In a surprising turn of events, Joe Absolom is set to depart ITV's Emmerdale mere months after his arrival, with his final scenes already in the can. The actor, 47, joined the Yorkshire-based soap earlier this year as the menacing drug dealer Ray Walters, but will bow out in explosive fashion in the new year.
A Sudden Departure for the Villain
According to reports, Absolom filmed his last scenes for the programme back in November 2025. A source close to the production explained the swift exit, stating: "Bosses knew they only ever had Joe for a certain amount of time, but they’ve definitely made the most of having someone of his calibre in the village."
Prior to causing chaos in the Dales, Absolom was best known for his long-running role as Al Large in Doc Martin from 2004 to 2022, and for playing Matthew Rose in BBC's EastEnders between 1997 and 2000.
Explosive Exit Tied to Major Soap Crossover
His departure is rumoured to be part of Emmerdale's highly anticipated crossover with Coronation Street. During his short tenure, Ray Walters was central to one of the soap's darkest ever plots, running a drugs network and modern slavery ring with his foster mother, Celia Daniels, played by Jaye Griffiths.
The sinister pair ensnared villagers including April Windsor and Bear Wolf in their schemes. Actress Jaye Griffiths, who is also leaving the show, recently spoke about the challenging storyline, hoping it would highlight the grim reality of modern slavery. "It’s not happening somewhere far, far away, it’s happening next door," she said.
Cast Reaction to the Dark Storyline's End
Griffiths expressed sadness at leaving the "heavenly" Emmerdale set but acknowledged her character's arc was always finite. She also joked about the impending fan backlash, saying: "I want to remind people that it’s just pretend and I am really nice... I’m gonna get hate mail!"
With both central villains of the harrowing plot now making their exits, viewers can expect a dramatic and likely violent conclusion to the storyline when it airs in 2026. Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
