Emmerdale viewers believe they have uncovered a crucial deception in the storyline surrounding the death of villain John Sugden, suggesting his sister Victoria may not be the killer after all.
The Corriedale Cliffhanger
In a dramatic special episode that fused Emmerdale with Coronation Street, known as 'Corriedale', the fate of John Sugden was sealed. Played by actor Oliver Farnworth, the character met a grim end in the woods after a night of chaos. The episode, which aired on ITV, concluded with a shocking cliffhanger showing a shaken Victoria Sugden looming over her brother's lifeless body, heavily implying she was responsible.
John was on the run after his crimes were exposed, leading to a frantic chase involving several characters. His husband, Aaron Dingle, failed to convince him to turn himself in, prompting John to flee armed with a gun. The pursuit saw Coronation Street detective Kit Green knocked unconscious and a showdown with Robert Sugden and Cain Dingle.
Is Victoria Being Framed?
Despite the visual suggestion, the actual murder was not shown on screen. This has led fans to speculate that the scene is a deliberate misdirection, or 'red herring', designed to make Victoria look guilty when she may have simply discovered the body.
Eagle-eyed viewers have taken to social media to voice their suspicions, proposing alternative culprits. A key theory points to Detective Kit Green, potentially finishing the job after regaining consciousness. Another popular suspect is Chas Dingle, whose motives and whereabouts during the chaos remain unclear.
One fan succinctly stated: "Kit," while another asked: "Who reckons Chas killed John?" A third questioned the ambiguity: "Did Victoria kill John or find him?" This sentiment was echoed by a fourth viewer who noted: "Victoria was standing over John doesn’t mean she killed him." Another added to the mystery, pointing out: "True was too dark to tell if she had the gun, still not sure how she popped up!"
Far-Reaching Consequences for Soapland
The fallout from the Corriedale event is expected to be significant. Cast members have teased that the repercussions will ripple across both soaps for a long time to come.
In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, Julia Goulding, who plays Shona Platt, used a vivid analogy: "Imagine David and Shona and their life is a ball of wool. Imagine what would happen if a cat got hold of it, it would unravel." Her co-star, Sally Carman-Duttine, hinted at the intense filming, revealing: "There's a possibility lives will be forever changed. There was a lot of frantic energy. We were all on a night shoot."
James Cartwright, portraying Theo Silverton, promised transformative effects, dramatically stating: "There's moments that will have real far-reaching consequences. It will change soap land forever. Soap land will never be the same again because of it. It's like a meteor coming to Earth. You can take cover but it's landing!"
As the investigation continues in the village, fans will have to keep watching to see if their theories are correct. Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX, while Coronation Street follows at 8:30pm on the same channels.
