Joe Tate will return to Emmerdale from the dead this week, five months after he was presumed dead at the hands of Cain Dingle
With Joe’s step-mum Kim back on the scene, we’ve been expecting more explosive storylines to hit our screens soon.
And Emmerdale bosses haven’t disappointed as it’s now been revealed that Joe has been alive and well living in Monte Carlo for all this time.
The last time we saw Joe he was lying on the floor seemingly killed accidentally by Cain, who punched him in the head when he thought Joe had stood up his daughter Debbie Dingle at the alter.
Joe hit his head on a rock as he fell and was left for dead by a mortified Cain. But it turns out that while he was knocked out cold, Joe wasn’t killed and, with the help of Graham Foster, fled to Europe to escape his scheming step-mother Kim.
Emmerdale spoilers: week 12 - slider
Emmerdale spoilers
Kim goes to visit Moira at Home Farm to talk about her 'offer' to Cain, but quickly realises Moirs will not be walked all over.
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Defeated by Moira's feistiness, Kim goes to leave but gets stuck in the mud and falls over. Humiliated, she refuses Moira's offer of a hand up.
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Kim is outraged when she realises that half the village knows that her offer to the village vets of an equestrian arm has been refused.
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After another face off with Moira, this time in the pub, Kim heads home to find a surprising note from Graham, but she has to compose herself quickly when Cain shows up at her door.
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Kim turns to her old moves and tries to seduce Cain to throw him off the scent of her plans with Graham – but what exactly is the plan?
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Cain stays head strong and refuses Kim's advanced, calling her bluff and knocking her back, leaving her humiliated.
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Kim explains her plan to pull Cain's life apart bit by bit, and Graham is uncomfortable when she reveals how she intends to involve Noah.
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Elsewhere in the village, Pete is concerned for Rhona, who isn't herself after returning from the hospital following her hysterectomy.
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She resists Pete's help and tries to hide her hot flushes and headaches from him, but he cottons on and asks Rhona if it's the menopause causing her distress.
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Feeling sympathetic to Rhona's situation, Marlon convinces Paddy that he needs to warn Rhona about his baby news, before she finds out from someone else.
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Paddy gently breaks the news to his old friend. At first she seems to take it well and is determined to be supportive, telling Paddy he deserves his happiness.
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She sends Paddy off to the pub to celebrate, and is quickly joined by Marlon who pops by to see how she is feeling. He's heartbroken to see how hurt she is.
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In happier news, Chas and Paddy tell the Dingle family their baby news and they're all overjoyed for them.
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Desperate for a place to get intimate, Maya and Jacob sneak into Tug Ghyl cottage and head upstairs.
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Maya and Jacob have narrowly avoided being caught again. Outside, Tracy confronts Leyla.
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Seeing her chatting with Billy, Tracy assumes that he's the man she was upstairs with and a squabble ensues.
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Maya and Jacob look on. Wracked with guilt, Jacob realises his scheming has hurt yet another of his friends and worries about their scheme backfiring even more.
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But as Maya heads down for snacks, she runs into Tracy home from work. Thinking on her feet, Maya explains the noises coming from upstairs by telling her Leyla is upstairs with a man.
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Rishi and Manpreet return to Emmerdale but worry about how they're going to explain their absence to Jai.
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Later on, Graham returns and tells Kim that he won't be intimidating into leaving the village. They each know she's secretly relieved, placing them both as equals.
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Nicola is appalled at the school's proposal for a four day week, but quickly realises she could use the issue to get herself elected onto the local council.
WATCH Emmerdale's Emma Atkins on whether Joe Tate will return
“Everyone was convinced he died in October,” a soap insider told The Sun.
“But he has been alive all this time and secretly living abroad with ¬Graham’s help.
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“Unsurprisingly, it comes as a huge shock to the rest of the village. And Cain in particular will be stunned. He’s been living with the belief he murdered Joe, with Debbie Dingle blaming him for her loss.
“But as soapland has seen time and again, unless a body or burial is seen, it’s likely a character could come back at any point — and that’s the case with Joe.”
Ned Porteous, the actor who plays Joe, went all out to convince fans that his death was the real deal when he left the soap in October, when he posted a touching goodbye video on his social media and relocated to LA to take on pastures new.