Emmerdale fans are left guessing Nate Robinson's fate after he vanished following a dramatic barn fire, leading some to speculate he may be colluding with an unexpected villager - or even killed in the blaze.
During Thursday's gripping hour-long episode, viewers learned that Ruby Milligan (played by Beth Cordingly) and Moira Barton (Natalie J Robb) had survived the catastrophic barn explosion.
Additional survivors included Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb), alongside the show's newcomer John Sugden, depicted by Oliver Farnworth, after they braved the inferno to save those trapped. Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) and Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) also faced peril but emerged unharmed.
However, the plot thickens as despite his revelation of being an ex-army medic, villagers suspect John, who has revealed plans to leave Emmerdale, is hiding something more - possibly involving Nate?
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In a tense encounter, Tracy Metcalfe (Amy Walsh) cornered John, pressing for details about the fire and Nate's current location. "Can you smell smoke?" she asked him sharply, to which John reluctantly revealed, "There was a fire at the farm," reports Leeds Live.
Tracy, visibly alarmed, questioned the severity: "What? Not a bad one though? " Receiving a grim reply from John: "Pretty much as bad as it gets."
Concerned, Tracy pressed further on who had been there and the well-being of everyone. "Moira, Ruby, and Will were taken to hospital," John divulged.
"But they are going to be ok? " a worried Tracy insisted, only for John to share the discouraging news: "I don't know. They weren't in a good way, it didn't look good."
Emmerdale viewers were left scratching their heads after John's evasive answers about Nate's (Jurell Carter) whereabouts sparked a flurry of speculation. John told Tracy, "He wasn't there, he left before it happened, he mentioned Shetland."
Tracy, taken aback, responded, "Yeah, I knew he was going there, I just thought I might have seen him before he took off." John apologetically added, "I am sorry," to which Tracy said, "It's not your fault, is it."
Fans flocked to social media to dissect the scene, with one fan posting on a Facebook group: "Why was John cagey near his van when Tracy went up? Who is in there or what?"
Theories ranged from John stealing Will's money to harboring Nate, who some suspect is still alive and possibly in cahoots with John. "I think he has Nate in his van," one viewer speculated, while another suggested, "Maybe John is the blackmailer."
Another added: "John killed Nate, He's in the back of John's van."
Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV.
