When did Moira kill Emma Barton in Emmerdale - and will Harriet blackmail her?
Mucky Moira's murderous past comes back to haunt her
Sins of the past have resurfaced for Emmerdale's Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) who faces a possible blackmail threat for murdering Emma Barton, a deadly secret only a handful of villagers know about - one of them being vicar Harriet Finch (Katherine Dow Blyton) who could expose the feisty farmer after a spectacular falling out.
Thursday 26th September's double bill contained a vicious showdown between the women after Moira laid into her friend for bringing an ex-drug dealer into the village, while offering sympathy over the anniversary of daughter Holly's death from a heroin overdose.
- Who was Holly Barton in Emmerdale? When did she die?
- The life and times of Emmerdale’s Rachel Breckle as she dies off-screen
- Tommy Cannon and 7 other comedy legends who made soap cameos
Pointing out everybody's got some skeletons in their closet, Harriet played her trump card as she referenced Moira's murderous moment, much to Mrs Dingle's fury. But when did this occur, what actually happened, and what does this mean for Moira and Harriet going forward?
When did Moira Dingle murder Emma Barton?
Unstable Emma, Moira's disturbed former sister-in-law, unravelled after killing her ex-husband James Barton in 2016, and by the following year her crime had caught up with her as the truth emerged and she went into meltdown.
Trying to escape the village she accidentally shot her son Finn dead, adding her other kids Pete and Ross to the growing list of characters with a grudge against her that led to an audacious whodunnit when Emma was pushed from a viaduct in October 2017.
More like this
Moira was revealed as the culprit in December of that year, with a flashback explaining she flipped during a showdown when Emma cruelly taunted her over Holly's tragic death.
Guilty Moira confided in Cain, and her protective son Adam took the blame and went to prison - only to break out and choose a life on the run as opposed to one behind bars. Unburdening herself to local holy woman Harriet, who agreed to keep quiet, made Moira feel better at the time, but now she and Harriet have had an alright ding-dong is that set to change?
How could Harriet Finch ruin Moira Dingle's life?
Even Cain was surprised at the level of his wife's venom as she tore a strip off Harriet, accusing her of hypocrisy for dating former drug baron Will Taylor and harbouring his delinquent daughter, ex-prositute Dawn.
But there was a definite sense Moira had gone too far as Harriet warned her to be careful, making threatening comments about glass houses and stones. Is the reverend considering reporting Moira to the police having stayed silent all this time? Or at least use it as a bargaining chip to keep her nose out of her life and stop spreading poison about her and Will?
Let's not forget Moira is also sitting on another huge secret - she's been cheating on Cain with hunky toy boy Nate Robinson. Her hubby is already suspicious, and it seems a tantalising possibility that Harriet could rumble the affair and use it as another bit of leverage to hold over her.
So there are numerous ways Harriet might be able to bring murdering Moira down - if she felt like it. Plus, she's the one with God on her side…
Visit our dedicated Emmerdale page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
