Emmerdale Farm Celebrates

"'Emmerdale Farm' is my salvation. I can put up my feet and I see the sun and I can smell it and I can see it and I can have a cup of tea with Annie and I think 'My God, I'll be able to last out 'til I can go up [to Yorkshire] again next year.'"- Jean Rook
Emmerdale Farm Celebrates was a 30-minute special covering a luncheon at the Queens Hotel in Leeds attended by the Emmerdale Farm cast in celebration of their 1000th episode. The luncheon took place on 7th November 1985 and the programme aired on 11th November ahead of the 1000th episode airing on the 12th November.
In attendance at the event were Sheila Mercier, Frederick Pyne, Jean Rogers, Benjamin Whitehead, Clive Hornby, Helen Weir, Ian Sharrock, Jane Hutcheson, Arthur Pentelow, Ronald Magill, Hugh Manning, Stan Richards, Al Dixon, Richard Thorp and Diana Davies who were all briefly interviewed by presenter Richard Whiteley.
The luncheon was also a charity event and therefore H.R.H. The Princess Michael of Kent also attended as a guest of honour, and gave a speech saying she had never seen an episode of the programme as she didn't watch much television, but planned to watch at least one episode following attending the event.
Television presenter Russel Harty and journalist Jean Rook also attended the event and gave short speeches. Real-life farmer Ted Moult attended too and all three were briefly interviewed about the programme by Richard.
Coverage of the luncheon was interspersed with brief archive clips from the programme's history and a short behind the scenes look at the filming of Episode 1007 due to be transmitted on 5th December.
Ronald Magill also gave a speech at the luncheon in the style of Amos Brearly, which has been transcribed below:
"On behalf of my colleagues, I'd like to say how delighted we were that Her Royal Highness graced our table and we herewith dub her Yorkshire lass honoury, 'cos we think she's gradley. One thousand episodes of Emmerdale Farm - by 'eck that's a lot of mucking out, that's a lot of milk flowing from udders. My Brearly statistics that Mr. Turner, in the few years he's been with us, has consumed 250 bottles of whiskey. He has said, 150 times - "I do beg your pardon Mrs. Bates" and said 250 times - "Seth, get out of here." Pat, Dolly, Annie have brewed 900 pots of tea and prepared 780 breakfasts, dinners and suppers. Matt has milked 3,500 cows. Jack - a lot less than that, because at times his attention was elsewhere. Same goes for Jackie. Like father, like son. The unnacceptable face of Emmerdale Farm. Now, I reckon, Mr. Wilks has said to me "For heaven's sake Amos" and I've said "Nay, Nay, Nay, Mr. Wilks" 450 times. I've pulled 2,050 pints, Mr. Wilks a lot less."
Telegrams of congratulations on the milestone episode were also received and read out by Russel Harty from the cast and crew of Crossroads, Brookside, Albion Market and Coronation Street.
The programme was released on the Emmerdale Specials Scandinavian DVD boxset in 2008 in a cropped widescreen aspect ratio.
Category:Programmes about Emmerdale