cameron, will justice have to be served, or do you see him as a character who can stick around for a long time?
"It's always interesting with killers! Carl was a killer and yet the audience were content for him to stay on for a lot longer. I think Cameron's maybe a different kettle of fish. Because he's lied, manipulated and broken the hearts of our leading ladies, justice will have to be served. For soap to be really satisfying, there does have to be a comeuppance eventually.

"That could be a poetic justice, with Cameron facing the court of Emmerdale and getting a different kind of retribution. His story doesn't have to end with prison or a grave! It will have to happen, but we're going to make sure that all of the twists and turns are explored first."

What's coming up for David and Alicia?
"Both characters are fantastic. It's always tempting to have the 'Ross and Rachel'-style story of having them on again and off again, as it provides some great twists and turns. But I do think the viewers have a limited amount of patience with it, as it's a fine line to walk before people get frustrated.

"I hope that what we're seeing on screen at the moment is that David really is in love with Priya, as his recent proposal was really genuine. It's the same with Alicia and Dom. With this recent Gemma story, I wanted to show that Alicia has a real investment in Dom and she wants it to work.

"Hopefully the viewers will see that those two relationships have legs, but David and Alicia's time will come! It's my goal to give it to the audience when they're absolutely ready for it."

Can Debbie be redeemed after her recent behaviour?
"I really believe that she can. I think that Charley Webb's performance is fantastic. She gets a lot of criticism sometimes for being quite hard, but that is absolutely Debbie's character. I inherited this story at a certain point and had to decide what to do with Debbie. Charley was very aware of wanting to protect her character and wanting to make sure that Debbie had a future where the viewers could invest in her.

"Debbie has behaved appallingly, but she's been really shaken up since she was reported to Social Services, which was by Sarah indirectly. What Debbie needs to learn now is that it's not enough to be shaken up - there have to be consequences to how she's behaved. 

"That's what we'll be seeing more of over the coming weeks. Debbie can't just say sorry and back-pedal, she needs to realise that she's gone too far. But I'm confident Debbie can come back because she will learn from that process."

Lots of our reader questions asked whether there'll be another gay character after the success of Aaron…
"It's definitely on the cards. After Aaron was so successful, it would have to be a very different type of character and someone who brought a very different dynamic. We do have diversity in the show already with the Spencers, so with a new arrival, it won't just be about being a gay character - it'll be what else they can bring to the table."

Do you have any stunts or disasters on the way?
"We do! There's definitely some stunts coming up that we'll put our all into in order to make the show really unmissable. Maybe there'll be something in summer and maybe there'll be something in autumn… but I couldn't possibly comment!"

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tammyy2j (14-06-2013)

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## alan45

It's been all change behind the scenes at Emmerdale this year with Kate Oates taking over as series producer after previous boss Stuart Blackburn moved to Coronation Street.

Oates took office in January but already had a strong connection with Emmerdale as she worked as story editor for two and a half years between 2010 and 2012. She has also served as producer of The Archers for seven years from 2003 to 2010, and had the role of assistant producer at Coronation Street more recently.

Earlier this week, Kate chatted exclusively to Digital Spy in her first full interview as Emmerdale producer. Here, we present part one of the Q&A with details of Kate's vision for the ITV show and gossip on what's to come.

What were your main aims for Emmerdale when you took over as producer?
"As I'd worked on Emmerdale before as story editor, I already had a real love for the show and for so many of the characters when I took over as producer. My main aim is to tell the best stories we can and to make the show really talked-about. Part of that has meant looking at the pace of the storytelling, as sometimes I felt that things weren't moving as quickly as they could. We do need to give stories time to breathe in order to tell them properly, but we also need some big moments - possibly more often than we'd been seeing recently.

"Another thing is that I love the village, as it's our unique selling point and it's so breathtakingly beautiful. I think that's a really important thing to get across to our viewers, so I want us to use the village and our rural location as much as we can. I worked on The Archers for seven years, so I think I know more about farming than all of the Bartons put together!

"I'd also like to see more balance. I think a lot of viewers possibly think that the show has been led by a few very high-profile stories over the past few months, and that's a good thing as they've been brilliant stories which have been fantastically acted. But I am hoping to bring in more balance, both tonally and in terms of characters."

