Emmerdale cast members took to the skies in a sponsored wing walk, raising over £13,000 for Cure Usher, a charity close to their hearts. The event, held at Leeds East Airport, featured stars Bradley Riches, Jack Downham, Lawrence Robb, and Matthew Wolfenden, alongside Cure Usher patron Mark Jordon and seven other participants.
Participants and Supporters
Mark Jordon, who plays Daz Spencer on the ITV soap, told Metro that twelve people took part in the wing walk. 'Two from Denmark who’d come to help raise funds because their little one has just been diagnosed with Usher Syndrome,' he said. 'We also had three cochlear implant wearing walkers and two with Usher Syndrome, plus our four Emmerdale boys.' Co-stars Laura Norton and Katie Hill supported from the ground, along with local families who watched from the café.
Understanding Usher Syndrome
Usher Syndrome is a rare genetic condition causing combined hearing and vision loss, sometimes affecting balance. It has three subtypes: Type 1 involves severe-to-profound hearing loss from birth, vision loss around age 10, and balance issues; Type 2 includes moderate-to-severe hearing loss from birth, vision loss in mid-to-late teens, and no balance problems; Type 3 features progressive hearing loss, vision loss from mid-teens, and variable balance issues. More information is available on the Cure Usher website.
Ethereal Experience in the Sky
Describing the flight, Mark said: 'I felt so privileged to be in the air and occupying that space at that moment. At one point, I looked down as we passed the fields and I could see the shadow of the biplane with little old me on top of the shadow. I waved, I pretended to swim and I did breakdancing with my arms. I was so happy. I found it to be peaceful and still and very ethereal.' After landing, he was met by partner Laura and their children, Jesse, five, and Ronnie, three, and was 'beaming ear to ear'.
Cast Reactions and Fundraising Success
Noah Dingle actor Jack Downham expressed disappointment at not performing loops, saying: 'I asked the pilot if I could do some loop the loops and he said you have to do it on your second flight. I was gutted.' Matthew Wolfenden, who previously played David Metcalfe, did experience aerial acrobatics. Mark recalled: 'The plane kept flying higher and higher to get a good depth for the loops. Mathew was just a small dot on top of the small plane and very high up in the sky when it dived at breakneck speed towards the ground. Then suddenly the whole plane arched upwards back to the sky and proceeded to do about six loop the loops, one after the other!' Matthew received a huge cheer and recommended the experience, saying: 'Definitely! That is amazing! Everybody should have a go!'
The fundraising effort has already exceeded expectations. Mark revealed: 'I think we’ve raised over £13,000 and it’s still going up. We have two more days booked in for next year and already half of the places are taken. I would recommend that everybody who is interested do this because, as my description of my flight will tell you, it’s beautiful!'
Personal Connection to Cure Usher
Cure Usher is deeply important to Mark and Laura, whose young children were both diagnosed with Usher Syndrome in 2023. They have since dedicated time to raising money and awareness, hosting events like the annual Cure Usher Ball. Mark praised his Emmerdale co-stars for their support, telling Metro in 2024: 'We’ve been more than aware of, since our personal journey started, the amount of people who have stepped forward without any hesitation from work and have just committed to sharing that journey with us. These people are sharing and committing to anything they can do to help us. There’s people saying what they’re planning to do for the charity later down the line and it’s incredible. Everybody has their own life to live and their own problems, but people have jumped on board with this just because we’re part of their family in the workplace and that’s what they want to do for us, for our kids, and that’s amazing.'
For more information and to sign up for next year's wing walk, visit the Cure Usher website.
