The following article contains spoilers from an episode of Emmerdale that hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX.
Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) has been attacked with a shovel in Emmerdale, by someone who clearly knows a lot more than he’s letting on.
Recently, Joe made the discovery that someone was trying to blackmail him. This is a character who likes being in control of things – so knowing he was being threatened via the medium of sinister letters and stealing his medication left Joe feeling paranoid.
With proof it isn’t Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle), Joe turned his attention to Shaun in tonight’s episode, the man who stabbed Caleb Miligan (William Ash) earlier this year.
Joe confronted Shaun about the letters and said he knows he’s been sending them.
Joe thought that Shaun was doing it deliberately to get paid more. The theory was that if Joe was in any sort of danger, Shaun could act as his bodyguard and therefore, get extra cash for his services.
One mention of losing his job left Shaun an angry man. He pointed out that Joe didn’t have any proof, which was true, but he acted on an instinct and told Shaun to leave anyway.
After Sam Dingle (James Hooton) suggested to Joe that he leaves the Dales for a few days and wait in Monte Carlo for things to blow over, his plan to escape was set in motion. He let Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) know, and then headed into the new Home Farm stables.
But just as Joe established that he wasn’t the only human inside, Shaun came up behind him and knocked him out cold with a shovel.
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Clearly Shaun needs Joe to stay in the village – but is that because he’s working with Doctor Crowley (James Hillier)?
When Joe comes round in upcoming episodes, he finds himself in a makeshift hospital room with Crowley looming over him.
Was Shaun doing Crowley’s dirty work all along?
‘Joe’s entire thing is about trying to seem in control of the situation, when that’s really the furthest thing from the truth,’ star Ned Porteous teased.
There are worrying times ahead for incapacitated Joe. What does the surgeon want?
