Exclusive: Summer Preview: Emmerdale

It's definitely been far from quiet in the Dales, what with the culmination of the 'Who Killed Tom King?' storyline (finally) and the death of Len Reynolds (Peter Martin) in May; Marlon's shooting, Louise and Jamie embarking on an affair, Sharon's WAGs wedding and Carl dumping Chas last month. Whatever next?

Well, over the next few weeks and months, there's definitely more where that came from.

First, Lexi Nicholls (Sally Oliver) makes her (ahem) entrance on Friday, July 20 via the Kings' kitchen window. Her fist job is at Pollard's (Chris Chittell) factor, courtesy of David (Matthew Wolfenden). However, when that doesn't quite go to plan, David offers her a job with his cleaning business. My guess is that she doesn't last long there, either and soon lands a bar work at the Woolpack…

Laurel made a welcome return to Emmerdale as she returned to filming this week. Her character, Laurel, gives birth in the last week of August – only a week after she re-appears on screen. August 21 to be precise. Ironically, Charlotte stopped filming at the end of last year to have her second child in real life! She gave birth to a healthy baby boy called Herbie, brother to Charlotte's first child, Sonny. And the clever head honchos at Emmerdale filmed a hoard of scenes so Laurel could still pop up in scenes while Charlotte was on maternity leave. You'd never know she was gone!

Duncan Preston and Paula Wilcox – Doug Hilary Potts, Laurel's mother and father in the show – also return to filming in the Dales in the next couple of weeks. Their re-appearance on screen will happen early September just in time for the birth of their on-screen grandchild.

Former Neighbours actress Anne Charleston is yet another semi-regular who returns to Yorkshire at the end of August to film scenes which are due to air in October.

Elsewhere, Adele Silva – Kelly Windsor is filming until the end of August. Thereafter, she'll be taking a year out to pursue other projects. And one of them won't include Hell's Kitchen.

On to storyline gossip now.

Keeping on the same topic of Kelly, she faces a tough decision in the coming weeks when she finds out that she's pregnant. However, with her modelling career finally taking off, which will she choose? The catwalk or motherhood?

I'm sure you've all seen in the papers that Carl King (Tom Lister) embarks on an affair with the woman who's technically after his blood – although she doesn't know that. DCI Grace Barraclough (Glynis Barber) has become so embroiled in the hunt for Tom King (which I think we all gave up on during New Year's Day) that she thinks Carl could lead her to the killer she's been trying to track down for just under 30 – yes, THIRTY weeks.

"We asked 100 detectives: Name a way of eliciting a confession from a murderer"
Barraclough: "Entering into a relationship with him"
"Our survey says"
"Erh Ergh"

Our Grace thinks she'll succeed anyway. But an insider told me: "Barraclough takes drastic measures to try and get the confession that she's longed for but things don't quite go to plan. Who falls in love with who? Will Carl ever tell her the truth? What will she say if she finds out?"

Meanwhile, Rosemary's (Linda Thorson) mind games with Perdy (Georgia Slowe) continue well into the summer. I don't think it's Perdy who's going crazy, it's Rosemary. My source revealed: "At the beginning of August, Rosemary turns to medical means in continuation of her battle to turn Perdy insane."

Surely someone will rumble her in time? Won't they?

Also, the Diane (Elizabeth Estensen), Billy (David Crellin), Jack (Clive Hornby) love triangle reaches a peak at the end of August – who will Diane choose?

And finally, Emmerdale celebrates its 35th anniversary on October 16. And I've heard whispers on the grapevine that one character will be sensationally killed off during the festivities.

My source added: "They're planning a whole host of stunts and big scenes to celebrate the 35th anniversary in style but they're still deciding whether to bump off a character or not."

I bet they do. And I bet it's Jack Sugden. It'll be a brave move killing off one of Emmerdale's most iconic characters but it'll definitely be an apt move for such a landmark episode.