Emmerdale flashbacks reveal how Graham Foster was able to return from the dead in ITVX release

We finally know how Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) was able to survive being whacked over the head, hit by a car, falling off a cliffside and a cremation in Emmerdale.

The events had lasting repercussions for the villagers, with then-girlfriend Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) and ex-wife Kim Tate (Claire King) devastated by his loss, and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) going to prison for a murder he didn't commit.

To see Graham emerge from a car during the epic Coronation Street crossover earlier this month was quite the surprise, and today's explanation of how he survived is probably the biggest soap retcon (where the established continuity is retroactively changed) ever.

After lurking around the Dales for the last few weeks, and almost being spotted by former ward Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), Graham finally made his presence known to Rhona.

She was stunned to see him stood in her living room, and for a moment considered that she might be hallucinating.

He explained that he'd overheard April Windsor's (Amelia Flanagan) name mentioned when being told about a drug dealing gang in the area, and he knew he had to return and save her from dastardly Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths).

Rhona had a lot of questions, and fortunately Graham was on hand with some nifty glimpses back to 2020 to explain everything. Now, given this episode is set on 2nd January, this was a flashback within a flashback.

He'd overheard Kim chatting with Al Chapman (Michael Wildman), who was planning to kill him. During his attempt to flee, Rhona's ex-husband Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather) intervened and waylaid his plans.

Graham revealed that he'd spared Pierce's life because he didn't want to upset her, and that the only way for her to fully recover from his sudden disappearance would be if he 'died'.

With thanks to his mate DI Dent (Linda Amstrong), who he knew from his SAS days, he was able to complete this deed.

During his time spent in Iraq, Graham supposedly played dead multiple times, and that's why he was able to convince Billy Fletcher (Jay Konztle) and Priya Sharma (Fiona Wade) that he was long gone. Fortunately, they didn't check his pulse.

Graham paid the police and forensic teams to whisk him out of the morgue and onto a ferry. He kept abreast of everything happening in Rhona's life through newspapers, and feeling guilty about everything that had happened to her and Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) at the hands of Pierce, he knew he had to make it up to her by helping April.

But did Graham subsequently kill Ray? The mystery continues in more flashback episodes throughout the week.

Read more:

• 4 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Kim and Joe Tate stunned by Graham Foster's return from the dead
• Emmerdale flashback week spoilers: Day by day guide as Ray Walters's killer is finally exposed
• 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

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.