Emmerdale announces hour-long Sunday episode for 50th anniversary

 Here's your first look…

Emmerdale has announced an hour-long Sunday episode for the soap's 50th anniversary.

ITV will air a special edition of the farm soap on Sunday, October 16 to mark the milestone birthday with an action-packed series of storylines that will change the village forever.

To celebrate this huge event, Emmerdale bosses have gathered the entire cast for a birthday photo – from the Dingle dog to young stars like Amelia Flanagan and elder statesman Chris Chittell.

 12 early spoilers for Emmerdale's 50th anniversary episodes

The cast, young and older, have gathered outside the Woolpack to toast a half-century of drama in the Dales… and this birthday celebration will only be heaping more drama on the plate.

Producers have confirmed a a shock storm disaster will strike during the birthday week, while viewers will also say goodbye to Faith Dingle over the next few months and Amelia Spencer delivers her baby.

Many more storylines will come to a head soon too: will Will Taylor and Kim Tate make it down the aisle? Can Naomi Walters clear her name over Nicola's attack? Will Chas Dingle and Al Chapman's affair be exposed?

Producers have ruled out a live episode for the 50th birthday because it doesn't make practical sense for the show at this time.

"There's a reason that viewers like the lives and that's because they are looking for something to go wrong," Jane Hudson told 

"The problem with live episodes is you are really restricted in the stories you can tell. We know that one of the things our viewers love is the stunts we pull out of the bag and you can't do those in a live."

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV and streams on the ITV Hub.