Emmerdale fans are getting very excited by the news Joe Tate isn’t really dead and are predicting a big twist in the storyline.
It was revealed last night that Graham didn’t finish the job after Cain left Joe ‘dead’ last year and in fact had sent his surrogate son off to Monte Carlo with access to Kim Tate’s account.
As Kim herself put it when her private detective, Marcus, found out who was withdrawing money from her bank “It’s hardly the stuff of MI6.”
Read more: Emmerdale: seven big questions about Joe Tate’s return
But while fans were overjoyed at the news they’ve been hoping and praying for since his exit last October, they’re now predicting exactly what the future holds for him and his former fiancee Debbie Dingle.
Actress Charley Webb is currently expecting her third child with co-star husband Matthew Wolfenden (David Metcalfe) and she’ll be heading off on maternity leave at some point this year.
Viewers are convinced that her maternity leave will tie in with her being reunited with Joe and riding off into the sunset together.
“Debbie will disappear to find him (and have her child IRL),” said one, while another added: “Joe Tate is only alive now as a plot device for Debbie to leave for a few months whilst the actress who plays her is on maternity leave.”
A third added: “Maybe this is how Charley will take her maternity when she goes to find Joe?”
Charley Webb is pregnant and Joe Tate has been revealed alive… Debbie will disappear to find him (and have her child IRL) then return next year with Joe by her side… Surprise Charity and Cain by already being married… why haven’t @emmerdale hired me as a writer yet?! 😉
— Victoria Catterson (@VictoriaCatt96) March 18, 2019
Joe Tate is only alive now as a plot device for Debbie to leave for a few months whilst the actress who plays her is on maternity leave…#emmerdale
— Wooding (@Lorrain23194306) March 18, 2019
At least i can finally say “i told you so” re him not being dead! Prediction-Cain and Debbie find out about Joe right before Charley Webb’s maternity leave happens and she goes off to Monte Carlo to find him. #Emmerdale
— Matthew Chapman (@Matt528chap) March 18, 2019
Anyone else think Joe is only alive to give Debbie a sl so she can go on maternity? So will be interesting to see how he manages to talk Debbie round considering he allowed her to believe he was dead at the hands of her dad #Emmerdale
— Lorna Rafferty (@RaffertyLorna) March 18, 2019
Well I knew all along Joe was still alive!! Wonder if he will come back though? #Emmerdale or maybe this is how Charley will take her maternity when Debbie goes to find Joe??
— Nic (@Nicola07196629) March 18, 2019
I swear, if the show comes up w/this BS “Joe is in Monte Carlo”, so Debbie rushes off to be w/him just so Charlie can go on maternity leave, then for Debbie to come back in a year because Joe died in some yachting accident in the French Riviera, I’m going throw things.#emmerdale
— Lynnette Garcia-Corrales (@LvngConsciously) March 18, 2019
Read more: Next week’s Emmerdale in 10 pictures
Fans are desperate to know exactly what Joe’s ‘return’ means. Will he be back on screen at any point? Are the pictures Kim has of him all we’re going to get?
Sadly for viewers, Sharon Marshall confirmed on This Morning that this was just a cameo in the form of a photo from actor Ned Porteous, who’s currently enjoying life in LA, and that there are no plans for him to actually return to screens.
That doesn’t mean Debbie can’t go to him off-screen though, does it?
Emmerdale continues Tuesday to Thursday this week at 7pm, with an extra episode on Thursday at 8pm on ITV.
Do you think Debbie will leave to be with Joe? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.