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Emmerdale airs danger for Ruby Miligan as Joe Tate seeks revenge in early ITVX release

Warning: Contains spoilers for Monday's episode of Emmerdale, which airs at 8pm on ITV1 or can be streamed now on ITVX.

Ruby Miligan in Emmerdale

ITV

Published: Monday, 21 September 2026 at 7:30 am

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Ruby Miligan (Beth Cordingly) is facing death in Emmerdale.

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She and husband Caleb (William Ash) have made a huge mistake by crossing nephew Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), who is now seeking to avenge the couple for his wife-to-be's death.

Dearly departed Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley) was convinced that her fiancé was a bad man, and was planning to flee the country with ex-hubby Billy (Jay Kontzle) on the eve of her wedding. Ruby and Caleb provided assistance, offering accommodation and a contact who could provide fake passports.

Their hatred for Joe stems from the time he stole Caleb's kidney, and they could think of no better way to teach him a lesson than watching him lose everything he loved.

However, the plan backfired. While en route to their new beginning, Billy confessed to Dawn that Joe wasn't the violent and untrustworthy guy she thought he was.

Joe at Dawn's funeral in Emmerdale

Ned Porteous as Joe Tate. ITV

She immediately had second thoughts, but upon returning to the village to be wed, was caught up in a horrific car accident and suffered internal bleeding.

Just hours later, after giving birth to her son prematurely, she died.

Joe has been in turmoil ever since. He's failed to bond with the child, and is determined to make Ruby and Caleb pay for what they've done.

In today's episode, at Dawn's funeral, Joe showed a rare vulnerability and struggled to deliver a eulogy. The intimate ceremony by the Home Farm Stables was attended by just a few family members, and Kim Tate (Claire King) took over his speech.

As she vowed to unite the family in their time of great hardship, Joe walked off.

Ruby, buried alive, in a scene from Emmerdale

Beth Cordingly as Ruby Miligan. ITV

Later, at the wake, Kim and Joe's former guardian Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) bickered about Joe's absence and what it might mean for the baby's future.

Little did they realise, he was stood over a pile of freshly dug soil. Could he be paying a final tribute to Dawn?

No. This wasn't Dawn's grave - but was actually something he'd prepared for Ruby. Deep beneath the ground, she lay unconscious in a coffin.

Will Ruby be ok?

Read more:

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.

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Authors

Michael Adams wearing a white t-shirt and beige gilet against a white background

Michael AdamsSoaps Editor

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

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