Emmerdale spoilers: Ryan Hawley and Danny Miller reveal all on Robert and Aarons wedding episode

It may be one of the most long awaited wedding days in soap history but Emmerdale fans have very little time to wait before Aaron Dingle and Robert Sugden get married. Robron fans have high hopes for the special episode that will see the soulmates tie the knot after months and years of obstacles.

Actors Danny Miller and Ryan Hawley are confident that viewers will be happy with the result, saying that there is a definite full stop to all of the recent dramas that have led them to this point. On set for the filming of the wedding, Metro.co.uk caught up with the actors who play the popular couple to get the lowdown ahead of the episode.

Its been a long time coming- when you read the scripts for this wedding, is it everything youd hoped for?

Ryan: It very much feels like a full stop – its the most definitive thing I think Ive ever read in Emmerdale, which is really nice. It puts an end to the kind of are they a couple, are they married, are they not married, is it legal, is it not legal? You know, no ones going to prison, its over, its done, they are married now.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Do you worry then that if theres too much stability, that theyll stop writing for you?

Ryan: Its very possible, yeah, but you know, there are other storylines other than romantic storylines, theres lots of things that Robert and Aaron have got into in the past, in terms of the schemes theyve done over the years – well just have to wait and see.

How does it compare to the last wedding in the garage?

Danny: It feels much more like a wedding, with all the family there and I think theres such a big thing going on with Chas and Paddy that theres a lot more reason to it this time – were not just doing it just for us, were going to do it for the whole family in a way. Make it official and make it a family event. It very much feels like that, like a community coming together, doesnt it?

Ryan: Yeah, its the centre of the village, theres loads of cast members there, the decoration is a lot more thought out, and classy. I think one of the actual things in the script is, its a million times more classy than the last time. (laughs) It should be a lot more of an occasion and celebratory than maybe two guys in the garage getting married hastily cause one of thems going away to prison.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Queen of Robron Maxine Alderton has written the episode – do you think that adds a lot to how special this wedding is?

Ryan: I think its very much appealing to the people that are Robron fans; I think that its very much written for them. I really hope that they enjoy it because it is one of the very few occasions in the show where you get to see two people genuinely happy. Most of the time theres always something that people are worried about, if its Liv, if its exams, if its someone going to prison, if its someone having an affair, if its a baby being born, theres always something, and on this occasion its an episode where its just happiness and thats it.

And I think Maxine, she knows the relationship of the two characters better than anyone anywhere and also I think she knows how to write for the particular Robron fans very well. Hopefully its a success.

Its quite unusual for soaps for a wedding to actually go to plan and to be happy, do you think people need that bit of uplift at the moment with the world the way it is?

Danny: I think so, thats a good comment really. Weve always said would it be boring if it was just a straightforward wedding with no drama and you kind of think maybe it would be but realistically theyve been through so much that theres not really a lot left, bar a helicopter crashing…

Advertisement

Ryan: Been there, done that!

So whats the story now going forward?

Ryan: To be honest with you I dont really know, long term, thats always been my personal preference of approach, I dont really want to concentrate too far on whats happening in the future, Id rather just do what Im doing right now. Theres a lot of stuff to get through in a block of soap scripts, but whats nice at the end of this episode is that they ride off onto their honeymoon and I think were actually not in the next block.

You could have got a nice jolly holiday out of that!

Ryan: We could have got a spin off! That long lost spin off that was talked about all those years ago, that never happened!

Danny: Yeah, the DVD in shops for Christmas!

Ryan: Bottom of the bargain bucket! (laughs)

How does it feel to have a new producer in charge?

Danny: I think Ive been in for long enough now to see producers come and go, people who have had a part in the show beforehand and people that are coming into it completely blind. I think its nice that you get the change in particular with Laura and Kate – theyve got a specific route that they want to take with the show and I think each person comes in and adds a little bit, with the likes of different character groups and different storylines.

Advertisement

For us down on the floor it never necessarily changes in that we notice much but its good that we get to have different people having their influence on the show, implementing their ideas into it.

Ryan: I think the show needs it, doesnt it, 330 episodes a year, it needs people to come in every now and then. Different minds, different ideas. Theres always, like Danny says, a new take on it and new character groups come in or new character groups get used more and less, but its quite nice.

