Mark Charnock found filming ‘Emmerdale 1918’ "very moving".
The 50-year-old actor – who plays Marlon Dingle in the ITV soap – is set to star in a new documentary which will see him and several of his co-stars, including Natalie J. Robb (Moira Dingle), tell stories about World War I heroes from the village of Esholt, which inspired the soap, and Mark admits it was a "moving" shoot.
He said: "We all found it very moving and became personally invested."
Mark – whose character Marlon is a chef – followed the story of Army cook Frederick Brocklehurst for the documentary, but he joked it was "unfortunate" he had done the cooking for the cast and crew on the last day of filming.
He said: "The producers kept their cards close to their chests, so we didn’t know what to expect on that last day.
"But Emmerdale’s main street was lined with people waving flags and we had a brass band – and unfortunately I’d cooked for everyone, which got a mixed response. There was a real village fayre feel about it – it was very warm and sincere."
After shooting the show, the former ‘Cadfael’ actor admits he would be up for heading back in time for a special episode of the ITV soap.
When asked if he would like to film an ‘Emmerdale’ special set in 1918, he added to Inside Soap magazine: "That would be fantastic. But I reckon only if I can have a great big moustache."
Mark’s exploration of Frederick’s story will take place in the first episode, and later in the series Natalie will look into information about Esholt’s Women’s Land Army volunteers, and Zoe Henry, who plays vet Rhona Goskirk in ‘Emmerdale’, will find out about a front-line vet.
Emmerdale’s outdoor scenes were shot in Esholt from 1976 to 1999, when the soap moved to a purpose-built location on the Harewood estate near Leeds.
Mark Charnock ‘moving’ Emmerdale 1918 filming
