Rob's tune is icing on the cake

Now the tear-jerking melody is set to be released by the programme's producers after a clamour from fans of the soap trying to get a copy.

And one fan of the show who will be first to pick up a copy when it hits the shops is the song's writer - Edinburgh-based baker Rob Ellis.

Mr Ellis, the 28-year-old director of House of Sugar in Bruntsfield, is better known these days for making Shirley Bassey's birthday cake - complete with a 1 million diamond inside - and designing a cake for celebrity pair Peter Andre and Jordan.

But the talented musician has also penned tracks for ITV and even played piano at Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle, where he used to work as an events manager.

On Monday, TV bosses will release Mr Ellis's song - Easy Come, Easy Go - in a bid to raise money for charity, before using it as the music Alice Dingle finally dies to during that night's episode of Emmerdale.

Mr Ellis said that after the wedding episode there was a clamour from fans of the soap for the song, which he wrote, played piano on and sang, to be released.

The emotionally-charged episode's storyline featured the loveable but slow Sam marrying Alice, even though she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The show's famous theme music was replaced with Mr Ellis's song at the end.

He said: "The call centre was bombarded with calls for it to be released as a song, so the record will come out on Monday and the song will be featured on Monday night as Alice dies."

Mr Ellis said he was a fan of Emmerdale so was able to come up with the song without too much bother.

"I was really pleased to be involved. I like Emmerdale and was following the story so was inspired quickly.

"It's a very sad song, written from Sam's point of view," he added.

It is not Mr Ellis' first link with the Yorkshire-set soap, as he also made an extravagant lilac cake for the double wedding of Viv and Bob and Marlon and Donna.

He said he had done occasional songwriting for ITV for "quite a while" and re-recorded the theme tune of Emmerdale about a year ago, which was how he initially got involved with the show.

Profits from the release of Easy Come, Easy Go will go to Leukaemia Research and Mr Ellis is also donating his own royalties from the song.

Series producer Kath Beedles said: "When the song first appeared in the episode where Sam and Alice got married, a number of fans were desperate to get hold of the song and suggested a release for charity.

"Thanks to Rob Ellis's generosity in waiving his royalties, we were able to go ahead with this great idea, donating all net profits to leukaemia research."

House of Sugar, where Mr Ellis is director and senior designer, has a team of three designers working from a studio in Gilmore Place.

It works without a shop with customers coming to them via the internet or by word of mouth.

• To order a CD of the song to be posted to you, text ALICE followed by a space then your name, address and postcode to 78484.

The cost of the song will be 3 (two texts at 1.50 each). Normal network charges apply.