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Emmerdale villain makes surprise return in early ITVX release – one month after being killed off
Warning: Contains spoilers for Friday's episode of Emmerdale, which airs at 8pm on ITV1 or can be streamed now on ITVX.
ITV
- Michael Adams
Published: Friday, 13 February 2026 at 10:41 am
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The only absolute certainty in life is death.
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Unless you're a character in a soap opera, and it doesn't necessarily mean the end of the road. Take Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) in Emmerdale, for example.
Although killed off prior to the Corriedale crossover episode, he made a series of appearances in flashback scenes to explain his demise, and made another spectacular comeback in today's episode.
A ghostly vision of twisted Ray was seen to be haunting Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) throughout the instalment, urging him to confess to his murder.
A vision of Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) swarmed around a vulnerable Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards). ITV
Paddy Dingle (Dominic Brunt) had finally decided to seek professional help for his dad, and with help from Dr Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker), arranged for a counsellor who had experienced modern slavery first-hand to speak with him.
The risk was huge – Bear was broken and vulnerable, and it wouldn't take much for him to admit to his fit of rage that led to Ray's death.
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As the counselling session began, Bear began to suffer intense hallucinations of his captor, who swarmed around him and urged him not to believe her words. Ray promised he was a good man who tried to help, intensifying Bear's Stockholm Syndrome.
Meanwhile, Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) told Paddy that felt he was cursed, as since he arrived in the village, he'd brought nothing but trouble. He thought it was time to move on, feeling that everyone would be much better off without him.
Bare handed himself into the police after speaking to a counsellor. ITV
His girlfriend April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) had similar concerns, telling step-mum Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) that she didn't feel comfortable not receiving some sort of punishment for being part of Ray's operation.
Rhona urged her to see that she was as much of a victim as Bear. The four then headed out into Main Street, and became aware of a situation unfolding as a result of Bear's consultation.
Police officers were escorting him out of Manpreet's house, with the counsellor explaining that he'd confessed to killing Ray and had contacted authorities himself.
Will Bear be sent down for murder?
Emmerdale spoilers next week – Bear Wolf arrested as Laurel Thomas learns a shocking secret:
Read more:
- Emmerdale reveals Victoria Sugden's exit story following vicious ultimatum in early ITVX release
- 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Bear Wolf arrested as Laurel Thomas learns a shocking secret
- Emmerdale's Victoria Sugden makes devastating decision about her future in early ITVX release
- Emmerdale finally confirms who killed Ray Walters following epic flashback week in ITVX release
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.
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Authors
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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