Emmerdale confirms shock reunion for Rhona Goskirk ahead of next week's flashback episodes

It has been confirmed who the mystery figure contacting Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) is in Emmerdale.

The ITV soap has seen Rhona receiving mysterious messages and calls from someone in the last couple of weeks, and answers have been promised in the upcoming flashback week episodes, which will reveal who killed criminal Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).

Now the soap has revealed who the shadowy figure is that approached Rhona and will be shown in flashbacks to the day of Ray's death: her 'dead' ex, Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough).

In the Rhona-focused episode to air on Tuesday (20th January 2026), Rhona is working away at the kitchen sink when she is grabbed from behind and her mouth covered by a hooded figure, and then she turns around to see it's Graham.

Rhona is absolutely flabbergasted to see Graham alive and well after he was seemingly murdered in a whodunnit storyline back in 2020.

The soap later revealed that Rhona's evil ex-husband, Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather), had been the one to kill Graham following multiple violent fights and Graham being both run over and knocked from a clifftop.

So, what will Rhona do now that she knows Graham is still alive? Do the pair of them have something to do with Ray's demise?

Fans first found out that Graham was alive in the ITV soap crossover event Corriedale, where he was seen driving a van with a mysterious woman (Olivia Frances Brown) bound and gagged in the back.

When Graham inspected the wreckage following the episode's epic car pile-up, the woman made an escape. Graham was later seen watching over his surrogate son Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) in the hospital following the crash, but soon left. This wasn't before Joe caught a glimpse of Graham, however.

Since then, Joe has had doubts about Graham's demise, and on Friday, he hired a private investigator to look into Graham's death.

Will Joe soon discover the truth, too? And what will Graham's estranged wife, Kim Tate (Claire King), have to say?

Speaking about 2026 to the press last month, producer Laura Shaw said: "His return will have massive repercussions for both Kim, with whom he shares a complex love and hate relationship, and Rhona, who was about to run away with him."

“Graham will explain exactly what happened six years ago when he was ‘killed’,” revealed Shaw, “but the question will be whether Joe can ever forgive his father-figure for allowing him to believe he was dead.”

Meanwhile, the mysterious woman from Corriedale was later revealed to be Jodie Ramsey, the long-lost half-sister of regular Coronation Street character Shona Platt (Julia Goulding).

So, just what connects Jodie and Graham?

Read more:

• 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.

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