There's usually a handover period between producers, so are we seeing the full picture yet when it comes to your vision?
"I think my handover period was mercifully short, because I'd only been away from the show for a few months. I do feel as though the viewers are already seeing the changes that we've made as a new team, but things will progress further - especially when it comes to the balance of stories.

"I was lucky that I already knew the team and which stories were in the mix when I took over. That meant that I could quite easily look at the inherited stories and make some changes, which were largely to do with pace or to create some bigger moments.

"One of those bigger moments included the recent fire at Dale View, as I wanted to break up the cycle of Kerry annoying Amy, Amy forgiving her and then it happening all over again. The fire has taken both of them into a new direction, which I'm really pleased about."


Which stories and characters will be most prominent over the summer?
"Well, many viewers will know that Sian Reese-Williams and Rik Makarem are both leaving their roles as Gennie and Nikhil this summer. I really love those characters and they're such talented actors. We will definitely give them the exit story that they deserve.

"We'll be seeing more of Brenda too. Lesley Dunlop's commitment to the brain tumour storyline at the moment is huge. Your readers will have probably seen that she's shaved her head for the story, which just shows how seriously she's taking it. Brenda and Bob have some great stuff coming up.

"We've also got some great material on the way for Cameron, Debbie and Chas. I know that a lot of viewers are really keen to see what the next chapter of the Cameron killer storyline will be, and I can promise that it's coming up big and strong in the summer!

"There's also some nice stuff coming up with Laurel and Marlon, as well as some new twists and turns in the Rhona story. They're the main characters you'll be seeing over summer, but as I've said, I'm keen to get a good balance across the board. You'll see all of the characters that people know and love weaved through."

Is it true that you're planning to introduce a lot of new characters to the show?
"I'm certainly planning on introducing some. The first ones that you'll see are part of our plans for the Bartons and Butler's Farm. There was such a fantastic mix when the Bartons were brought in, and it's a credit to the remaining family members that they've been able to hang onto Butler's, which is a strong lynchpin of the show. I love the mother-son relationship between Moira and Adam, and what we've seen since we've brought Cain into the mix.

"That said, some fresh blood needs to come into that unit. As I said earlier, we need to keep our rural identity and populating Butler's is a strong way of doing that. We have some exciting stories in the pipeline, which should turn Cain and Moira's world on its head a little bitâ¦"

Do you have any plans to bring back any faces from the past?
"I'm not adverse to it, but it's not something I'm champing at the bit to do. When you bring somebody back, you can often do it at haste and repent at leisure! A returning character has to have enough links to the village to still be relevant.

"Bringing back characters does crop up in story conferences a lot when we're throwing around ideas, but we have to look beyond what the initial story would be as it's often a case of, 'And then whatâ¦?' There are a couple of characters I have in the back of my mind who do have the potential to come back and still be relevant, but I do think it's something we have to be quite cautious about."

We've had lots of reader questions about Alan Turner getting an on-screen send-off after the sad passing of Richard Thorp. Would you bring back any characters for that occasion?
"We don't have any plans at the moment, but we've just had our story conference for the episodes which will be going out in October and November. That will be the time that we pay tribute to Richard and the character of Alan on screen. As it's a little way off yet, it does mean that I have time to consider whether a returning character could add to what we have planned. I'm sure the viewers will have an opinion on whether we should bring anyone back!

"The main thing is that we do pay tribute to Richard. There's been a really beautiful response from everyone since he passed away, with lots of stories and fond memories being shared in the green room. I also saw that Digital Spy readers left some lovely comments. Richard deserves a strong send-off on screen, and we'll definitely be doing that."

Is it true that we'll be seeing a massive story in October to match last year's 40th birthday celebrations? Can the live episode really be topped?!
"I was so proud of the live episode as I worked on it as story editor, so trying to top it is a bit of a poisoned chalice! (Laughs.) What we can certainly do is weave a story that's as engaging and put forward episodes which have a similar balance. 

"For the 40th birthday, I think the viewers really enjoyed seeing such a balance with four strong stories taking centre stage, which had a mix of both comedy and tragedy. In terms of content and in terms of storytelling, I think we can absolutely deliver an awesome October - and I have every intention of making sure that happens."


