Emmerdale's Danny Miller speaks out over Robron future
Emmerdale favourite Danny Miller recently promised a ray of hope for Robron, so when he caught up with Digital Spy during a break from filming this week, we tried to do the shippers proud by getting a few more hints on what's in store.
We know Aaron and Robert will reunite at some point, but what would bring them back together? Could they have kids in the future? And what's the latest on Liv's big storyline? Take it away, Danny...
You've teased on Twitter that you've been filming some more positive Robron scenes recently. Can you tell us anything else?
"Hmm, what can I tell you?! (Laughs.) Well, I can tell you that in the past, our producer Iain MacLeod has said that there is going to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Robert and Aaron. So there's definitely going to be a way forward for them.
"All I can say is that there will be progress towards that, but I can't tell you how much progress. It might just be a fat load of nothing, or it might be a big step! You'll have to wait and see, but once it's on screen, I'll let everyone know which day I was referring to on Twitter."
Robert and Aaron deciding to just be friends on Christmas Day seemed quite final. What would bring them back together?
"I think it's very much that – up until that point, they'd never had that conversation that 'it's over'. Anybody who's been in that situation after a long relationship would feel sad. In this case, the love is so strong for Robert from Aaron's point of view, and I'm sure it's returned equally.
"So I think it's that which would make Aaron go: 'I didn't want to have that conversation'. I also think Aaron didn't necessarily believe that conversation he had with Robert. I think he was trying to do it for himself and his mental health. So even though Aaron has said his 'final goodbyes', he still feels that it isn't over."
Are you looking forward to filming the Robron wedding that's been promised for the summer?
"Yeah, I am. I'm looking forward to getting the scripts first, as I genuinely have no idea what it's going to be like! The company is so busy with creating storylines and writing scripts, so it's not always easy to have meetings and chats with people upstairs to hear exactly what's going to happen.
"So I'll be very intrigued to find out what the wedding is going to be like. I feel like a little bit of a fan myself at the moment, awaiting these scripts, just like people are waiting for them to come on the screen. I'm sure there'll be a couple of surprises in there."
Would you still like Robert and Aaron to have their own family at some point – maybe adopt?
"There's other issues at the moment, but I think seeing them adopting in the future would be a nice way to round them off, as we'd have seen them come through their problems by that point. They've had so many issues, both together and apart. But I think Robert and Aaron could realise that they could actually be good role models, because they've come through those issues.
"It'd be nice to see them adopt, or do something else to say to other people out there: 'This is the world we're living in now. It's modern, it's great and non-judgemental, so you can do it, as Robert and Aaron did it'. That would be nice, but I don't make the stories so I'll just do whatever they tell me!"
How has the atmosphere on set changed since Adam Thomas (Adam Barton) left?
"It's a lot quieter! There's not as many laughs, so I miss Adam terribly. I always knew that I was going to. We'd been in it together since the start pretty much, so I do miss him – it'd be a lie if I said that I didn't. But you have your other groups of cast that you work with too. For me that'd be Isobel (Liv), Dominic (Paddy), Lucy (Chas) and Ryan (Robert).
"The other side of it is that 'it's showbiz' and you have to get on with it. You can't dwell on it too much, otherwise you'd be upset every week, with the amount of people who come and go from the show.
"But I'm lucky enough to be friends with Adam outside of Emmerdale, so it's nice to be able to fill him in on what's going on in work when we see each other. I know he's missing it, but he left to go and try other things, so I'm proud of him for making the move."
We never know how seriously to take Adam's tweets, but he did say on Twitter recently that he'd like to come back! Do you think he will at some point down the line?
"Possibly, he may well do! But as you said, I think Adam likes to wind people up on Twitter. Some journalists take it really seriously, others take it for what it should be, which is a laugh.
"But I think there's no hiding that Adam loves the show and it's been such a big part of him. I think he was enjoying the craic with it on Twitter whilst it was being aired, but I know he's looking for new challenges after being here for so long. He wanted to spread his wings a little bit and I know he'll be great.
"That's not to say he might not come back, though. I'd welcome him back with open arms but it's not my decision!"
Are the producers still planning a big story for Liv?
