Monday's episode of Emmerdale saw two exits on the hit ITV soap.
The latest instalment, accessible on ITV X, showed the aftermath of the shocking stabbing storyline from last week. Devotees of the show will remember how Joe Tate engineered a scenario for Caleb Milligan to be stabbed, all in order to steal his kidney.
In the chilling recent episodes, viewers were on the edge of their seats as Caleb nearly lost his life, with his condition so dire that he momentarily flat-lined on the operating table. Amidst this tension, Joe's private doctor, Dr Crowley, managed to save Caleb and perform the kidney transplant.
Caleb was ultimately dropped off at the hospital by Dr Crowley, who fabricated a story about performing emergency surgery which resulted in the removal of Caleb's kidney due to the stab wound location.
This week's instalment had Joe, who had been battling chronic kidney disease and now equipped with Caleb's kidney, worrying after discovering that Shaun, the man who stabbed Caleb, had been taken into custody, reports Leeds Live.
But with Shaun soon released while awaiting further inquiry, Caleb seized the chance to whisk his accomplice off to Thailand. Meanwhile, Joe also readied to leave, setting his sights on Dubai.
Proclaiming his inability to continue residing in the village, and with medical assistance awaiting him in Dubai where he could recuperate undisturbed, he informed Dr Crowley of his plans.
Dr Crowley gave Joe well-wishes before unveiling his own departure, telling Joe: "I'm out of here!" to which Joe echoed the sentiment, recognising it was time for a new chapter: "Yeah, me too, time to move on!"
The episode climaxed with Joe heading to the airport, during which he erased Dawn Fletcher from his phone contacts amid their clandestine romantic entanglement.
As Joe made his departure, a tearful Dawn confided in Kim Tate regarding her tangled affections, torn about continuing her marriage to Billy Fletcher while harbouring love for Joe.
Following the revelation of a double departure in Monday's instalment, with both Joe and Dr Crowley exiting the village after their dark plan, viewers are left questioning if justice will elude them.
Meanwhile, Dawn faces an emotional turmoil now that Joe is gone, particularly as she has expressed a readiness to end her marriage for the shifty tycoon.
It comes as it was revealed that Joe, who returned back in December after six years away, will get his 'comeuppance', according to Metro.
Joe first made his debut 30 years ago in 1995, where he remained on the soap until 2005. After 12 years away, Joe returned from 2017 to 2018 before returning once again in 2024. With Monday's episode seeing him exit, is this the last of Joe?
An Emmerdale spokesperson told the publication: "Emmerdale covers a wide ranging scope of subjects in its storytelling. From births to deaths and everything in between, the nightly stories entertain, inform and raise awareness.
"We regularly work with organisations, help groups and charities for the portrayal of many of these subjects. But sometimes our characters go rogue acting out of desperation or whilst under pressure. Joe Tate’s desperate actions are not being held up as an example and as with any soap villain he will ultimately get his comeuppance."
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.
English (United States) ·