Fresh death rocks Emmerdale as a dead body is stashed

2026 has dawned on Emmerdale. What better way to ring in a new year of drama than with a dead body?

Emmerdale is killing it right now (pun intended). Not content with the brilliantly ambitious hour-long crossover Corriedale, they’ve got us rooting for their flagship couple Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) and Ryan Hawley (Robert Sugden) by bringing back one of their most complex and interesting villains – serial killer John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth).

At the same time, mother and son criminal duo Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and Celia Daniels’ (Jaye Griffiths) domestic slavery empire is in the midst of collapsing as one of the most gripping yet grounded stories of the year reaches its crescendo.

Let’s not forget Charity Dingle’s (Emma Atkins) baby bombshell – the baby she’s carrying for Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill) and Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) is actually the result of a one-night stand with Ross Barton (Michael Parr) – is about to detonate with devastating consequences.

So when Emmerdale teases a beautiful day in the village beginning with a lifeless body dragged away by an unseen assailant, fans are playing the world’s most difficult game of ‘Guess Who?’. Who’s the victim and who’s the killer?

There’s an unwritten rule in Soapland – you don’t bring back a serial killer unless they’re going to strike again. Therefore, the smart money is on John Sugden adding another kill to his murderous belt. The sociopathic Sugden has a twisted hero complex that compels him to put people in mortal danger just so he can swoop in and save them.

That may be his game plan to win back his ex-Aaron Dingle from the arms of his half-brother Robert Sugden, but will one of them get caught in the crossfire? It’s also entirely possible that John’s the one leaving the village in a body bag. Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) swore revenge against him for the murder of his son, Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter). Is John about to get soap justice?

But John Sugden’s not the only bad boy to have returned to the Dales in time for the New Year. Robert Sugden’s delightfully unhinged prison husband, Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill), also came back to torment our favourite couple. After faking a terminal illness so Robert would stay with him out of pity, Kev hit the roof when he found out the man he loved was trying to find his secret stash of cash from the armed robbery he got sent down for.

After threatening Aaron with a sword, Kev left the village with a broken heart. But his return saw things take an even more bizarre turn, when he was held hostage by John, who planned to use him in his villainous plot.

However, Kev managed to outsmart the Dales’ luckiest killer and escape. Knowing exactly what John has planned, will Kev save Aaron and Robert from the murderous army medic…or will John catch up with him and make him pay for humiliating him?

Meanwhile, the end of April Windsor’s (Amelia Flanagan) county lines drug dealing nightmare is finally in sight when she finally is reunited with an emotional Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry). Shockwaves will ripple through the village once Ray and Celia’s operation is finally revealed to everyone, including Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt), who will be devastated to hear that his father Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) had been a forced worked all these months.  

But Bear is still missing, and our fears will be compounded when Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) and Caleb Milligan (William Ash) leave a van behind in the depot… unaware that it has a dead body inside. Is this van the final resting place of Bear?

Elsewhere, Charity’s surrogacy baby secret is finally exposed. For months, Sarah and Jacob have been under the impression that the devious Dingle is carrying their child… when actually, it’s the result of a quick knee-trembler with Ross Barton.

They will be none too happy when the truth comes out, and neither will Charity’s husband Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb). During the Corriedale ep, Mackenzie will be burying his rage all the way down the motorway as he persuades Charity to get in his car and pursue Jacob and Sarah before they make it to the airport.

But during the journey, Charity quickly becomes aware that Mack is wise to her lies when he straight up asks her if the baby is his. Busted!  So when Mack thinks he’s spotted the car Jacob and Sarah are in up ahead, he’s simmering with fury as he plunges the accelerator towards the floor…

Does Mack’s anger cost him his life…or someone else’s?

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