The day of the big Emmerdale stunt has arrived and many more lives than anyone first thought will be in serious peril.

It’s been teased for weeks; we’ve seen glimpses of hands trying to break through the ice in some dark video sneak peeks. Is Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) the one to blame for the upcoming carnage?

Liam is at the forefront of this drama as he is gearing up for a huge move in his relationship with Chas Dingle – he is going to propose. No one – not even Chas – will see this one coming, and it triggers a chain of events.

Actress Lucy Pargeter told Metro: ‘I think she’s quite happy the way things are going and that it’s quite slow and it’s quite a slow burner. I don’t think she is expecting him to take that next step.’

Well, she’s certainly in for a shock.

Liam learns that there is a Valentine’s raffle courtesy of Take A Vow to win a night out in a limo and he concocts a plan to buy as many tickets as he can in the hope he’ll win. It’ll then set the scene for his romantic proposal.

He sets the wheels in motion by asking Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) for his mum’s hand in marriage.

There’s a buzz of excitement as the raffle rolls around, but it’s quickly snuffed out when Liam fails to win – Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton) does instead. His romantic proposal hopes are dashed.

But ever the optimist, Dr Liam finds a new way through and hires another limo – but his plan is once again thwarted when he learns Kerry is using her win to take all the girls out – including Chas.

With all the obstacles, Liam starts to see it as an omen. Actor Jonny McPherson tells us: ‘Yes I think a little part of him does begin to have doubts whether this is the right thing to do.’

Perhaps he really should give up because a) Chas is on course to break his heart, and b) his persistent need for an over-the-top romantic proposal will put many lives in danger.

With no date and an expensive limo in his midst, Liam decides to organise a boys’ night out. There’s a thrill in the air in the village as the two parties prepare for their respective Valentine’s limo rides, with the girls celebrating Galentine’s, and the boys all dressing up as James Bond. But their respective evenings look to be in jeopardy when they realise they have no drivers.

Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and Caleb Miligan (William Ash) volunteer to take the wheel. Caleb’s reason being he wants to sit as far away from his back-stabbing brother as he can. Two fateful decisions.

Liam tries to bring his proposal plans back into action and enlists Mandy Dingle’s (Lisa Riley) help. As the night gets going, there’s a sense of chaos from the girls, and a huge row is sparked amongst the boys.

‘So much happens, there’s a big revelation that comes out and all I’m going to say is there’s so many twists and you will not believe where this night ends up,’ actor Ash Palmisciano teases.

With drama going on in the back of the cars, the two drivers are separately completely distracted. As they wrestle with their misbehaving passengers, they both swerve off the road in separate terrifying incidents.

One crashes onto a frozen lake, and as the ice begins to crack, the lives of several Emmerdale locals are in grave danger.

We know we’re set to lose Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi), but will she be one to die in a crash? Who will be taken by the frozen lake?

Hinting at the utter devastation to befall the village, actor Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy, explains:

‘I think we are driving around, and in the limousine, we have got drinks, so it is a night out in the limo – so I guess there is no actual destination. Well, there is a destination. A very final destination…’

Good lord.

Confirming the gravity of the situation for our favourites, Natalie Ann Jamieson added: ‘It’s a very serious end to the episode and it has repercussions and certain repercussions for people.’