Emmerdale superfan from Bridlington boasts memorabilia collection that rivals a museum
Emmerdale enthusiast Steve Marshall, 47, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, has a collection of memorabilia that could "rival a small museum" and has conducted over 1,000 tours of the iconic TV village, with aspirations to appear as an extra on the show one day.
Working in commercial strategy during the week, Steve dedicates his Saturdays to the Emmerdale Village Tour at Harewood House in Leeds, where he serves as the duty manager, starting his journey at the crack of dawn at 3.45am.
His passion for the ITV soap began at the tender age of seven when he visited the original sets at Leathley and Esholt, describing his first time on Main Street as "surreal". A devoted member of the Official Emmerdale Fan Club, Steve has amassed "thousands of pieces" of memorabilia, including books, street signs, historic scripts, and coffin plaques.
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The Emmerdale Village Tour offers fans a peek behind the curtains of Yorkshire's beloved TV village, which Steve describes as "magical", attracting visitors worldwide. Having seen every episode of the soap, Steve admits the thought of it ever concluding is "spooky", but holds onto the dream of walking on as an extra, cherishing the "a special place" Emmerdale has in his heart.
He told PA: “From the very first moment I ever drove down that access road into that village, the one word that stuck in my mind was surreal. Emmerdale has a fantastic ability to take a story, tell that story and the audience invests in it.
“There’s something for everybody... and you can actually turn that from the screen into reality because you can come and experience the village for yourself.”
He added: “Everybody always asks me, but I would love to just be an extra in Emmerdale.”
Steve has "always watched Emmerdale" and shared one of his earliest memories is of seeing "likes of Annie Sugden sitting around that farmhouse table" and other beloved characters at the iconic pub. Recalling his childhood, he visited the original Emmerdale sets at Leathley and Esholt with his parents, marking the start of his passion for the series at the tender age of seven.
"Standing on Main Street for the first time was a magical experience – being in the exact spot where my onscreen favourites acted out their scenes was surreal," he recounted. A dedicated fan, Steve later joined the Official Emmerdale Fan Club and began collecting memorabilia, including postcards sourced from The Post Office in Esholt, famously featured in the programme.
Now his collection boasts thousands of items related to Emmerdale and other soaps, encompassing "every book going", various magazines and even street signs, not to mention one of his "quirkiest" pieces being a coffin plaque for Harriet Finch's character. Proudly, he proclaimed: "I have a collection that could rival a small museum."
"Literally, I could have my own bookshop, but I’ve got everything from magazines to teapots, kitchenware, replica models of some of the properties in the village, pictures, autographs and things that have appeared in the show. I’ve got posters that might have appeared around the set when a character went missing, and I’ve even got props that have appeared on set."
In 2013, Steve expressed his honour at representing Emmerdale fans at the funeral of Richard Thorp, who portrayed Alan Turner for over three decades. He performed a reading at the funeral, which he described as "a deeply moving experience", and has also attended a private memorial for Zak Dingle actor Steve Halliwell, alongside current and former cast members. "These moments meant the world to me," he shared.
The Emmerdale Village Tour was launched in 2015, with Steve being one of the first tour guides – to date, he has conducted approximately 1,080 guided tours.
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Every Saturday, he wakes up at 3.45am to drive to Harewood House and by 8.45am, he is greeting the first group of guests, which can number up to 900 each weekend. He loves witnessing the village during the different seasons and the "fabulous sunrises" on his commute, and despite it being a full-on day and some people thinking he's mad, he "wouldn’t have it any other way".
"I think the fact that I’ve done this for years is hopefully testament to the fact that I love it, but I also want to make sure that it’s magical for our guests who come on the tour as well," he added.
Steve shared that his favourite part of the job is meeting guests from all over, including places as far-flung as Brisbane, Australia, and Toronto, Canada. He revealed that the tours can be quite "emotional" for visitors, with some even choosing to propose on set.
Recalling one particular incident, Steve said, "One time, I was talking about the storylines, the iconic characters, and I turned away to talk about the cottages at the other side, and then, I don’t know what made me look back, but there was a guy down on one knee."
He believes the tour creates memorable experiences, noting, "We’re creating that ability for people who have a passion with soaps to come to the set and they will probably always remember that as a magical moment."
He added, "‘So where were you when you proposed? ’, ‘I was actually on the steps of The Woolpack’."
With his extensive knowledge, Steve has contributed to the scriptwriting for the tours and the content for the visitor guidebook, which some fans have asked him to autograph. The tours also offer Star Tours featuring surprise visits from cast members like Jeff Hordley, Danny Miller, Michelle Hardwick, and others.
Steve encourages those unfamiliar with the show to give it a try and hopes to continue crafting "magical moments" for visitors at the tour, run by Continuum Attractions, for many years.
"When you talk to the guests they say ‘I’m here celebrating my 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th’, or ‘We’re here as an anniversary present’,". "People are celebrating milestones, and doing that in a place like Emmerdale is magical."
Reflecting on his own journey, he continued: "When you put your mind to it and think, could I have a connection somehow with that programme, it’s surprising (what can happen). Pursue your dream and it can all come true."