Today (January 21) marks the beginning of ITV3 broadcasting Classic Emmerdale: repeats of the rural soap airing every weekday in a double bill.

They aren't starting from the start, however. The soap began in 1972, but these repeats are starting from November 1989, when it was renamed from Emmerdale Farm to just Emmerdale.

That means that viewers watching these classic episodes for the first time might find themselves a bit lost, but don't worry!

Related: Emmerdale star hits out at eBay scammers

A dedicated fan has compiled an ultimate catch-up saga to bring you up to speed on all the important, need to know events before watching the first of ITV3's repeats (which have already aired at the time of writing, but you know... catch up, recordings and 9-5 jobs and all).

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Between the new episodes of every soap, ITV3's weekday double-bills of Classic Coronation Street and the UKTV channel Drama showing old episodes of EastEnders, fans can pretty much watch nothing but slap fights, affairs, stolen kisses and murders.

Less depressing than the news anyway.

In current Emmerdale news, fan-favourite couple Charity and Vanessa finally got engaged, but in typical soap fashion, their relationship is going to be tested very soon.

ITV

Classic Emmerdale airs every weekday at 1:45pm and 2:15pm, while modern Emmerdale airs daily at 7pm, with an extra episode of Thursdays.

Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our Emmerdale homepage

Digital Spy Soap Scoop video - hit play below for all the latest Emmerdale spoilers, as Cain is arrested over Joe Tate's death and Victoria discovers she may be pregnant.

Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.

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