The cast of Emmerdale ditched the iconic Woolpack for a day out in the woods, in a bid to fulfil a promise made in celebration of the soap’s 10,000th episode.
In May, cast and crew members pledged to help the local environment by planting 60,000 trees.
And last week, the cast donned their work boots and headed to Gair Wood in Leeds to help the University of Leeds with weed control and general tree maintenance on the 36-hectare site.
Gair Wood, part of the White Rose Forest community in North and West Yorkshire, is located a short distance from the site of the village of Emmerdale.
In the sweet snap captured on-site, Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard) and Ash Palmisciano (Matty Barton) were all smiles.
The cast of Emmerdale ditched the iconic Woolpack for a day out in the woods, in a bid to fulfil a promise made in celebration of the soap’s 10,000th episode (Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon Dingle, pictured)
In May, cast and crew pledged to help the local environment by planting 60,000 trees (pictured is Chris Chittell, who plays Eric Pollard).
Emmerdale production director Nader Mabadi said: ‘Looking after these trees in their crucial first five years is vital.
‘At Emmerdale, our Green Team, made up of representatives from a range of departments including costume, camera, makeup and sound, as well as cast members, meets monthly to integrate sustainability into our storylines and on-set practices.
‘From eliminating single-use cups to installing energy-efficient lighting, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact.
‘These volunteer days are part of ITV’s wider commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, allowing us to make a tangible difference beyond the studio.’
This comes after it was revealed that James Chase has left the soap after two years and is preparing to film his final dramatic scenes.
The 28-year-old actor is well known for his role as Tom King, but it appears his time on the ITV soap has come to an end.
She’ll be leaving in style, in a typical Emmerdale twist, later this year and the drama won’t be spared.
This will mean good news for the soap’s dog Piper, after the series was criticised for sickening scenes when the rescue dog was abused by vet Tom in an attempt to control his wife Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper).
And last week, the cast donned their work boots and headed to Gair Wood in Leeds to help the University of Leeds with weed control and general tree maintenance on the 36-hectare site.
In the sweet snap captured on-site, Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard) and Ash Palmisciano (Matty Barton) were all smiles.
Emmerdale star James Chase has left the soap after two years and is preparing to film his final dramatic scenes (pictured this month)
Earlier this week, soap fans warned that Tom’s fate was “sealed” after he made a crucial mistake while tormenting his wife Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper).
In the two-character story, Belle feared for her life as Tom’s vile treatment of her continued to escalate, after learning that he was planning to move them permanently to a remote cottage in Wales.
A television source said Sun It was the right time to leave for the actor, who added: ‘James has loved his time on the show playing such a powerful story, but the truth is characters like Tom have a shelf life for a reason.
“There is no long-term redemption for Tom – he has to go one way or another. And either way, it will be dramatic.
“James is proud of the role he has played in raising awareness of the issue with his story, but it’s time to get out there and spread his wings.”
James was the fourth actor to portray the character and joined in 2023 as Tom King who returns as Belle Dingle’s love interest.
But shortly after convincing Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) to marry him, his abusive behavior was revealed.
Earlier this week, soap fans warned that Tom’s fate had been “sealed” after he made a crucial mistake while tormenting his wife Belle in a dramatic flashback episode.
In the two-character story, Belle feared for her life as Tom’s vile treatment of her continued to escalate, after learning that he was planning to move them permanently to a remote cottage in Wales, without her family’s knowledge.
After Charity and Cain Dingle found the cottage trashed and splattered with blood in an episode earlier this week, viewers finally learned the truth about Belle and Tom’s trip on Wednesday.
Tom chased Bella through the fields, but she managed to flag down a passing bus and climbed aboard with Piper.
Since their engagement last year, Tom’s abuse and control over Belle has continued to escalate, despite her hopes that he would change his behavior.
After travelling to Wales with her dog Piper, Belle was terrified to learn that Tom was planning to make a permanent offer on the cottage without her knowledge and had already secured a job as a vet.
Tom furiously beat his wife before locking her in the house, and in violent scenes Belle cut her hand on broken glass, causing blood to stain the door.
After seemingly hinting that he might kill her, Belle locked herself in a room and the next morning, when Tom was in the shower, she decided to escape with Piper, locking him in the house.
Tom chased Bella across the fields, but she managed to flag down a passing bus and climbed aboard with Piper.
For help and support, contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
