In a dramatic early release on ITVX, Emmerdale villain Joe Tate has seized a deadly secret to blackmail the Sugden family, before hatching a plan to frame a village legend for horrific crimes.
A Deadly Secret and a Blackmail Plot
The fallout from the explosive Corriedale crossover event continues to send shockwaves through the Dales. Joe Tate, played by Ned Porteous, is now holding immense power after secretly filming a fatal confrontation. He witnessed Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) stab her brother, John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), with a syringe, leading to his death.
Armed with the incriminating video on his phone, Joe confronted Victoria and Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). He presented them with a grim ultimatum: either he goes to the police, or they sign over their family farm to him for free. Desperate and cornered, the siblings felt they had no choice but to agree to his demands.
The Framing of Moira Dingle
Emboldened by his success, Joe's scheming took an even darker turn. His next task involved collecting rent from Celia Daniels' farm. Unable to find Celia—who is, in fact, dead—Joe snooped through her property and made a chilling discovery.
He found an envelope containing passports, including one belonging to Anya, a woman who had been trafficked. This sparked a new, malicious idea. Joe later met Robert at Home Farm and revealed his plan: he wanted Robert to plant the passports and other evidence at Moira Dingle's (Natalie J Robb) house.
Joe explained that Celia had been using people as slave labour on her farm, and he intended to pin the entire operation on Moira. Although Robert refused, it was made clear this was not a request but an order.
What Happens Next in Emmerdale?
This sinister plot sets the stage for dramatic episodes to come. It has already been revealed that Moira will find herself questioned by police over human trafficking allegations. The big question for fans is whether this is a direct result of Robert being forced to plant Joe's fabricated evidence.
Will Joe use the same blackmail tactics on Moira that he used on the Sugdens, offering his silence about the 'crimes' in exchange for her farm? With Joe determined to impress his mother Kim Tate by acquiring surrounding land, no one in the village is safe from his ruthless machinations.
These episodes, released early on ITVX on January 7, 2026, confirm that Joe Tate is back to his most manipulative and dangerous self, threatening to destroy lives and frame an innocent woman for a dead woman's crimes.
