Emmerdale has released a new trailer teasing the dramatic wedding of Dawn Fletcher and Joe Tate, with bosses warning that the day will end in tragedy. The impact of the wedding will be felt across the village for years to come, according to producer Laura Shaw.
Wedding Drama and Billy's Attack
Dawn, played by Olivia Bromley since 2018, is set to marry Joe (Ned Porteous), but her recent secret kiss with ex-partner Billy (Jay Kontzle) has complicated matters. Billy was brutally attacked and is currently in a coma, with suspicion falling heavily on Joe. Although Joe has been released from police custody, Dawn remains torn, desperate to believe in her fiancé's innocence amid mounting pressure.
In upcoming scenes, Dawn learns that doctors plan to bring Billy out of his coma. She hopes he will provide answers, but his reaction only raises more questions.
Producer's Warning
Laura Shaw said: "The run up to Dawn and Joe’s wedding will be far from straightforward but the week of the wedding is even more dramatic! The day will end in tragedy with the consequences having ramifications that will impact the villagers' lives for years to come."
Billy suffered a bleed on the brain after Kerry Wyatt found him unconscious at the depot where they work. He was lying with his head in a pool of blood, and his loved ones were warned he was in a bad way. Kerry and boss Caleb Miligan pointed police towards Joe, who had threatened Billy after learning of the kiss.
Actor's Insight on Joe
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Ned Porteous discussed whether Joe could be capable of the attack. He said: "I think Joe has it in him to do a whole bunch of things. Yeah. I think the beauty of this character, and the fun I've been having with the character, is the duality between his capabilities for great good and great evil."
He added: "I think as a thematic tool, Joe, and characters like Joe, are extremely useful for the screenwriters, because we can see that he is a good dude, but he has no practice at it. He's volatile, he has a complete lack of control of his emotions. So, if you were to get to him, he'll get you back sevenfold."
Asked if Joe would struggle to prove his innocence if he is innocent, Porteous replied: "Absolutely. I think everything that Joe does in this village is guilty until proven innocent, because why on earth wouldn't it be? We've only ever seen Joe do bad things to people, apart from the one or two people that he's let close to himself and his heart that know that he's not completely evil."
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and STV, or from 7am on ITVX, STV and YouTube.