"Yeah, I think there will be a big story for Liv. There's a lot of stuff going on with her in stuff that we're filming at the moment. What I can say is that Liv is so similar to Aaron in terms of her character and her mannerisms. We worked hard on that and it's been picked up.
"There may or may not be an opportunity for Aaron to advise Liv as an older brother, who's been through something similar to what she may go through. He can speak from his experience and try to help her, but it's a question of whether or not she'll allow him in to talk to her about that kind of stuff."
Will it be nice for you to support her storyline, rather than the other way around?
"Absolutely. I've just been waiting for that chance, and I know they're planning to give Liv some brilliant stuff this year. Isobel has been amazing at supporting my storylines with Aaron in prison and all that kind of stuff, so it's always nice to return the favour and be there as the support for her storyline.
"I know how good Isobel is, so it'll be good to see her ideas and talents flourish. I'm there to help her if she needs help… but she doesn't! She's only 17 but she has the mind of a 30-year-old woman. She's very strong and she's independent. I know whatever they give her, she'll smash it."
Joe Tate is making the Dingles' lives a misery at the moment. Could Aaron get more involved in that?
"Possibly, but if there's any problems with the Dingles, it's usually Cain who deals with it! When I catch the show, sometimes I think 'why wasn't I in that scene?' when all of the Dingles are sat round having tea. (Laughs.) But there's obviously an explanation, because he'll be with someone else at that time.
"Even though Aaron is part of the Dingles, he has his own branches of relationships. You can't cram too much in, otherwise you'd be in every scene. It'd be nice to get involved at some point and I'm sure Aaron will be. Aaron's scrapyard is just behind the Dingles', so Joe had better watch out!"
We asked Shaun Thomas (Gerry) about you in our recent interview with him, so it's only fair to return the favour! Do you hope he stays involved in your storylines?
"I love working with Shaun. I think he's hilarious and he's settled in so well here. Everyone is a big fan of him. Everybody has got nothing but nice things to say about him, and rightly so. I think Gerry is perfect for Aaron in terms of a new character relationship. He's quite dopey and he has no clue over what happens in life at all, so I think Aaron would be a good role model for him.
"There's also elements of Adam Barton in there, with Aaron taking him under his wing. I'd love to work with him more. Obviously Aaron has taken a liking to him, so that's why Gerry's still living with him."
Whose storylines have you enjoyed watching this year?
"Rhona's storyline with Pierce was really good, and Ashley's dementia too. I'm a big fan of whodunits anyway, but I think the way Iain and the team crafted the 'Who Killed Emma?' plot was brilliant. It wasn't a typical whodunit. I think watching it, you felt like you really wanted to know who'd done that to such an evil character, and you weren't quite sure if they needed to be punished or praised for it.
"Especially the twist with the killer being Moira, I didn't see that coming at all. I had my money on Pete. I thought Gillian Kearney was so good as Emma, making you hate her character that much.
"More recently the big crash for the Whites was brilliant. I couldn't find any faults with it whatsoever, as all of them were amazing. Particularly young Thomas Atkinson who plays Lachlan, he was fantastic in it. I was just glued to it."
You're up for the Serial Drama Performance prize at the National Television Awards on Tuesday. Do you hope it's your year?
"I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't like to win it. I've been up there and had so many chances before, but have never won it. It'd be amazing to do so, but every year, I don't ever expect that it's a given for me to be nominated. So the fact that people are still voting to get me into the shortlist is amazing anyway.
"In terms of chances, I'm up against Lacey Turner, Barbara Knox and Lucy Fallon, and I know how amazing all three ladies are. I'm literally just going there, hoping for the best and expecting nothing. Anything else is a bonus and we'll see how it plays out on the night."
Emmerdale is on a big winning streak – do you feel the pressure to keep the Best Soap prizes coming in?
"Not really, because it's still very much new territory for us. Although it's been an 18-month winning streak, it's still very new to us and we're still expecting someone to pull the rug from under our feet and say 'it's over'!
"But we'd be happy with that, because for many years we went there and didn't do very well at these things. It's literally just the fact that we won it last year so our hopes are raised, but we never expect to win it. It never gets old if you do win, it always gives you the same overwhelming feeling."
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