Christmas is happier for some than others in Emmerdale this year (Picture: ITV)

There’s heart-racing tension in Christmas Day’s visit to Emmerdale, as Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) races to save the man she loves – but will she be in time?

Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) has been in grievous danger since Damon ‘Harry’ Harris (Robert Beck) captured him.

Harry was contacted by Chloe Harris (Jessie Elland) after Mackenzie almost found out where she and Reuben had been hiding. In desperation, Chloe asked her dad to help her by supplying new passports and bank accounts to help her start a new life abroad where Mack would never find her.

Harry, however, had other ideas and because viewers already knew the extremes of violence he was capable of – after previous run-ins with Caleb Milligan (William Ash) and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter), things looked bleak for Mackenzie.

Since then we’ve seen him tied to a chair in an abandoned factory, with Harry taunting him and leaving him in no doubt that his life was seriously in danger.

Chloe, who seemed to regret getting Harry involved almost as soon as she’d done it, was horrified when she found out and tried to help Mackenzie get away.

But in this episode his escape attempt has failed and he’s in a worse situation than he was before. Acting on instinct Charity rushes to save him, and as she scuffles with Harry a gunshot rings out…

Back in Emmerdale there’s sexual tension in the air for Caleb and Tracy Metcalfe (Amy Walsh), who are forced to sit around the Christmas dinner table at Butler’s Farm with the rest of the family, trying to pretend they have absolutely no interest in each other at all.

Mack’s life hangs in the balance (Picture: ITV)

This lasts until they get a few moments alone. As everyone is leaving Tracy offers to stay there and look after the kids – and Caleb says he’ll keep her company.

One thing leads to another, but their moment of passion is cut short when they’re caught in the act – but by whom?

Christmas Day at Smithy Cottage is well underway with Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) presiding over the kitchen. It’s a crowded and busy household as Gus (Alan McKenna) and baby Ivy are staying with Marlon, Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) and the family for Christmas.

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Mary Goskirk (Louise Jameson) brought Gus and his daughter to stay when she realised he wasn’t coping with looking after the baby while grieving for his wife, Lucy.

For Rhona it’s the chance to connect with the baby she knows is biologically part of her, but obviously for Marlon it’s a very difficult situation.

It’s not long before peace and goodwill go out of the window for Marlon as the stresses of trying to make a perfect Christmas for his kids while dealing with the added emotions of having Gus and Ivy in the house all add up to make him reach breaking point with Gus – and he storms off.

Is Christmas ruined for Marlon, or could a wise word from a friend save the day?

MORE : 20 Emmerdale pictures confirm Christmas week chaos as major tragedy rocks a village favourite while an affair is exposed

MORE : Emmerdale’s Emma Atkins on whether Charity will kill to save kidnapped Mack

MORE : Emmerdale’s Zoe Henry addresses her ‘primal instinct’ as she reveals what she would do in Rhona’s situation

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There’s a life-changing Christmas ahead for some beloved Emmerdale characters…