When it comes to Cameron, will justice have to be served, or do you see him as a character who can stick around for a long time?
"It's always interesting with killers! Carl was a killer and yet the audience were content for him to stay on for a lot longer. I think Cameron's maybe a different kettle of fish. Because he's lied, manipulated and broken the hearts of our leading ladies, justice will have to be served. For soap to be really satisfying, there does have to be a comeuppance eventually.

"That could be a poetic justice, with Cameron facing the court of Emmerdale and getting a different kind of retribution. His story doesn't have to end with prison or a grave! It will have to happen, but we're going to make sure that all of the twists and turns are explored first."

What's coming up for David and Alicia?
"Both characters are fantastic. It's always tempting to have the 'Ross and Rachel'-style story of having them on again and off again, as it provides some great twists and turns. But I do think the viewers have a limited amount of patience with it, as it's a fine line to walk before people get frustrated.

"I hope that what we're seeing on screen at the moment is that David really is in love with Priya, as his recent proposal was really genuine. It's the same with Alicia and Dom. With this recent Gemma story, I wanted to show that Alicia has a real investment in Dom and she wants it to work.

"Hopefully the viewers will see that those two relationships have legs, but David and Alicia's time will come! It's my goal to give it to the audience when they're absolutely ready for it."

Can Debbie be redeemed after her recent behaviour?
"I really believe that she can. I think that Charley Webb's performance is fantastic. She gets a lot of criticism sometimes for being quite hard, but that is absolutely Debbie's character. I inherited this story at a certain point and had to decide what to do with Debbie. Charley was very aware of wanting to protect her character and wanting to make sure that Debbie had a future where the viewers could invest in her.

"Debbie has behaved appallingly, but she's been really shaken up since she was reported to Social Services, which was by Sarah indirectly. What Debbie needs to learn now is that it's not enough to be shaken up - there have to be consequences to how she's behaved. 

"That's what we'll be seeing more of over the coming weeks. Debbie can't just say sorry and back-pedal, she needs to realise that she's gone too far. But I'm confident Debbie can come back because she will learn from that process."

Lots of our reader questions asked whether there'll be another gay character after the success of Aaronâ¦
"It's definitely on the cards. After Aaron was so successful, it would have to be a very different type of character and someone who brought a very different dynamic. We do have diversity in the show already with the Spencers, so with a new arrival, it won't just be about being a gay character - it'll be what else they can bring to the table."

Do you have any stunts or disasters on the way?
"We do! There's definitely some stunts coming up that we'll put our all into in order to make the show really unmissable. Maybe there'll be something in summer and maybe there'll be something in autumnâ¦ but I couldn't possibly comment!"

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## tammyy2j

In the second part of Digital Spy's exclusive interview with Emmerdale's new series producer Kate Oates, we delve deeper into what's ahead for some of the characters.

Could Laurel need Ashley more than she thinks? Will Charity ever find out the truth about baby Archie? And are we really saying goodbye to Diane? Kate answers those questions and more below!

What's coming up for Ashley?
"I think the Ashley story has been left in a place that's slightly unsatisfying. He's lost everything, and now to add insult to injury, he's living with his ex-wife and her new partner, which has to be the craziest domestic setting I've ever seen! It's like Ashley's life is in real limbo at the moment. We need to put him in a position where he's had enough of that and where he can move forward."

A lot of our readers were disappointed to see Ashley and Laurel split last year. Is there any hope for the Thomas family?
"There is unfinished business with Laurel, as she is the love of Ashley's life. We have the story coming up in a few weeks' time where Laurel is attacked, and I think that will bring Ashley's feelings for her to the fore again. You'll see that Laurel needs Ashley, and maybe it's him rather than Marlon who can get through to her in her moment of crisis. 

"Those two characters have such a shared history and I hope the viewers will enjoy that. Those who felt unsatisfied with the break-up will see that they still have so much left to explore. 

"Ashley has unresolved feelings for Laurel and we'll be looking at what he does with those feelings. That's what will take Ashley into late summer and autumn. Maybe Laurel will feel the same way, maybe she won't - but either way, there needs to be an impetus for Ashley to realise that he wants his life back!"

We've been very patient when it comes to Rachel and Jai's baby secret! Is the big reveal coming up in the near future?
"The story will be resolved, but I'd say it'll be the middling future. It's not next week, but it's not in the distant future either. I can promise there'll be a really strong story to come with it. We teased the viewers when Charity came so close to finding out recently, so when Rishi covered for Jai, some viewers really enjoyed the surprise and others felt frustrated!

