Emmerdale flashback week spoilers: Day by day guide as Ray Walters's killer is finally exposed
It's a big week in the Dales.
Prepare to go back in time – next week's Emmerdale is serving us not one, not two, but five flashbacks to explain the events of Ray Walters's (Joe Absolom) death.
Viewers have been left in the dark about his demise ever since a pre-Corriedale peek at his body being dragged through the village. We later saw the corpse wrapped up inside of Jai Sharma's (Chris Bisson) van, apparently en route to Manchester.
However, following the multi-vehicle pile-up on Connelton Lane, it seemed that Jai never reached his destination and the gruesome remains are still held in the back of the vehicle. Next week, he becomes prime suspect.
But did he really kill Ray?
It's a proper soapy 'whodunnit?', with a number of residents in the frame. The start of next week's episodes sees a different character in the spotlight, as we peel back the layers to their motive and movements on the night of his death.
The suspects meet up, and discuss where they were...
Here's a look at everything happening in Emmerdale between Monday 19th and Friday – 23rd January 2026.
Emmerdale flashback week spoilers
Monday 19th January (Laurel and Arthur Thomas)
Following Celia's murder, Ray stands over his dead mother's body before grabbing his red sports bag and heading out of their farmhouse. Making his way to the village, he prepares to tell Laurel that they are finally free to be together.
However, she's become privy to their monstrous ways, and is initially hesitant to believe that he could be capable. When he arrives at the door of Mulberry Cottage, she confronts him.
Ray tries to explain that he was a victim too, and begs her for his freedom. She takes pity and allows him to leave, unaware that Arthur has resolved to make him pay for causing his mum so much distress.
Nicola urges her to lure him into a trap, and Laurel is unsure whether she is the right person to serve justice.
Tuesday 20th January (Rhona Goskirk)
We head straight back to Celia's murder scene, and this time we see Ray grab a cloth and wipe his fingerprints off the knife that he drove into his wicked mother's back.
He takes the red sports bag and goes to confront Laurel. Across the road, at Smithy Cottage, Rhona and Marlon are concerned about April's disappearance.
As he continues to spiral, a figure looms behind her. Who is it, and did they help her kill Ray?
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Wednesday 21st January (Marlon and Paddy Dingle, and Ross Barton)
Once again, the episode begins with Ray fleeing the farmhouse after killing Celia, grabbing his red sports bag and heading to the village. But before he leaves, he's drawn to head upstairs and see whether she was telling the truth about Bear Wolf's (Joshua Richards) death.
He can't bring himself to look at his lifeless body on the floor, and is mortified to see his father figure in such a state.
Meanwhile, Marlon is determined to track down Ray and find out what happened to April. He grabs a knife and leaves the cottage.
Elsewhere, Paddy has learnt of the slave operation and is speechless. Ray deals the disturbing revelation that Bear is dead, and Paddy quickly becomes enraged, but is warned not to do anything or Dylan will pay the price.
Marlon and Paddy are pushed to the limit, while Ross is cooking up a plan - preparing a shotgun.
Is he the one who killed Ray, and then returned April to the village?
Thursday 22nd January (The reveal)
After a series of key plot points and one last glimpse at the main suspects, we finally learn who killed Ray.
Ray has left the attic space - having seen Bear's body - and regains control of his emotions. It's now time for him to dispose of Celia's body, and he's completely and utterly broken.
He heads to the village and bumps into Eve, threatening the youngster to ensure Paddy stays quiet.
Meanwhile, Arthur takes opportunity to snatch the red sports bag and heads home to Mulberry, shocking Laurel when she discovers drugs in the holdall.
Friday 23rd January (The aftermath)
After Ray's death, it's a grim moment for the culprit as they have to bundle his body into the back of Jai's van and hope that he'll obliviously drop it off in Manchester.
As we know, their plan wasn't successful...
Read more:
- Emmerdale boss teases killer cover-up story for Robert and Victoria Sugden after John's brutal death
- Emmerdale reveals John Sugden murder twist as major character witnesses death in ITVX release
- 5 Emmerdale spoilers this week: Moira Dingle arrested for human trafficking in Celia Daniels death twist
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.
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Authors
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.
