Emmerdale killer’s master plan revealed as villager’s life hangs in the balance in early ITVX release

This article contains spoilers for tonight’s Emmerdale, which has not yet aired on TV but is available to watch now on ITVX.

All John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) wants for Christmas is Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) – and he’s prepared to kill to get him.

Emmerdale fans have been eagerly anticipating the return of the unhinged serial killer since it was announced.

The murderous medic has a twisted hero complex which gives him the need to save people – from the danger he himself puts them in.

John returned to the village on Christmas Day, hellbent on winning back his ex-husband from Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) and burying his half-brother for good.

Just because it’s Christmas, Emmerdale’s put an extra psycho in our stocking this year – Robert’s unstable prison husband, the murderous man-bun himself, Kev Townsend (Christopher Coghill). After trying to attack Aaron with a sword in a jealous rage, Kev left Emmerdale nursing a broken heart.

But now Kev’s back and he’s already had Aaron in his sights – literally. He spent Christmas Eve spying on his ex and his love-rival through the scope of a rifle. It turns out, Kev was the one who threw a brick through Aaron’s windscreen and set fire to the trees outside their flat. Add to that a Christmas Card posted through their letterbox containing Kev’s wedding ring and a bullet, and it’s beginning to look a lot like stalking.

So when Robert goes missing on Christmas Day, it doesn’t take Benoit Blanc to suspect Kev was responsible for his disappearance… especially when we saw someone tied up like a Christmas turkey in a dark room.

But it’s not Robert who’s being held prisoner… it’s Kev!

What part of John Sugden’s nefarious scheme to win back Aaron could possibly involve John’s unstable ex-con hubby? That would be telling. We never open our Christmas presents early and a good soap villain like John never spoils his plans by falling into such a tired cliché as evil monologuing.

Besides, he’s too busy sneaking into cottages and whispering to a sleeping Aaron that they’re going to be together no matter what. Shudder…

On Boxing Day, Aaron and Robert have called DS Matthews round for a progress update on finding Kev. But DS Matthews regrets to inform Aaron and Robert that there is no evidence to tie Kev to the crime scene. Even the bullet and wedding ring aren’t enough to pin this on Kev. They’re going to need more than that to consider Kev a suspect…

Meanwhile, John spies on Aaron and John through the scope of his rifle…

… while Kev struggles with his bonds, and manages to break free!

But when John returns, he finds Kev writhing on the floor in pain, struggling to breathe. At first, John thinks he’s faking, but soon realises that he’s really minutes from death. When Kev weakly begs for the pills in his jacket pocket, John grabs them and promises not to let Kev die…

… And later, we realise why John’s keeping Kev alive when he finally unveils his grand plan. Suffice to say, it does not go down well with his captive. John offers Kev a piece of white bread as a peace offering, only for Kev to spit it back in his face. So that’s a no then, Kev?

It’s a battle of the murderous exes at Christmas time as audiences will be dying to know how crazed Kev fits into John Sugden’s plan… and whether they will work together to bring Aaron and Rob down.

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