King Charles stuns Emmerdale cast with surprise video at National Television Awards
King Charles stunned the cast of Emmerdale as he praised the award-winning soap at the National Television Awards.
The show is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month and took home the biggest award of the night - Best Serial Drama - beating off stiff competition from Coronation Street, EastEnders and Neighbours.
The King said he was "delighted" to be celebrating the milestone, noting that he is old enough to remember when the show was called Emmerdale Farm.
He described the show as an "amazing British export" that had kept true to its creator's original vision of showing what life is really like for "those who work the land and protect our precious countryside."
"It also stresses brilliantly something that concerns me greatly: the long-term sustainability of the way we produce our food."
"So it is only right that the National Television Awards acknowledge the enormous contribution Emmerdale has made and I hope those watching will join me in sending a warmest congratulations on its 50th anniversary. And wishing it an equally successful future."
The message was recorded while he was still the Prince of Wales, before he took to the throne following the death of the Queen.
Stars were out in full force for the annual ceremony on Thursday, which was held at the OVO Wembley Arena in London.
Mark Charnock, who stars as Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale, won the Serial Drama Performance award.
The soap was first broadcast in 1972 and was originally filmed in the real-life village of Arncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales before moving to Esholt in West Yorkshire.
Its popularity saw production moved to the Harewood Estate in 1998 after the village became too busy to film in as it was inundated with admiring fans.
On Sunday 16 October, the show will air a special hour-long episode, exactly 50 years to the day since it first aired.