Emmerdale fans 'rumble' who John Sugden visited at hospital in shock 'stolen identity' twist

Emmerdale viewers are convinced they've cracked the mystery of who John Sugden visited in hospital - and it's not Aidan Moore.

John, portrayed by Oliver Farnworth, made his first appearance last year as the alleged long-lost son of Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby), quickly making waves among the locals.

The enigmatic character has since found his footing in the village, building relationships with his newfound family members, including sister Victoria (Isabel Hodgins). He also popped the question to Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller).

However, details about John's past remain scarce, with the only known fact being his previous military service. But suspicions were aroused when Victoria discovered dog tags bearing the name 'Aidan Moore'.

John explained that Aidan was his closest comrade during their deployment in Afghanistan. He recounted a memory of playing football with a local child, which ended tragically when Aidan was killed in a bomb attack on their base, reports Leicestershire Live. Despite John's best efforts, he couldn't save his friend.

Adding to the intrigue, showrunners recently confirmed that John's darker side will be delved into soon. This week, the soap unveiled a significant twist involving John.

Emmerdale aficionados will vividly remember the moment John was publicly reprimanded by his superior, Dr Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), for misdiagnosing Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton). Left feeling utterly humiliated, John's subsequent outburst was unprecedented as he violently demolished a car, shocking viewers with this display of rage.

In last Tuesday’s episode (April 9), tension was still sky-high for John, causing friction between him and Aaron. Later on, in a moment of vulnerability, John confided in Vic about his past as a medic, including a haunting memory of a time his treatment caused an adverse reaction while serving in the army.

Vic managed to offer some solace to a troubled John, yet by the episode’s end, he found himself beside the hospital bed of an enigmatic coma patient. To this figure, he pondered aloud: "You and me? What are we gonna do eh?" His conversation took a dark turn as he ominously added: "Or what am I gonna have to do?"

As theories swirl amongst the Emmerdale fan community, speculation is rife over the identity of the man in the coma. Debates have erupted on an Emmerdale Facebook fan group, with one member querying: "Any idea who the man is in the hospital bed? I couldn't tell."

The fan theories flooded in beneath the post, with some betting that the mystery patient could actually be the real John Sugden, suggesting a case of mistaken identity at play, with one remarking: "I think it's really John in the hospital and John is really Aidan taking on his identity."

Another member joined the conjecture, writing: "The person whose identity he had taken? ? ?" A fourth supporter also weighed in, contributing: "I think it will be enough the real John Sugden's. This would make sense."

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm

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