However, it seems as though it’ll be worth the wait as things take a sinister turn in the village – especially for villain Joe Tate (Ned Porteous).
While many Emmerdale fans would want nothing more than for Joe to get a taste of his own medicine, events are set to kick up a notch for Joe as he is confronted in a shock attack.
The scenes – unfolding in today’s episode, which is already available to stream on ITVX – see Joe knocked down in a surprise attack… but that’s not where the drama ends.
Future Emmerdale spoilers reveal that he’s due to wake up woozy and disorientated in a makeshift hospital, so what could the future hold for him?
Ned Porteous as Joe Tate. ITV
Joe has certainly been central to many of the shocking plot lines that have graced Emmerdale of late, not least stealing a kidney and playing a key role in the limousine crash that led to three fatalities.
His attack in tonight’s episode is simply just the tip of the iceberg, with Porteous recently explaining a bit more about the blackmailing plot that’s set to come his way.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other media at a recent press event, the actor revealed: “It’s a rather large sum of money, even to Joe, which is quite a scary thing. It’s less the money, and more the idea that someone had got into the house. You’ve lost your safe bubble when someone’s broken into your kitchen and left a note.
“He’s less scared and worried about the bribe [as] such, he’s more worried about the fact that his girl and her kids are going to be in danger.”
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We do know that Joe being knocked out is the result of another run-in with Doctor Crowley, played by James Hillier. Speaking about reuniting for upcoming scenes, Porteous said: “I enjoy working with him, and the character that he built is fun, it’s got more dimensions than just a helper, and it serves as a very interesting character going forward.
“Hopefully the audience likes what we do with it, because it all gets a bit crazy.”
With things set to really heat up even further than we thought possible for Joe, will he make it out alive?
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Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.
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