Could you talk about the Chas and Paddy angle to the week as well? Does it make Aaron question whether he wants to have the wedding with the tragedy thats happening?

Danny: Absolutely, yeah, its a lot to with the fact that its so soon after the events with Chas and Paddy that it feels too raw for them to be able to just do it there and then. The fact that theyve talked about it for so long and its been postponed makes Chas push it through. There is always that in the back of Aarons mind during the ceremony that its difficult for his mum, its a few days before, it still goes ahead. Its touching but its also nice that hes doing it for the family.

You must be proud of how theyve tackled the storyline; its been really sublime, hasnt it?

Danny: Absolutely, yeah, both of them have got their own kids; particularly Lucy, shes close in terms of storylines to do with babies and she has her two gorgeous twins – you can see the looks on their faces during the scenes, you can tell what theyre thinking and its really not nice to read and to listen to a lot of the stuff thats been written. Im so proud of them, theyve just taken it on and doing one take and keeping it fresh and raw, and theyre amazing. Ive learnt so much from them so its nice to see that theyve both landed a massive story. Theyve both done so well.

Do you think Dominic has been underrated over the years?

Danny: Its a shame really, especially because hes been so so supportive of the show and supportive of individuals in the show. Whenever anybodys won any awards hes always been the first to congratulate them. Hes not bothered about those kind of awards, sometimes its kind of nice that you dont get them, because its the pressure of it. He plays Paddy and he does it exceptionally well. And so does Lucy as Chas.

Do you think the tragedy of whats happened at the start of the week places so much more importance on this wedding which comes at the end, that theres a need to have this really happy event?

Danny: Definitely, I think also that the fact that, its not that they want you to forget about it, but they want you to see that families come together. I think its very much a band aid for that problem, especially with Chas and Paddy. Hes their son, so they are happy, even if at the back of their minds theyre hurting.

Ryan, when you said that it puts a full stop on certain parts of the storyline, do you think it does the same to the duplicitous side of Roberts nature? Is he more committed that he has been?

Ryan: It certainly feels like that for me, thats not really written as much now. I guess Ill have to wait and see over the next few blocks or the next year.

Is that how you see him as yourself, as a more morally centred guy?

Ryan: The Robert we have now is a much more morally centred guy. The function of the character is more that of being in a family unit with Liv, Aaron and Seb. That side of the duplicitous and out to get what you want, its not really there any more. Personally I liked that side of the character, but Im happy to be whatever is written for me.

Do you think its quite progressive of Emmerdale? It shouldnt be in this day and age, but it does feel that soaps are leading the way and showing two gay men in a stable relationship dealing with family issues.

Ryan: I think particularly with soaps, because they are every day, theres so many episodes, theyre watched by so many people whereas a drama can go unnoticed, maybe you wouldnt see that relationship that youd talk about. Whereas in this, its at the centre of the show, its watched continuously by people that faithfully tune in to the show. It is savvy to be that prevalent and that focal in a show like this.

With the wedding episode in particular, is there a pressure on you to get this almost perfect because youve got the most vocal fanbase- theyll have an image in their minds of exactly what they want it to be?

Ryan: I think we just go with it, dont we? It is what it is.

Danny: To a certain degree as well, its not within our control. We can only do whats written on the paper, the directors are there to do the rest of it, but there are a lot of well-known references to the couple and I think the fans will be pleased that they do get the nod of the cap. But we just like to keep it 110% like we do on everything, whether we see them at home having a cup of tea or at a big wedding. Theyre just a genuine couple, theyre just best mates, in a relationship and thats what we play.

Ryan: The strongest relationship is when its relatable and when its two people you can relate to rather than two people that are what a certain person might hold as an ideal romantic pairing. Its more relatable to have two genuine people with all their flaws, two human people, rather than a fantasy.

Do you ever find it weird knowing that every look or gesture you make in your performance could be made into a GIF or a meme?

Ryan: Yeah, thanks for that (laughs)

Danny: I dont know how you make them but I suppose they can make it out of anything we do.

Ryan: I wish I knew how to make those things – WhatsApp would be very entertaining!

Do you think they can co-parent successfully alongside Rebecca in future?

Ryan: Its quite difficult to talk about without giving anything away!

Advertisement

Advertisement