Emmerdale confirms major Joe Tate twist as his comeuppance finally looms
Emmerdale spoilers follow for Tuesday’s (April 28) episode that is now available to view on ITVX. The episode in question will air on ITV1 on at 7:30pm.
Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) will live to regret the day he told lies to Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) about the skeletons in his closet, claiming to have had no dark secrets left to spill.
The ruthless entrepreneur, who has never exactly been known for his acts of generosity, has backstabbed and betrayed in such a fashion this past year that even his younger self would be disgusted, leaving families in tatters and chaos in the wake.
His defence? All’s fair in business. But that’s not how Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) saw it, after she was informed by Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) of Joe’s role in her prison nightmare.
When it comes to who had the worst year in soap – and in this genre there are always countless contenders – Moira is perhaps at the very top of the list.
The beloved farmer lost her home, her farm and her freedom after Joe, hellbent on securing Butlers, had Robert plant IDs and passports – belonging to the victims of Celia Daniels’ (Jaye Griffiths) modern slavery operation – on her property.
The police were tipped off and Moira was arrested, facing decades in prison for modern slavery charges but also for murder after Celia and victim Anya’s bodies were uncovered on her land.
Joe showed no guilt over what he did, whereas Robert made it his mission to secure Moira’s freedom, successfully doing so. But unable to keep shtum about their role in her prison nightmare, Rob told Moira everything and, after scolding Robert, she made her way to Home Farm – with a shotgun.
Moira was raging and understandably so. Not only did she face years behind bars, but Cain (Jeff Hordley) received a cancer diagnosis while she was away, meaning she couldn’t be there for him and their boys during the devastating time, especially when the prognosis was unclear, meaning Kyle and Isaac worried about losing both their parents.
Joe cowered in fear as he urged Moira to resist the urge to pull the trigger. Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough), who arrived mid-showdown, similarly asked Moira to reconsider. Dawn, meanwhile, was horrified when she entered Home Farm to witness the intense scenes, begging Moira to put down the gun, revealing that she’s pregnant with Joe’s baby.
The revelation took Joe by surprise. A child of his own is all he ever wanted.
Moira relented and Joe spewed lies to Dawn about what the farmer meant when she claimed he took everything from her. But Dawn’s interest was piqued and her suspicions were raised.
Dawn has been left in shock on numerous occasions when it comes to the depths that her other half has sunk to in order to secure business deals.
Blackmailing Robert with a video of Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) fighting for her life and subsequently killing John (Oliver Farnworth) should’ve been the final straw for Dawn but nonetheless she agreed to give him one more shot – on the basis that there’s nothing else left to divulge.
Joe claimed there wasn’t. But with Moira set to fill her in on Joe’s role in her nightmarish year, will Dawn come to realise that Joe Tate, who previously stole a kidney from Caleb Miligan (William Ash), isn’t the man she wants as a father to her unborn baby?
With reports that Dawn star Olivia Bromley is set to leave Emmerdale after 8 years, could her alter-ego perhaps flee the village with her and Joe’s baby, protecting the little one from the villainy of his father?
Moira vowed revenge as she stormed out of the Home Farm halls and telling Dawn should very much execute that as it will set in motion Joe losing the picture perfect family life he’s always wanted.
Is Joe finally set to pay for what he did? Will he understand what it’s like to lose everything, like so many people that were caught in the crossfire of his capers?