Emmerdale teases Robert Sugden revenge on Joe Tate with new ally in early ITVX release
Warning: Contains spoilers for Thursday's episode of Emmerdale, which airs at 8pm on ITV1 or can be streamed now on ITVX.
Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) has gained a potential new ally amid his war with Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) in Emmerdale.
It's been a disastrous year for Robert, who is being blackmailed and was forced to frame Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) for modern slavery and double murder. This followed Joe recording footage of Robert's younger sister Victoria (Isabel Hodgins) killing their brother John (Oliver Farnworth), and if he didn't comply, it would be sent to the police.
Although John's death was ruled as suicide, Vic concluded that life would never be the same again and she fled for Spain with young son Harry.
Joe has since got his hands on Moira's homestead, Butler's Farm, and installed Robert as tenant farmer. Although he was initially on cloud nine after restoring the Sugden family legacy and renaming the land to Emmerdale Farm, Joe attempted to sell the cattle from beneath him and has made it clear that he still pulls the strings.
In today's episode, Robert was saddened after getting a call from Vic. She'd made it clear that she had no intentions of returning to the village anytime soon, and especially not with Joe breathing down their necks.
Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) said that he was sick of Joe calling the shots, but understood that he effectively had Robert over a barrel with the video and therefore he didn't want to rock the boat too much. They'd also be left homeless should Joe decide to strip the farmhouse from beneath them.
Later that day, the matter escalated when Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) called Aaron to inform him that Moira was intending to plead guilty. She couldn't bare the thought of being without her children for an extended period of time, and hoped that the guilty admission would lessen her sentence.
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Robert was left guilt ridden, and stormed over to Home Farm to confront Joe. He told him that it was time to stop, and that they could tip off the police about Moira being framed and hope that their attention turned back to late Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) – the person actually responsible.
Joe wasn't happy with the suggestion. He said he wasn't prepared to throw his life away to save Moira, and quickly shut down the conversation.
Ross Barton (Michael Parr) then arrived, and told Robert that Joe was also getting under his skin. Robert proposed taking him down a peg or two, and said that he would make it worth his while.
What will Robert and Ross do, and will they succeed in bringing down Joe?
Read more:
- 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Robert Sugden makes huge decision as Moira Dingle's trial arrives
- Who is guilty of poisoning in Emmerdale as iconic character's life hangs in the balance in ITVX release?
- Emmerdale airs sick new low for Joe Tate in Dingle feud during early ITX release
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am 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.
