Emmerdale star admits most ‘nerve-wracking’ pressure of Corriedale stunts

With explosions, night shoots and crossover chaos on a scale rarely seen in soaps, Emmerdale star Joe-Warren Plant has revealed just how intense filming Corriedale really was, admitting the pressure of the stunts made it one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his career.

Speaking at the Corriedale premiere, the actor, who plays Jacob Gallagher, opened up about his reaction to being asked to take part in the ambitious crossover event between Emmerdale and Coronation Street. While the idea alone was exciting, Joe-Warren admitted to us that there was also a moment of uncertainty about how such a huge concept would actually work.

‘I was really excited! Obviously, you have that whole wondering how the story is going to go and how they’re going to make it interact, but I was over the moon,’ he said. ‘I was surprised it took us this long to get around to doing it, knowing how long each soap’s been going, but I feel really privileged to be a part of it.’

For a show that has been on air for decades, Corriedale represents something genuinely new, and for Joe-Warren, it also meant stepping into unfamiliar territory alongside a completely different cast.

When asked about working with the Coronation Street actors for the first time, he admitted the crossover brought out his inner fan.

‘Yeah, well, I’ve never worked with any of them to be fair, and I was fan boy’ing as well, it’s just as much about my life as it is everyone’s in this country, it’s a part of our culture,’ he explained.

Filming the episode wasn’t a quick job either. The scale of the production meant long hours, late nights and an intensity that went far beyond the usual soap routine.

‘We had a lot of time to interact, we had 3 weeks of nightshoots and they were pretty intense,’ Joe-Warren revealed. ‘There was a lot of waiting around as well but what we were filming was obviously really important.’

The production itself also pushed boundaries for him as an actor, with filming techniques unlike anything he’d experienced before.

‘Even the way the camera was set up, it was different to anything I have filmed before,’ he said. ‘We had a lot of time to interact with each other in the dressing rooms and stuff, everyone was really grateful.’

That extended time together helped break down barriers between the two soap casts, and even led to new friendships.

‘Yeah definitely, definitely,’ Joe-Warren confirmed when asked if he’d made new friends along the way.

But it’s the physical demands of Corriedale that seem to have left the biggest impression. With the episode packed full of explosive moments and high-stakes drama, Joe-Warren admitted there was no way to avoid getting involved.

‘I feel like pretty much everyone was involved in some sort of way, which I think is going to make this episode really fun to watch,’ he said.

The pressure, however, was very real. Some scenes allowed no room for error, raising the stakes not just for the characters, but for the actors themselves.

‘It was kinda nerve wracking to be on set, there were 2 or 3 shots where there was a lot on the line, we only had one shot to do certain things’, he revealed.

Rather than being a drawback, Joe-Warren believes that intensity actually fed into the performances, adding authenticity to moments of fear and chaos on screen.

‘So feeling that pressure added to the realism and pressure and nervousness anyone would be feeling in those types of scenes, so I feel like it’s going to work out quite well.’

With its extended night shoots, ambitious stunts and rare crossover storytelling, Corriedale is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about soap events in years.

And if Joe-Warren Plant’s experience is anything to go by, viewers can expect drama that feels as real and heart-pounding as it was to film.

As the countdown continues, one thing is clear: the pressure behind the scenes has been just as intense as the drama set to unfold on screen, and that’s exactly what could make Corriedale unmissable.