"To thank those who were frustrated for sticking with us, when Charity does find out, she's going to be really, really mad. It'll be worth the wait! We all know that Charity is one of our strongest female characters. She's got a big brain in her head and she can be really malicious when she wants to be. The question is, what will she do with the information and what will the collateral damage be?"

Would you rule out a reunion for Charity and Cain?
"I'd never rule out a reunion, but I think that the viewers have really invested in Moira and Cain's relationship. When things do go wrong between Jai and Charity, it's going to be very interesting because Charity did leave Cain for Jai. She did some very un-Charity-like things, such as getting married for love! 

"I think Charity is going to realise that Jai hasn't given her the respect that she deserves. She'll realise that she might have given something up that was really valuable, and there's a lot of mileage in that. I would love to watch Cain not knowing which way he's going to turn between Moira and Charity. To rule out a further dynamic between Cain and Charity definitely wouldn't be right, because there's so many possibilities and unanswered questions."

The fans seem to miss the days of a powerful dynasty in charge at Home Farm. Is this something you'd address?
"Home Farm is definitely a dynamic that I've looked to change. I think Jason Merrells is a great actor, and he's at his best when he's got something to really get his teeth into. For the first time, over the next few months, Declan will really fear losing something - which is his status and everything that he's worked to build up.

"Declan will have something to really fight for, and that will give him some really strong stories. It'll be interesting to see whether there'll be a reversal of fortunes for Declan, and that could pave the way for a new dynamic at Home Farm.

"With that said, when I think about the powerful dynasties and the characters who were so well-loved, I do wonder if they were of a certain time? Home Farm can be a difficult place to populate so it's not something I want to rush into, especially as the new Declan story is going to be a good one!"

When it comes to Nicola and Jimmy, is there any truth in recent rumours of a big marriage crisis for them? And would Thomas ever make a return?
"There are no plans to bring Thomas back at the moment. It could happen in the very long-term, but not right now. 

"With Jimmy and Nicola, I think they are such a good couple and great value for the show. I love their dynamic and it's the perfect little family. Nicola is ambitious, and we're starting to see that already with the school issue. It's going to be a question of how far she can go, but their dynamic is one that I'd mess with at my peril, as they're so well-loved! Also, Jimmy's been through a lot recently, so I don't want to send too much tough stuff his way!"

Lots of fans seem worried that Diane's current story could see Elizabeth Estensen leave for good! Can you reassure them?
"I can - I'd be crackers to lose Liz! The current story was designed to shake up the dynamics a little bit between all the characters involved, and also allow Diane to come back with a bit of a bang. For a little while we'll see her feeling torn between her life in Emmerdale and the life she could have abroad, but fear not - Liz is here to stay!"

We know that Kitty McGeever, who plays Lizzie, had some health problems recently. How's she doing?
"There are plans for us to see Lizzie again. Kitty is recovering but we're in constant touch with her. She's her usual chipper and brilliant self. Kitty is taking a little bit of time out but we hope to see her again soon."

Are you surprised by all the speculation about Vanessa? Some fans seem convinced that she's a bunny boiler, or in love with Rhona!
"I love all the speculation! When I'm reading it, I'd quite like to get some of the fans on the story team as they come up with some great stuff! (Laughs.) It's great that there's a genuine bit of intrigue with Vanessa. It's not necessarily laid out in front of you, and nobody's really sure where it's going to go. I also have to pay tribute to Zoe Henry, as she's been fantastic with the addiction storyline and has put so much energy and work into it. 

"In the coming weeks, Paddy is going to start noticing that something is really wrong with Rhona, and that's going to affect Marlon too. 

"Vanessa has her own agenda too, but she doesn't necessarily know what it is herself yet. She'll come to know it and we'll see her learning about herself and what she wants out of the situation. When it starts happening on screen, I know that the viewers who might have been a little bit right will enjoy it."

The Spencer family are still quite divisive characters among the fans. Is that something you're aware of?
"I am aware of it and I can see why they'd be a bit like Marmite! They're not shiny diamonds and can be rough around the edges, but I do like characters like that. I want to have characters who are distinctive and who stand out on screen. 

