Emmerdale has aired the tragic death of Jimmy King, but the fate of Joe Tate remains unknown. In shock scenes of the ITV soap, Jimmy (Nick Miles) lost control of his vehicle and smashed it into Joe (Ned Porteous) and Dawn Fletcher's (Olivia Bromley) wedding marquee.
Jimmy was critically injured as a result of the crash, while Joe was trapped under the marquee's structure that had fallen onto him. "I don't wanna panic you, but I don't think I'm getting out," he told his wife Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler), showing her his severe injuries.
Jimmy's final moments
Nicola jumped into the car with Jimmy and held his hand as he revealed plans for a romantic surprise picnic with his wife. Devastated, Nicola tried to understand what had happened, asking Jimmy if he could remember anything.
Jimmy seemed to accept his grim reality, with Nicola remaining by his side until he tragically died. While a devastated Nicola mourned, Dawn pleaded for assistance before both women recognised they had to flee immediately before the marquee exploded.
Joe trapped as the marquee explodes
The two women managed to escape the burning wedding venue just before it went up in flames, but Joe remained trapped underneath the debris. As Dawn and Nicola made their escape, following Joe's desperate plea, viewers witnessed the inferno growing larger, reflected in Joe's eyes. As the episode concluded, Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) rushed to rescue Joe, only for disaster to strike.
In an instant, the entire tent erupted, prompting Dawn to cry out for her beloved partner, before the episode concluded with the character nowhere to be seen. The final glimpse we had of Joe showed him pinned beneath wreckage, with Dawn powerless to pull him free.
Fans react to Joe's uncertain fate
Emmerdale fans have been left fearing Joe is also dead, along with Jimmy, who marked the end of a 22-year stint on the ITV show. Taking to X, one Emmerdale fan asked: "IS JOE DEAD? #Emmerdale." A second stated: "#emmerdale hopefully that’s the end of Joe." While a third chimed in: "In the words of Maximus Decimus Meridius Unleash hell If Joe dies. #Emmerdale."
"People thinking joe could survive that #Emmerdale," pointed out one viewer while another added: "Heartbroken Not Jo #Emmerdale." Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX.
