Four pints and a funeral – how Emmerdale all began

October 16, 1972, was when Emmerdale made its debut as part of ITV’s first afternoon schedule – a part of the day previously given over to schools programmes and old films. The schedulers squeezed it between Mr & Mrs and All Our Yesterdays.

“He were a good man – in his way,” begrudged Amos Brearly at the Woolpack to Jacob’s wayward and safari-jacketed son, Jack.

Viewers quickly took to the show but it took some ITV stations longer, and Emmerdale was for years shown at different times from region to region.

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