Emmerdale has confirmed that Thea Ramsden's father is Steve Marchant, Kim Tate's second husband. The revelation comes next week when Kim discloses the identity to Thea, following weeks of speculation among fans. The disclosure follows the earlier bombshell that Thea is actually Kim's daughter, given up for adoption as an infant.
Fan theories and the reveal
Viewers had been sharing theories online, with some correctly guessing Steve while others believed Graham could be the father. One fan wrote: "Kim's told Mr SAS about Thea! Who's the dad? I'm sure it's Steve Marchant!" Another offered a different theory: "Kim opening up on why she gave up Thea for adoption in 2001. But who is Thea's dad? I think it's Graham." A further viewer added: "Im getting vibes that Thea is Graham/Kim baby and not the other dad options #Emmerdale."
Steve, played by Paul Opacic between 1996 and 1999, was handed a 10-year prison sentence after Kim framed him for a financial fraud scheme. The timeline suggests it is possible Kim was carrying his child at the time.
A turbulent week for Kim and Thea
The bombshell follows a difficult period for the pair. Baby Tate, now officially named William, had been snatched by his father, Joe. Kim eventually accepted that Thea bore no responsibility, though not before accidentally stabbing her during a fraught confrontation. With Thea hospitalised, Kim located her identification and discovered her full name was Anthea, leading to the revelation that she was her daughter.
Upon regaining consciousness, Thea said she had sought retribution for being placed for adoption. She initially rejected Kim's attempts at reconciliation but gradually softened as her birth mother detailed the challenging circumstances behind her choice. Despite Kim's concerns that Thea would report the stabbing, Thea instead told police that poachers had assaulted her and Kim had intervened to save her.
Rebuilding their relationship
Next week, Thea recognises that Kim differs from the woman she had imagined, and her plan to destroy her birth mother appears to have ended. As they begin to rebuild their connection, Thea asks about her father, prompting Kim to reveal Steve's identity. However, Thea stresses that building a genuine relationship will require patience.
Following the disclosure, fans have discussed the spoilers on Reddit. One stated: "I don't believe Kim is telling the truth. It is too convenient for her to claim Thea's father is a man she hasn't seen in 26 years, since setting him up to take the fall for a crime they both committed." Another replied: "I hope there's a twist and it turns out not to be Steve in the end. If it's really him, then I hope it's because they really want to focus on the Kim/Thea mother-daughter relationship with no other third party or third wheel introduced into the mix, and they have no intention of bringing Steve back. I don't want to see another non-Tate at Home Farm, especially not a man." A further comment read: "I forgot all about Steve Marchant, but heck, Thea does look like him!"
Emmerdale is available to watch on ITVX.