"That's a real strength to the Spencers, and I think you don't have to always love a character to appreciate some of their stories. Also, they're headed up by Dan Spencer and how can you not love him? I love that weird, modern family element to them."
What's coming up for Amy, Kerry and the Pollards?
"I really wanted to drive Amy and Kerry apart for a while. Laura Norton is a great actress and I wanted to give her a new place and new relationships in the village. 

"Amy and the Pollards will soon start making some big plans, but something is going to come up in the next few weeks and months which will leave Amy questioning whether it's what she really wants to do. With that in mind, Val and Eric will question whether it's right for them too. I won't give too much away, but there's a big story that comes from left field…"

Will Robbie ever change his ways?
"I loved the line recently where a policeman said to Robbie, 'You think you're the first person here to think you're Keyser SÃ¶ze?' That's so Robbie as he bites off more than he can chew most of the time. Robbie is an incredibly useful character for us because his moral compass is so skewed. That means that he's capable of doing lots of different things. 

"But Robbie is also unintentionally funny, as he thinks he's a hardman when really he's riding his uncle's gravy train! He'll carry on being a thorn in Declan's side. He's a unique character even if people don't always like him!"

The fans are always passionate about the older characters getting more screen time. Is that part of your thinking?
"Absolutely. When you have a show with heritage, I think it needs to be embraced. Pollard is now our longest-serving character and he's certainly not short of story. We'll also continue to see more of Sandy, Pearl, Edna and Betty. It was brilliant that last year's Sandy abuse story was BAFTA-nominated, as that was a real tribute to Freddie Jones who plays him. Shirley Stelfox also did a great job with the debt story and our research showed that there was a huge interest in that from the viewers.

"It's clear to us that those characters are so well-loved and that the viewers miss them when they're not on screen. I'm very aware of their importance and that will show with what's coming up."

After Rishi-gate shocked us all, would you like to provide more genuine surprises for viewers?
"I really would, because when it's been done before, it's worked incredibly well. It's a fine line because we do have to let people know about big episodes in advance, but with ITV Player and on-demand services so widely available now, people can always catch up. I need to make sure our viewers are still tuning in, though, so it's getting the right balance!"

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## tammyy2j

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## Perdita

Emmerdale exec Kate Oates has discussed some of the soap's upcoming storylines.

The producer has promised a "big" 2014 for the ITV programme and hinted at new dramas surrounding the Bartons, the Pollards and the Dingles.

Oates suggested that secrets would be revealed in the Barton family following the arrival of newcomers Pete (Anthony Quinlan) and Finn (Joe Gill).

She told the soap's site: "One of the most exciting things for me about 2013 was bringing in a whole new cast of Barton boys, which was a really good thing to be able to do... they're definitely going to cause trouble. 

"There are a few secrets in that family. There's a big reason why James (Bill Ward) fell out with his brother John and we haven't revealed that yet on screen, but we know what it is and we're just biding our time with it a little bit. Hopefully it will be a big rewarding secret for the audience to see."

The producer also hinted at a "life-changing" storyline for Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) in early 2014, as well as a "new direction" for the Pollard family.

She revealed: "One of the things that I think is brilliant about the Dingles is that they always triumph against adversity. It's a struggle but they stick together. 

"We've got a story for them that really tests them as a family this year. Belle - who has always been the bright spark and the big hope - something really life-changing is going to happen to her quite early in the year, and she'll need the support of her family but maybe they don't quite support her in the way that she needs."

She continued: "A story I'm really looking forward to in 2014 is a new story for the Pollards. 

"It's a completely different kind of story to the one that we've played with them when they were living with Amy. 

"What's great about this new direction for them is that it will give us a whole new slant on the Pollards, it challenges them in a way that we've never seen before and I think it will be a really exciting story for a soap like us to tell. 

"That will be a challenge for us, but one I'm really looking forward to in 2014."

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maidmarian (01-01-2014), tammyy2j (01-01-2014)

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## Perdita

Emmerdale exec Kate Oates has revealed that the soap will welcome back some former cast members in 2014.

The producer refused to reveal exactly which characters would be returning to the ITV programme, adding that she hopes viewers will "enjoy the surprise".

Marlon and Laurel's lives will be shaken by a "blast from the past"

She told the soap's site: "As well as the new faces in the village, there are some old faces returning. I don't want to tell you too much about that - I wan't you to watch it, I want you to enjoy it."

Oates also suggested that recently-engaged Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Laurel Thomas's (Charlotte Bellamy) happiness will be disturbed by a "blast from the past".

She revealed: "I really enjoyed 2013 for Marlon and Laurel because we saw them get engaged. 

"2014 does see a real challenge for them. There's going to be a bit of a blast from the past coming their way. 

"It's really going to shake things up for that character group, and Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and Rhona (Zoe Henry) with them."

Oates has teased several Emmerdale storylines for the upcoming year including a "life-changing" time for Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper), a "new direction" for the Pollards and a secret for the Barton family.

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maidmarian (01-01-2014), tammyy2j (01-01-2014)

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## Perdita

Emmerdale exec Kate Oates has revealed that the soap will welcome back some former cast members in 2014.

The producer refused to reveal exactly which characters would be returning to the ITV programme, adding that she hopes viewers will "enjoy the surprise".

Marlon and Laurel's lives will be shaken by a "blast from the past"

She told the soap's site: "As well as the new faces in the village, there are some old faces returning. I don't want to tell you too much about that - I wan't you to watch it, I want you to enjoy it."

Oates also suggested that recently-engaged Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Laurel Thomas's (Charlotte Bellamy) happiness will be disturbed by a "blast from the past".

She revealed: "I really enjoyed 2013 for Marlon and Laurel because we saw them get engaged. 

"2014 does see a real challenge for them. There's going to be a bit of a blast from the past coming their way. 

"It's really going to shake things up for that character group, and Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and Rhona (Zoe Henry) with them."

Oates has teased several Emmerdale storylines for the upcoming year including a "life-changing" time for Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper), a "new direction" for the Pollards and a secret for the Barton family.

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## tammyy2j

Could be Donna (Marlon's ex wife and Bob's step daughter) returns?

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## Telly Watcher

Coronation Street and Emmerdale appoint new Producers

Published: Fri 18 Sep 2015

- Kate Oates appointed new Producer for Coronation Street
- Iain MacLeod appointed new Producer for Emmerdale
- Stuart Blackburn moves on to further drama projects

ITV and ITV Studios today confirmed Kate Oates has been appointed new Producer of Coronation Street, as Stuart Blackburn moves on to further drama projects for ITV Studios.

Iain MacLeod will become the new Emmerdale Producer.  This appointment will take effect at the end of this year, whilst Kate will join Coronation Street in the New Year.

A former Producer of Radio 4âs The Archers from 2003-2010, Kate has successfully produced Emmerdale since January 2013. She previously worked as Coronation Streetâs Assistant Producer following a stint as Emmerdaleâs Story Editor and is passionate about both soaps.

âIâm delighted to accept the role as Coronation Streetâs new Producer,â said Kate.  âItâs really exciting to be moving from one amazing soap to another and I feel very blessed.â

âEmmerdale is an exceptional programme and Iâve thoroughly enjoyed working with the cast, writers and crew.  They are some of the absolute best in the business and itâs been a privilege to work with such dedicated, hard-working and creative people, and make some life-long friends in the process. But as much as Emmerdale has meant the world to me Corrie also has a special place in my heart.â

Born and raised in Nottingham, Kate is a graduate in English and Theatre from Warwick University and began her career as researcher and editorial assistant to Germaine Greer before joining Carlton Television as a researcher and script editor working on Crossroads, which then led to the offer of a position on The Archers.

She has most recently produced Emmerdaleâs compelling helicopter disaster episodes, which earned the rural soap praise from TV critics and the audience alike and has helped Emmerdale to grow its audience share year on year.  Kate has also been responsible for overseeing powerfully challenging storylines such as Gennieâs murder and the Woolpack siege, Robert Sugdenâs repressed sexuality, Laurelâs descent into alcoholism, Alicia dealing with sexual assault by troubled teenager Lachlan and the love triangle at the very heart of the show involving Debbie and brothers Pete and Ross Barton, a fraternal feud which turned murderous of late when Pete left Ross for dead.

Managing Director, Continuing Drama John Whiston commented: âEverywhere you go these days everyone is talking about Emmerdale. Kate Oates has been responsible for the showâs on-going resurgence. She has that rare combination, a sharp editorial eye for a compelling story together with deep understanding of what drives characters caught up in such drama.â

He continued: âAs a result, under her leadership, Emmerdale has reached new heights and importantly, new audiences. Kate has done this without sacrificing either the credibility or the humour for which Emmerdale has always been renowned. Steeped in the sheep dip of soap, she is the ideal person to take Corrie on to its next phase.â

Coronation Streetâs Executive Producer and ITVâs Creative Director of Drama in the North, Kieran Roberts said:

âFinding a successor to Stuart was never going to be easy but in Kate Oates I believe we have the ideal next Producer. She made a huge impact when she was here as assistant Producer and after the terrific job she has done on Emmerdale I know she has all the qualities to be a big success as producer of Coronation Street.â

Source:
http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...-new-producers

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## Telly Watcher

As Kate Oates leaves Emmerdale, we rank her top ten storylines

Duncan Lindsay for Metro.co.uk
Friday 18 Sep 2015 3:25 pm


(Picture: ITV/Metro)

Kate Oates is leaving the worldâs most eventful village behind and taking her talents across to Weatherfield as she prepares to take the helm at Coronation Street.

While the Street has divided fans over the last year, with some feeling turned off by its storylines, Emmerdale has taken on a new lease of life with almost everyone raving about it.

Kate Oates will be a tough act to follow for Iain MacLeod, who takes over the soap next year. Introducing characters such as Ross Barton and the new Robert Sugden and creating spectacles such as Cameronâs siege, Oates has put Emmerdale right at the top of the soap game, with it occasionally overtaking EastEnders in the viewing figures.

As she heads off to bring her magic back to Corrie, where she once worked as a storyliner, we recall her ten strongest storylines that really proved why she nailed Emmerdale.

1) Cameronâs revenge

The serial killer storyline was packed full of action packed twists and turns â the biggest OMG moment being the devastating death of Gennie Walker â but it was the climax to the saga that remains in everyoneâs minds to this day. As Dominic Power went into full on psycho mode, Emmerdale delivered some seriously stunning scenes which saw Cameron take the inhabitants of the Woolpack hostage.

As Alicia ended up shot, the drama culminated in a tense underwater showdown that had viewers on the edge of their seat. Fans were more buzzing than Cameron in his final moments as the credits rolled on that one and it really set the tone for an exciting tenure for Kate.

2) Ross and Donnaâs love story

Ross Barton is one of the most popular newcomers from Kateâs time at Emmerdale and he really was taken seriously by viewers when he showed new depths after falling for Donna. Donna returned to the village to introduce Marlon to his daughter, April, who is another of the showâs most popular recent newcomers. But, as her tragic secret that she was dying, remained hidden from almost everyone, Donna set out to raise funds for a better life for her daughter by turning to crime.

Step forward Ross Barton, the man who weâd never thought could possibly fall in love. But fall he did, hard. The twists that saw Donna plunge to her death were spectacular, but the real emotion was in the aftermath for Ross, April and Marlon. Powerful stuff.

3) Macey Madness

Kate certainly knew how to write out characters. As Declan crossed the soap villain line of no return, it was inevitable that he would end up paying the price. Having set fire to Home Farm, lashed out at sister Megan and taken on wife Charity, Declanâs days were numbered. But boy, did he go out with a bang.

Viewers were left reeling during the lakeside episodes that saw Declan lose it and almost pulverise his wife with a meat tenderiser. They then clashed on a speedboat and poor Robbie was caught in the crossfire as Declan fired a flare gun before taking an anchor to the head.

Yes honestly, this was Emmerdale, not a Hollywood movie.

4) Belle Dingleâs schizophrenia

A storyline which allowed the talented Eden Taylor-Draper to shine saw her character Belle accidentally kill her friend Gemma during a row. Haunted by what she had done, it slowly became apparent that something was devastatingly wrong with Belle and the scenes which unfolded were drama at its best.

Traumatised Belle headed for the edge and provided the Dingle clan with the family storyline they had needed to get their teeth into since Lisa Dingleâs rape storyline.

5) The exits of Alan Turner and Betty Eagleton

Kate was kind to history and was more than capable of embracing Emmerdaleâs rich backgrounds and long standing fanbases. When Richard Thorp sadly passed away, Kate delivered an apt send off for Alan Turner which saw some bikers descend on Emmerdale and even the return of Steph Stokes.

Later, Paula Tilbrook decided it was time to hang up Bettyâs gossiping hat and it fell to Kate again to write out an icon. Sending Betty away with a Seth lookalike was simply inspired.

6) Laurelâs battle with alcoholism

Viewers were divided by the marriage of Marlon and Laurel but the characters became involved in one of the showâs most powerful storylines when Laurel hit the bottle. It was a long running saga which carried risks â with Laurel being a much loved character, seeing her descend into such a mess was not going to be easy for viewers.

With the superb writing and standout performances from Charlotte Bellamy, the long journey with Laurel was invested in by viewers, who cried with her â as well as screamed at her â every step of the way.

7) Robert and Aaronâs affair

From the arrival of the fantastic Lawrence and Chrissie to the demise of Katie Sugden, this storyline has had more twists than a bowl of spaghetti but the coupling that has defined Kateâs tenure has to be that of Robert and Aaron, affectionately known to fans of Robron. Theyâve loved each other and theyâve hated each other throughout but fans have been left feeling almost every emotion as they watch the complex journey between two of soapâs most mixed up characters.

What the future holds for them after Kate leaves remains to be seen, but if itâs anything like the drama that has come before, then viewers had better prepare to hold onto their armchairs. And Paddy had better visit grain silos with a friend.

8) Alicia is sexually assaulted

This was a brave storyline that showed Kate was not afraid to explore gritty issues â and the selection of one of the showâs most likeable characters as the victim of an assault made it all that more effective. In harrowing scenes, teenager Lachlan developed a crush on Alicia and went on to assault her, leaving her in a terrible state that allowed Natalie Anderson to excel.

It ended up tearing apart the showâs strongest marriage as Alicia could never face life in the village again. The story changed everything for Alicia but it was an important plot to tell and the performances from all involved were subtle and just right for the dark tone.

9) Ashleyâs epilepsy

The character of Ashley is often overlooked for his own storyline but when he gets something meaty, John Middleton always delivers. You need look no further than the tragic cot death story and Ashleyâs abuse of Sandy for proof of that. When Ashley was knocked down by a stressed Victoria, his life changed forever and he now lives with the effects of epilepsy.

In developing the story, Kate has once again honestly seen it through â there has been no quick recovery as Ashley still suffers fits and significant memory loss. And it has been welcomed to see Ashley in the thick of the action again. His relationship with Harriet, another strong addition to the soap under Kate, has also been lovely to watch.

10 Summer Fate

Kateâs crowning glory must inevitably be the spectacular summer storyline which saw a helicopter crash into the village. Like the 1993 plane crash, this will be a plot that will live on in the history of the Dales. From the heartbreaking goodbyes from Ruby to the shock twist that saw Ross die but not actually die, the story had people talking for weeks.

But its biggest strength was soapâs best ever exit for Val â who perished in a hall of mirrors before then reappearing to husband Eric as the sassiest ghost the media world has ever seen. The aftermath has allowed Chris Chtitell to get his teeth into some real angsty drama for Eric while the plot also showed us what Louise Marwood as Chrissie was made of.

With the repercussions still very much being felt, this is a storyline that will be remembered long after Kate has set foot onto those cobbles.


Results for metro.co.uk reader opinion poll as at 19/09/15 @ 04:30

'Which Kate Oates story was your favourite?'

51% Robert and Aaronâs affair

15% Cameronâs revenge

13% Ross and Donnaâs love story

10% Summer Fate

 2% Belle Dingleâs schizophrenia

 2% Laurelâs battle with alcoholism

 2% Macey Madness

 2% Alicia is sexually assaulted

 1% The exits of Alan Turner and Betty Eagleton

 1% Ashleyâs epilepsy

Read news article, see short storyline videos and fan twitter comments at:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/09/18/as-kat...lines-5397626/

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## lizann

summer fate ultimately was a failure i think

 hope there is a mass clear out of useless characters

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## lizann

summer fate ultimately was a failure i think

 hope there is a mass clear out of useless characters

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## Serena Williams

> summer fate ultimately was a failure i think
> 
>  hope there is a mass clear out of useless characters


It was a huge failure a lot of Hype yet only two characters died.

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## Serena Williams

> summer fate ultimately was a failure i think
> 
>  hope there is a mass clear out of useless characters


It was a huge failure a lot of Hype yet only two characters died.

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